San Diego--The Fleet Science Center has planned an amazing week of fun science events to coincide with the annual San Diego Festival of Science and Engineering, taking place Saturday, March 4, through Sunday, March 12, 2017.  

The festival kicks off with Expo Day at Petco Park on Saturday, March 4. The event is free and open to the public. Look for the Fleet's booth at the festival and keep an eye on the main stage to witness the Fleet's live science show.

Throughout the rest of the week, the Fleet will host science events throughout the city for a variety of ages and interests.

Here is a detailed rundown of all the Festival events the Fleet has planned:

On Sunday, March 5, join the Fleet's Tinkerers' Club to explore texture, color theory and magnetic forces by using four simple ingredients to make magnetic slime. 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Fleet. More>>

On Monday, March 6, the Fleet presents Suds & Science on the topic of Climate Change and Its Effect on Food Security. Researchers from UCSD and the Scripps Institution of Oceanography share their latest research on climate change, including its effects on our oceans, marine life, weather, agriculture and food security. 6:30 to 8 p.m. Location: Stone Brewing World Bistro & Garden Liberty Station, 2816 Historic Decatur Road #116, San Diego, CA 92116. More>>

On Tuesday, March 7, the Fleet will host a family-friendly STEM in Your Backyard event as part of our community science program, 52 Weeks of Science. This event will feature interactive experiments, hands-on demonstrations and the opportunity to meet a scientist. More>>

Wednesday, March 8, join us at 57 Degrees in Mission Hills for Brushes & Beakers. Local artist Amanda Rouse leads attendee through creating individual paintings of a sunset scene of the Ocean Beach Pier, while her husband, Dr. Robert Letscher, shares his work as a marine biogeochemist and his research on next-generation climate models. 6 to 8 p.m. More>>

Thursday, March 9, join us for a special edition of our popular community science program, Two Scientists Walk Into a Bar: A Scientist and an Artist Walk Into a Bar. The Fleet has partnered with the San Diego Art Institute to bring artists and scientists together for a special edition of Two Scientists Walk Into a Bar. The event takes place at 25 different bars simultaneously across San Diego County. All the locations are listed on the link. Ask questions about intriguing topics or inquire about literally anything; no topic is off-limits. 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. Locations and specialties of the artists and scientists are available on the Fleet website. More>>

On Friday, March 10, a new giant-screen film premieres at the Fleet. Dream Big: Engineering Our World reveals how engineers have changed both everyday lives and entire societies: from the Roman Arch and the Great Wall of China to the International Space Station, underwater robots, wind-defying skyscrapers and pneumatic tube vehicles that might one day zoom at 700 MPH. Whatever you think engineering is, you'll probably think again as the award-winning filmmaking team at MacGillivray Freeman Films reveals not only the grandeur but the heart, humanity and optimism that exist within every problem-solving project. The film travels the globe from China and Nepal to Dubai, Australia and Haiti back to Seattle, San Francisco and Phoenix, Arizona. Dream Big is showing exclusively in San Diego at the Fleet Science Center. More>>

Also on Friday, March 10, we kick off the weekend with the incredible Fleet Night of Science party, Detectives vs. Engineers. As a detective, you'll explore Sherlock Holmes and the Clocktower Mystery to see if you can solve the crime; then delve into the science of fingerprinting and extracting DNA and take your turn in outwitting a puzzle room. As an engineer, you can catch the premiere of Dream Big: Engineering Our World, then put on your hard hat and construct a derby car, create a Rube Goldberg contraption and design a structure that will survive our earthquake simulator. Food and drinks (including adult beverages) will be available for purchase at this 21-and-up night at the Fleet. 6 to 10 p.m. at the Fleet Science Center. More>>

Last, on Sunday, March 12, the Fleet presents the Science and Engineering of Lowriders. The event will feature a history of lowrider culture, the evolution of engineering and technology that goes into these mobile art pieces and a historical tour of the famous murals of Chicano Park, ending with a lowrider demonstration. This family-friendly experience is from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Chicano Park and is presented in partnership with Via International. More>>

This is all in addition to the regular collection of hands-on interactive science exhibits at the Fleet; our current collection of traveling exhibitions, including Sherlock Holmes and the Clocktower Mystery and So Moved: The Art and Science of Motion; and our latest film, Dream Big: Engineering Our World, opening on Friday, March 10, in the Giant Dome theater. There are also three other IMAX films screening on rotation in the Giant Dome Theater.

The Fleet will be open for regular gallery hours from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday through Sunday, with early closures on March 7 and 10 for special events.  

"We're excited to sponsor the San Diego Festival of Science and Engineering," said Steve Snyder, CEO of the Fleet Science Center, which has supported the Festival since its inception and is a silver sponsor this year. "It's great to see a whole city energized by science and participating in science, whether it's at an event in their community, at a school or at the Fleet."

The San Diego Festival of Science and Engineering is a ten-day educational experience designed to engage and encourage kids in science and engineering and work with parents and teachers to inspire today's students to become tomorrow's science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) innovators. The events of the festival include interactive science demonstrations, hands-on activities and dynamic speakers to engage kids and families in all that encompasses STEM. The Festival kicks off with its largest event, Expo Day (March 4), at Petco Park. Expo Day is free and open to the public. Hundreds of community businesses and organizations will participate in Expo Day, in addition to over 60 Festival programs and events that will take place throughout the county of San Diego. More than 75,000 kids, parents, teachers, industry leaders and community members are anticipated to attend the Festival.

For more information about the San Diego Festival of Science and Engineering, please visit https://www.lovestemsd.org/.

For more information, about Fleet events during the week of Saturday, March 4, to Sunday, March 12, please visit http://www.fleetscience.org/events/san-diego-festival-science-and-engineering.

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To schedule a media preview or interview for any of the listed events, please contact Fleet Science Center Public Relations Manager Nathan Young at 619-685-5743 or nyoung@rhfleet.org.

Interviews can be scheduled with the Fleet's CEO, Dr. Steve Snyder, as well as many of the presenters, experts and organizers of the Fleet events and the San Diego Festival of Science and Engineering.

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About the San Diego Festival of Science and Engineering

The San Diego Festival of Science and Engineering is a ten-day educational experience including interactive demonstrations, hands-on activities and dynamic speakers to engage kids and families in all that encompasses STEM (science, technology, engineering and math). The week kicks off with its largest event, EXPO Day (March 4th), at PETCO Park. EXPO Day is free and open to the public. Hundreds of community businesses and organizations will participate in EXPO Day in addition to over 60 programs and events that will follow throughout the week all throughout the county of San Diego. More than 75,000 kids, parents, teachers, industry leaders and community members are anticipated to attend during Festival Week.