The magic of the scientific world

Report from the 1st Science Festival at Vyatka State University. 2011

The science festival brought together more than five thousand participants - residents of Kirov and the region.

Do you know what microbes look like on a computer or cell phone keyboard? Surely, having seen them once through a microscope, you would be impressed and begin to constantly wash your hands. The First All-Russian Festival of Science, held in our city on the basis of Vyatka State University, gave Kirov schoolchildren the opportunity to feel like a participant in the Galileo program.

The organizers did their best to ensure that everything was held at a high level, because the next global event - the Russian Festival of 2012 could be held in Kirov.

“We have been preparing for a year, working out the idea, developing a plan. Large-scale work has been carried out, and we hope for a good result” said Anna Klabukova, a representative of the press service of Vyatka State University.

In the four buildings of Vyatka State University, under the motto "Touch Science", more than a hundred sites worked. High school students and adults had the opportunity to get acquainted with modern technical means of studying nano-objects, and students of middle and lower grades enjoyed watching the starry sky and testing night vision devices in the planetarium.

Excursions to the world of science, intellectual and business games, examinations, games, research, master classes - everyone could take part in everything at will and interests.

At the festival sites, the children could observe the processes of chemical reactions, cook pizza in the “Laboratory of Taste”, “gild” any metal object in the “Nickel-plating workshop”, examine various microorganisms and even frog blood under a microscope!

 

Taste and color

In addition to Kirov gymnasiums, lyceums and schools, groups from Zuevka, Kotelnich, Kirovo-Chepetsk and Slobodskoye came to the festival. And many townspeople came with their families. The smallest ones got the opportunity to inflate a giant soap bubble and were able to control the battle of robots in the ring in the “Entertaining Science Theater”, which caused genuine delight among the children. The chocolate fountain attracted the attention of the sweet tooth - everyone was in a hurry to taste the delicacy, and with the help of a small hammer, any melody could be played on bells made of various alloys. Not only children, but also adults watched with delight the processes of growing artificial crystals and clocks that run on ordinary drinking water.

In part, the form of the event resembled an open day, because each small participant, perhaps, seriously thought about the future, having got acquainted with the scientific world in such an interesting, unusual and entertaining way.

It is worth noting that much seen at the festival can only be compared with tricks, magic and fantasy. Even the older viewers could not resist admiring the colorful patterns of the kaleidoscope, examining the microbes with interest, watching the robots walking on the table. And what can we say about the guys - the schoolchildren moved from playground to playground and were in a hurry to see everything first.

Also, within the framework of the event, exhibitions of drawings were organized, one of which “The World of Science through the Eyes of Children” showed how the children imagine it.


Let's evaluate the quality

Presentations and master classes on various topics were held in the classrooms. The guests of the festival took part in open lectures on chromatography and computer graphics, art history and paper-plasticity, visited the restoration workshop and creative studios, took part in brain-rings, the Mathematical Domino contest, seminars and business games (“Corporation Plus” and “How to get your boss?”), blitz tournaments and testing, sketching and prototyping of architectural objects, as well as a tour of the computing cluster of Vyatka State University.

Olga Mokerova, Senior Lecturer at the Department of Service and Trade at Vyatka State University, spoke about the organoleptic examination and visual assessment of the quality of goods. The participants were told about the criteria by which the quality of shoes is determined, what you should pay attention to when choosing shoes and boots, they also paid attention to children's shoes, because comfort plays a big role for a child. The schoolchildren were also reminded of the rights of consumers, for the first time I personally learned that, according to the law, even a product at a discount or from a sale is covered by a warranty period, regardless of the form of sale. But often, when buying things at a discount, we hear from the seller that the guarantee does not apply to them. Thus, consumer rights are violated. At the end of the lecture, the children independently checked the shoes for compliance with quality standards.

 

Team spirit

Personally, I would like to note the well-coordinated, well-thought-out organization of the event. Volunteers accompanied each group of schoolchildren. It was interesting to watch how not only girls, but also young people actively communicated with children, while waiting in line, they held entertaining quizzes, not letting them get bored for a minute. Any information was explained in the information desk, the walls were full of information signs, in general, everyone to whom you turned with a question was quickly guided and directed in the right direction. And the brochure - the program so accurately and easily informed about the event with an explanation and clarification of where and what is being held, that there were practically no questions.

 
Feedback

Feedback was provided at the end of the event. This made it possible to understand that the goals set were achieved. Even sixth-graders thought that they wanted to study chemistry and computer technology in depth within the walls of the university. “We are satisfied with the event. Of course, we have something to work on in the future, as we plan to hold the festival in our city every year,” sums up the representative of the press service of the university.


Results in numbers

- more than 4,000 schoolchildren visited the festival;

- 500 of the most active participants of the festival sites received reflective bracelets from Vyatka State University and Alexander Pushnoy, host of the Galileo program on STS;

- 100 most active participants received certificates and certificates of the Festival;

- 5 most talented participants of quizzes and brain-rings received certificates for a special scholarship from the rector of Vyatka State University;

- 50 "silver" and "gold" coins were unearthed at the site "I am an archaeologist";

- more than 100 charm dolls were sewn at the master class;

- 50 pizzas were cooked and eaten at the master class "Laboratory of Taste";

- 150 "chocolate tickets" were raffled off in intellectual quizzes, and 3.5 kg was spent on filling the chocolate fountain.

- 30 people became the bell-ringers of the cathedral belfry, for which they received the appropriate certificates.


By the way

Thanks to cooperation with the Galileo program, Alexander Pushnoy's special appeal to the people of Kirov was recorded.

 
Question for connoisseurs

They are small and invisible. Among them there are friends and enemies. They are the oldest inhabitants of our planet. They are always and everywhere.

                                                                                                                                    

Photo gallery of the festival