Join us at our booth from 2 pm – 5 pm at the Southside Science Festival! Continue reading “Southside Science Festival”
Program Series: Science and Society
The Science & Society (SS) Series presents topics at the intersection of science, public policy, social issues, and daily life. These programs allow active engagement between policy makers, scientists and program participants.
Previous SS events have covered science in films, Women in STEM, the science of music, science education policy, gender stereotypes, and how curiosity-driven research impacts society.
Distinguished SS speakers have included Cristal Thomas, former Deputy Governor of Illinois; Robbert Dijkgraaf, Ph.D., Director of the Institute for Advanced Study and Leon Levy Professor; and Lawrence Krauss, Ph.D., Foundation Professor in the School of Earth and Space Exploration and Physics Department, and Inaugural Director of the Origins Project at Arizona State University.
Join C2ST for a live game show at the NIU STEM Fest! Make it Make Sense – Science Showdown will feature three scientists who will attempt to explain their research in the most entertaining and engaging way that they can – and we’ll ask YOU to vote on who does it best! We will hold two sessions, one at 11 am and one at 1 pm. Come to one, or both!
Step aboard history—and experience the future—at Railroad Days, a family-friendly celebration of trains, technology, and transformation at Pullman National Historical Park.
More than Railcars
Railroad Days goes beyond the tracks to explore:
- The human stories behind industrial and technological change
- How electricity and innovation shaped cities and everyday life
- The role of design, engineering, and infrastructure in urban environments
- How historic rail corridors connect to today’s urban national parks
Whether you love railroads, history, or hands-on learning—or you’re just looking for a fun, meaningful family outing—there’s something here for everyone.
Grab a blanket and some sunscreen and meet us on the front lawn for this free event featuring games, bounce houses, face paint and hands-on activities from the C2ST and the Griffin MSI Education team and some of our incredible community partners.
- Free swag from organizations including The Midwest Dairy Association, Chicago White Sox and Gatorade
- Facilitated STE(A)M activities hosted by Chicago Council on Science and Technology (C2ST), Chicago Architecture Center, Robothink Chicago and more
- The CTA will be bringing one of their historic vehicles
- And so much more to enjoy!
This outdoor event is free and open to the public — food will be available for purchase. Admission to the Museum requires a ticket purchase. Ticketed guests may exit and re-enter freely.
Have you felt political tensions in the US rising? Many report feeling overwhelmed, divided, and, sometimes, threatened when discussing politics. American elected officials have expressed increased concern about their exposure to threats and violence. Has political violence actually increased? If so, what is causing it? How does it affect the country’s public servants? And how does the public respond? Join us as we hear from Dr. Alexandra Filindra, Professor of Political Science and Psychology at the University of Illinois Chicago, as we address such questions, using data from recent surveys conducted among public officials and citizens, and infuse a neuroscience perspective to tackle why folks might react the way they do to political tensions.
Continue reading “Political Tensions: Perceptions and Causes of Political Violence”
The Chicago Council on Science and Technology and Chicago Public Library present The Science of Pokemon! In the world of Pokemon, adventurous explorers – called Pokemon trainers – can travel far and wide, catching and cataloging fantastical creatures to fill out their Pokedex, a digital index of various pokemon species. While you can’t find a Pikachu in any of the viridian forests on Earth, Pokemon masters have a real-world counterpart in the form of scientists! Scientists can be found in every corner of the world, discovering new species and cataloging their unique characteristics. This real life data collection has become the foundation for the design of Pokemon themselves! We’ve brought a panel of experts from across the sciences to talk to us about the real-life plants and animals that Pokemon are based on. If you’ve ever wanted the chance to have a conversation with Professor Oak, this is the next best thing! We’ve gotta catch them all!