In-person return of Science Rendezvous 2022 exceeds expectations | Department of Physics, Engineering Physics & Astronomy

Science Rendezvous Kingston

On May 7th, the first day of Science Rendezvous Kingston, there were many stations showcasing exciting events for all ages. In particular, The Queen's University Observatory station was very busy bringing the solar system down to Tragically Hip Way (THW) with a number of interactive activities. Visitors got a chance to (safely!) look at the sun through multiple specialized telescopes from the observatory and the Royal Astronomical Society members. A solar system walk was set up along the full 100m length of THW to show the scale of the solar system, children could visit all the planets to complete a passport and get a prize! A craft station was run by Let's Talk Science to make a pocket solar system with string and beads that visitors could take home with them. In preparation for the 2024 total solar eclipse there was a make-your-own eclipse demo with scale model Earth and Moon as well as a pinhole camera station explaining how to view the eclipse safely! Roughly 2,000 people interacted with at least one of the observatory station activities so our volunteers were very busy!

At the Department of Physics, Engineering Physics & Astronomy (PEPA)/SNOLAB/McDonald Institute stations, our volunteers were kept busy throughout the day as well helping visitors to explore science through numerous activities which included opportunities to visualize standing sounds waves, virtually explore SNOLAB and particle astrophysics, shoot ping pong balls using a Newton’s Vacuum Cannon, and ride a hoverboard powered by a leaf blower. There were also Cartesian Divers, bottle vortices, flow rings, and centripetal spinners available for added hands-on fun and take-home prizes for all.

We are already getting excited for Science Rendezvous 2023 on May 13, mark your calendars!

Science Rendezvous in pictures

All photos courtesy of Connor Stone and Lynda Colgan and Kim Garrett, Co-ordinators for Science Rendezvous Kingston. Click on the images to enlarge.

Science Rendezvous KIngston 2022 Mark Gerretson and Town Crier

Opening day of Science Rendezvous Kingston with Mark Gerretson, MP and the Town Crier

Volunteer Singh showing an asteroid to a young child

Child looking through the telescope at Science Rendezvous Kingston

Child looking through the telescope at the Queen's Observatory station

Make-your-own eclipse demo with scale model Earth and Moon

Making a pocket solar system with string and beads to take home

Volunteer Mark R. from McDonald Institute making a model comet for visitors

Families exploring and learning about the planets

Guests learning about the sun

Guests learning about the telescope

Emma Ellingwood and Ashlea Kemp helping visitors with shooting ping pongs using Newton's Vacuum Cannon

Emma E. and Ashlea K. helping visitors shoot ping pong balls using Newton's Vacuum Cannon

Creating standing wave patterns with sand

Volunteer Ben Tam demonstrates how standing waves in a plate can produce patterns in sand

Young visitor trying out the "flow ring"

Thank you to all the volunteers

A total of 37 volunteers from the Department of Physics, Engineering Physics & Astronomy (PEPA) contributed to making our stations such a huge success. A big thanks to Nikhil Arora, Mayukh Bagchi, Akanksha Bij, Yilda Boukhtouchen, Sabrina Cheng, Rayhaneh Dehghani, Emma Ellingwood, Bruce Elliott, Lawrence Faria, Susan Gagnon, Devin Graham, Laurie Graham, Jamie Grove, Kim Hay, Angelo Hollett, Jonathan Hucker, Kevin Kell, Ashlea Kemp, Rob Knobel, Brian Krar, Jennifer Low, Julianna Manecka, Szymon Manecki, Suzanne Owh-Dignam, Nahee Park, Raj Patel, Serena Riccetto, Mark Richardson, Amanda Rigg, Sarah Sadavoy, Karanpreet Singh, Benjamin Tam, Felix Thiel, Rick Wagner, Thomas Weisgarber, CJ Woodford, and Alex Wright for making all of this feasible!

A special thank you goes to PEPA/SNOLAB/McDonald Institute for their continued support for making participation at the Science Rendezvous Kingston possible.

Here are some pictures of our amazing volunteers courtesy of Connor Stone, Prof. Alex Wright and Lynda Colgan and Kim Garrett, Co-ordinators for Science Rendezvous Kingston.