NCSciFest hosts virtual celebration of science during month of April
APRIL 1, 2020 | NORTH CAROLINA - The North Carolina Science Festival (NCSciFest) is moving online to provide festival participants with virtual learning opportunities throughout April. The announcement comes after the Festival cancelled its statewide events due to ongoing COVID-19 public health concerns.
This year marks NCSciFest’s 10th anniversary and its founders could not imagine an April without the statewide celebration.
“NCSciFest has become a tradition for the people of North Carolina,” says Jonathan Frederick, Director of the Festival. “It’s important that we connect with other people and do what we can to support each other through this unprecedented time.”
Each year during the entire month of April, NCSciFest collaborates with community partners across the state to put on hundreds of events showcasing STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) resources available to North Carolinians.
Biogen Foundation, the presenting sponsor of the Festival, has been instrumental to its growth over the last ten years. In 2017, NCSciFest reached all 100 counties in North Carolina for the first time, and over its lifetime, total participation in NCSciFest has exceeded 2.5 million people.
“The Biogen Foundation is proud to celebrate our decade-long collaboration with the NC Science Festival, which provides access to science for everyone across North Carolina,” said Juan Torres, Chief Quality Officer at Biogen Inc. and Biogen Foundation board member. “The Festival’s activities and mission complement our deep commitment to sparking a passion for science and helping to make STEM-based careers accessible.”
It is also fitting that Governor Roy Cooper has declared April as STEM Education month in order to encourage students to pursue science-related careers and businesses to continue investing in North Carolina.
“The number one question employers considering North Carolina ask me is whether our workforce has the skills needed to do the jobs they want to create,” said Governor Cooper. “To make sure our workforce is ready for these jobs, we must continue to expand STEM education opportunities in our public schools and encourage students’ interests in these areas.”
The NCSciFest website will feature a variety of content including hands-on activities, live virtual events, pre-recorded videos and other educational resources. Users exploring the site can expect daily updates to content and the user experience because of the quick pivot to a digital format.
“Our team is working diligently to bring the website to life so that people can access the same high-quality science content we produce every April” says Frederick.
“For a decade, you have trusted us as a partner to connect people, scientists, and communities through the annual NCSciFest, and we hope that you'll find these resources helpful and relevant as we all navigate life #athometogether.”
About North Carolina Science Festival
Founded in 2010, the North Carolina Science Festival is the first statewide science festival in the United States. Through a series of community-based events each April (hosted by schools, colleges, libraries, museums, parks, businesses and other local organizations), the Festival celebrates the economic, educational, and cultural impact of science in North Carolina. It is an initiative of Morehead Planetarium & Science Center at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
About Morehead Planetarium and Science Center
Morehead Planetarium and Science Center is a unit of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Morehead works to serve North Carolina and beyond by bringing together the unique resources of UNC to engage the public for an improved public understanding of science, technology and health. For more information, visit www.moreheadplanetarium.org.
Media Contact:
Malenia Swinton | Marketing & Communications Manager
Morehead Planetarium & Science Center
malenias@unc.edu