Zero Robotics Summer Competition for Grades 6-9: Apply by Apr. 13

Opportunities, Summer

Zero Robotics is a nationwide summer-time programming competition for middle-school students where the robots are SPHERES (Synchronized Position Hold Engage and Reorient Experimental Satellites) inside the International Space Station! Each team of 10 to 20 students (who will be in Grades 6-9 in the fall) is organized and managed by a public or private school or community-based organization that serves middle-school youth. Each organization should apply by April 13, identify an adult to engage and inspire the team, recruit team members, create accounts on zerorobotics.mit.edu, and start writing code. The program runs July 9 to August 10, during which teams should expect to spend 15 hours a week on the project.  The early rounds of the competition will use simulated SPHERES, and the final round of competition will use real SPHERES and will be officiated by an astronaut on the ISS sometime in August. For more information, contact Katie Magrane at Katie@massilc.com.

STEM Pathways High School Training in Synthetic Biology, Apr. 14 & 28

Events, Opportunities

STEM Pathways — a Boston University/MIT outreach program for synthetic biology — will offer a one-day training session for high-school students (ages 16+) on two Saturdays — April 14 and April 28 — 10AM-4PM, at Boston University.  Students will learn about fundamental synthetic biology tools and concepts like DNA purification, gel electrophoresis, and bacterial transformation in a working synthetic biology lab environment. There is no fee, and lunch will be provided. Registration (including a recommendation letter from a teacher) is required by April 4 for the April 14 session or by April 18 for the April 28 session. For more information,  email connect@stempathways.org. 

Clay Center: Public Telescope Nights on Tuesdays; Also: 3-Evening Introduction to Astronomy

Events

Public Telescope Nights:  The Clay Center Observatory, on the campus of Dexter Southfield School (20 Newton Street in Brookline; 5th floor), holds Public Telescope Nights 8PM to 9PM on Tuesdays, March 27 through June 5.  Go here to pick a date and register in advance.  Come look through the largest telescope in greater Boston. Events are canceled if weather is rainy or overcast:  Call 617-454-2795 one hour before the event for a recorded message.

Introduction to Astronomy:  The Clay Center Observatory at Dexter Southfield has teamed up with Newton Community Education to offer a course about telescopes, constellations, sky navigation, Earth’s seasons, and phases of the moon. Weather permitting, the class will use the Clay Center’s 25” research-grade telescope and other telescopes — and also explore the fiber-optic-lit Stars Court and the 3D Moon Court. Three Mondays, April 23-May 7, 6:30-8:30PM at the Clay Center at Dexter Southfield School. $75 fee.  Register here.

You GO Girl! MIT Summer Program for Girls Entering Grade 9, July 9-12

Summer

Registration is open for You GO Girl!, the MIT Edgerton Center’s summer introduction to science and engineering for girls entering Grade 9.  It’s a non-residential program for 24 girls in the greater Boston area and will be held 8:30AM-2:30PM on July 9-12.  A suggested donation of $50 for materials is requested. Applications may be mailed or scanned. For more information, contact Amy Fitzgerald at 617-253-7931 or amyfitz@mit.edu.

Register for Science on Saturday (The Science of Sight and Color) at MIT Lincoln Labs, Apr. 28

Events

Registration is now open for two Saturday-morning sessions of Science on Saturday, on April 28 at MIT’s Lincoln Laboratory (244 Wood Street in Lexington).   The topic will be The Science of Sight and Color, presented by Lincoln Laboratory’s Women’s Network. All children (5-17 years) must be escorted by an adult, and every adult must be escorted by a child or children.  Children under 5 are not admitted.  Admission is free but each person attending must be registered.  Space is limited, so register online soon for either Session 1 (9AM to 10:30AM) or Session 2: 10:45AM to 12:15PM). Register an adult first, then a child, then others. Adults must bring government photo identification.  See other rules on the registration pages. Due to construction, this event will be held in the cafeteria, accessed via the garage stairs instead of the main lobby.

Newton Free Library: STEM Events in April

Events

The Newton Free Library will host the following STEM event(s) in April (not including the Girls Who Code club or the Crazy 8s Math club, for which registration has ended). For each, space is limited, and you should pick up tickets 15 minutes beforehand at the Children’s Desk.

MSMR Student Competition: Enter a Poster, Essay, or Website

Opportunities

The Massachusetts Society for Medical Research will hold its 27th Annual Student Competition, in which New England students in Grades 7-12 learn about a breakthrough in life sciences and report about it via a poster, essay, or website — as if reporting for the What A Year website for science discovery.  Awards of up to $500 will be made in two levels:  Grades 7-8 and Grades 9-12, with education grants for the teachers/advisors of the winning students.  Entries are due by May 7.  See the student packet.