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WSU science departments host Science Saturday

A line formed as children and parents waited for a session in the Lind Lecture Hall’s Ott Planetarium on Saturday afternoon. The Science Saturday program features showings every 30 minutes of different shows and presenters on space-related science. The science departments at Weber State University host the program, with different activities on the second Saturday of each month.

Ogden resident Beverly Royball said she has brought her three grandsons to Science Saturday each month for close to three years now. She said it is a great way to spend time with them and develop their curiosity for the sciences.

The child-friendly activities are presented for all age groups, with hands-on experiences for everyone.

Conner Dezember, a 9-year-old who comes with his grandmother each month, said his favorite part of Science Saturday is the planetarium sessions. Conner said he really loves science and is always excited to come learn new things.

The departments are usually represented through academic club presidencies with student-designed presentations.

Wesley Adams, a College of Science physics alumnus, offers a demonstration with candles and flashlights. He said his presentation teaches students about depth perception and measurement in space.

“We use brightness of the candle to determine how bright a star can be, and then we can determine the distance in space,” Adams said.

Adams said he teaches children about physics because he believes physics defines the world, and unemployment rates among physics graduates are nonexistent.

The chemistry department set up an activity on light particles through gases such as helium and argon. Children got to wear 3-D glasses, turn off the lights and watch as light shone through a tube of gas.

Microbiology senior Amanda Zaugg offered a demonstration on dilution series with red food coloring.

“I like showing kids how fun science can be,” Zaugg said. “We are doing pipetting, which is crucial in microbiology. I compare the intensity of food coloring in a jar to the growth of a microbe in a test tube. Children always find bacteria interesting.”

The Science Saturday program runs from 12-5 p.m. Many families trickle in throughout the afternoon and usually take about an hour to complete all the activities.

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