HOUGHTON -- Michigan Tech's Great Lakes Research Center (GLRC) and Houghton's Kestner Waterfront Park were full of activities for visiting alumni and families during the Keweenaw Science and Engineering Festival (KSEF) held Aug. 4, 5 and 6, 2016. From the Coast Guard boat tour to Michigan Tech's Mind Trekkers' hands-on science challenges and puzzles, kids of all ages learned about science and technology while having fun and enjoying sunny August weather.
Keweenaw Now captured some of the highlights of these events with photos we have now posted in our new slide show format. We also have added a slide show on the Western UP Science Fair winners and the April 26 Lake Superior Celebration at the GLRC. (See Slide Show announcement and links in our right-hand column).
Kris Hill, Coast Guard petty officer, who has spent four years as an engineer on the Coast Guard vessel, led visitors on a tour of the boat. He explained its purpose as a rescue vessel and pointed out the features that make this aluminum boat one of only two Coast Guard boats built to withstand hurricane-force winds and 20-foot waves on Lake Superior.
"My job is what people retired hope to do," Hill said with a smile.
Groups of Michigan Tech alumni also had the opportunity to take a cruise on Michigan Tech's Research Vessel Agassiz during the Aug. 5 event at the GLRC.
Guy Meadows, GLRC executive director and Michigan Tech professor, assisted visiting alumni in boarding Michigan Tech's R/V Agassiz for a cruise that including viewing the university's side-scan sonar equipment.
Meadows said he was happy to have the Coast Guard boat available for visitor tours during the Aug. 5 event.
"They're very impressive boats," he said of the 47-foot aluminum Coast Guard boat. "It's nice that they bring it down here for everybody to see."
Meadows was pleased with the number of visitors and the fact that the alumni reunion coincided with the Keweenaw Science and Engineering Festival.
"We had a really good turnout," he said. "Good weather sure helps!"
Visitors learn about invasive watermilfoil
Outside and inside the GLRC, Michigan Tech researchers displayed some of the university projects on invasive watermilfoil, a persistent aquatic plant that forms dense mats of vegetation on the surface of water. Milfoil mats can clog water intakes, interfere with swimming and boating and negatively impact other natural aquatic life.
Kestner Waterfront Park: Family Engineering, Mind Trekkers, Science Theatre, more ...
The Keweenaw Science and Engineering Festival (KSEF) kicked off on Aug. 4 with Family Engineering Night at Kestner Waterfront Park, hosted by Michigan Tech’s Center for Science and Environmental Outreach. Hands-on challenges for the whole family included designing and constructing the tallest tower with spaghetti and marshmallows, a solar house, wind turbines with popsicle sticks and styrofoam balls, and a geodesic dome made of toothpicks.
"It was wonderful to see how intent the youth were at solving the many engineering challenges they tackled. Most of the supplies are household items and can easily be repeated and 'improved upon' at home, just like real engineers always make improvements on their initial designs!" observed Joan Chadde, director of the Michigan Tech Center for Science and Environmental Outreach.
"The Michigan Tech students were terrific role models and encouraging coaches for the kids," Chadde added.
April 2016: Science Fair Winners and Lake Superior Celebration
On April 16, 2016, the Carnegie Museum hosted a reception for Western UP Science Fair winners.
Ritvik Thakur and his partner, Jacob Gordon (not pictured), Houghton
Elementary 5th graders, compared three types of tennis balls -- cold,
hot and room temperature -- to find out which bounced the highest.
Ritvik explained that the contraction of air particles in the cold balls
is the reason they have less force for bouncing.
Kids had a variety of opportunities for scientific activities at the April 26, 2016, Lake Superior Celebration in the GLRC. Community members of all ages also had an opportunity to learn about local recycling initiatives.
The April 26 Lake Superior Celebration was sponsored by the Lake Superior Stewardship Initiative, Michigan STEM Partnership, Western U.P. Center for Science, Mathematics and Environmental Education, Michigan Tech Center for Science and Environmental Outreach, Michigan Tech Center for Water and Society, and the Copper Country Recycling Initiative.
For more photos of these events, showcasing recent Keweenaw science activities and education, click on the links below for our recent slide show photo albums:
Keweenaw Water Festival August 5, 2016
Keweenaw Science and Engineering Festival 2016: Events at Kestner Waterfront Park in Houghton, Michigan
April 2016: Science Fair winners; GLRC Lake Superior Celebration
Click on the first photo in the album. If the caption is not visible, click on the info icon. Then click on forward arrows to view the album as a slide show.
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