South Side Science Festival

Explore the fascinating world of science at the second annual South Side Science Festival. This free festival will feature an afternoon and evening of fun science, inspiring exchanges, live experiments and demonstrations, food, and music! 

New this year, the South Side Science Festival‘s Science Slam, pits five UChicago graduate students and postdocs against each other in an audience-judged competition to see which contestant can deliver the most engaging eight-minute science presentation. Audience members also will have the opportunity to win fun UChicago prizes! Families, teens and adults are encouraged to attend!

Interactive Demos

Jellyfishing - Learn about jellyfish with Molecular Geneticist Elizabeth Lee who will introduce you to the jiggly marine creatures in a fun and safe space.

Practice CPR - Learn CPR skills and listen to heart and lung sounds as UChicago’s Simulation Center shows you how ordinary people can save lives.

Ultrasound Scavenger Hunt - Embark on an ultrasound scavenger hunt and see a real Geiger counter in action as medical physics grad student Gia Jadick helps you peek inside the field of radiology.

Battle Against AI - Think you can beat artificial intelligence in a game of skill? Grad student Baiyang Dai will lead rounds of “Battle against AI.”

More demo info here...

Science Slam

Watch scientists put on an exciting show and compete for glory and prizes!

The Science Slam is one of the highlights of the South Side Science Festival. Watch as five students and postdocs from UChicago compete to present their science on stage in the most engaging way. The audience will vote for the winner, who will take home bragging rights and some fabulous prizes!

When: September 30th from 5:00-6:00 p.m.

Where: Kersten Physics Teaching Center, KPTC 106 – Maria Goeppert-Mayer Lecture Hall, 5720 S. Ellis Ave.

Science Slam presenters

Anchita Addhya - Graduate student

Have you ever wondered what can affect one of the hardest materials in the world? We take a look at how — once able to manipulate it — you can improve everyday materials.

André Bauer - Postdoctoral Researcher

With the assistance of ChatGPT, we’ve harnessed a powerful tool, yet our journey to fully comprehend it continues. Within this slam, we delve into its capabilities to confirm its reliability.

Swathi Chandrika and Antoine Brillant - Graduate students

Have you ever wondered exactly what makes quantum mechanics so special? We plan to find out using something we experience every day: music!

Chris Egerstrom - Graduate student

 

How does an on-location news broadcast relate to quantum technology? Join Chris on a journey down to the quantum realm to find out and learn how researchers at the University of Chicago are developing new ways to study the world around us.

Adarsh Suresh - Graduate student

Dive headfirst into the world of materials science in our electrifying science slam, “Lighter and Stronger?” where we challenge conventional wisdom on the origins of strength. Unveil the secrets of materials that are as light as a feather and as strong as steel, inviting you to question the very essence of what makes something strong. Brace yourself for a mind-bending journey that will revolutionize your perception of strength and materials like never before!

Panel Discussions

Check out some of the panel discussions for this year's festival!

Water Quality and the Great Lake

What is in the water we drink and where does it come from? This panel will explore the different factors that influence water quality and different ways to improve the water in the Great Lakes and our homes.

 

Panelists

• Seth Darling, Chief Science & Technology Officer for the Advanced Energy Technologies Directorate, Argonne National Laboratory
• Alaina Harkness, Executive Director, Current
• Eduardo Salinas, City of Chicago
• Maureen Coleman, Associate Professor of Geophysical Sciences, UChicago

The Origin of the Universe

What do we know about the origin of the universe? This panel will discuss our current understanding of how the universe was formed, how new astronomy tools like the James Webb Telescope will change our understanding, and how and when planets formed.

Panelists

• Angela Olinto, Dean of the Physical Sciences Division, UChicago
• Jeff McMahon, Associate Professor of Astronomy and Astrophysics, UChicago
• Leslie Rogers, Assistant Professor of Astronomy and Astrophysics, UChicago

Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning and Ethics

What is “artificial intelligence” and “machine learning” and how do we help make sure that machines learn ethically and equitably? This panel will introduce concepts of AI and ML and then discuss potential pitfalls in AI/ML related to issues of equity and how we can better teach computer programs.

Panelists

• Rebecca Willett, Professor of Statistics and Computer Science & Director of AI at the Data Science Institute, UChicago
• Sanjay Krishnan, Assistant Professor of Computer Science, UChicago
• Bo Li, Associate Professor of Computer Science, UChicago

It’s the Little Things in Life: How our Microbes Affect our Health

How do the microbes in our bodies affect our health? This panel will discuss our microbiomes and what we know, and don’t know, about how our microbiomes could impact our health.

Panelists

• Cathy Nagler, Bunning Family Professor in the Biological Sciences Division and Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering, UChicago
• Ran Blekhman, Associate Professor of Medicine, UChicago
• Jennifer Pisano, Associate Professor of Medicine, UChicago
• Rosemary Pope, Committee on Immunology, UChicago
• Joyce Ghali, Committee on Molecular Metabolism and Nutrition, UChicago

Interested in volunteering? Visit the 'Contact Us' page to learn more.