Calling All Science Attentive: Week 2 of the NC Science Festival
The Research Triangle region and North Carolina have long been accustomed to having ample opportunities to test their science knowledge and feed their interest in STEM. The grand opening of the Nature Research Center at the NC Museum of Natural Sciences this weekend and the third iteration of the NC Science Festival have proven this to the Nth degree. 
And there’s even more on tap as we enter the final week of the Festival.
For the RTP community in particular, it will be a week full of Earth Day celebrations, art and science and even visits by astronauts. Here’s a snapshot of what’s in store this week:
- Earth Day. The 2012 Green Business Challenge kicks off today in honor of Earth Day. This afternoon’s event will feature a networking social, program overview, green resources and guest speakers. Registration for the event closed April 18, but the region-wide initiative will continue through the year to educate, encourage and provide resources to achieve energy, water and waste reductions, as well as make smarter choices in purchasing and work-related travel. For more information on the Challenge, visit their website.
- RTP Night at the Nasher. April 26 if almost here. As noted in earlier blogs, employees at RTP companies who show their business card will be admitted into the special exhibit on the works of Alexander Calder free from 5:00 – 9:00 PM on Thursday. See what happens when an engineer finds a second career in art.
- Destination Station. The NASA Johnson Space Center will host Destination Station: Science and Technology Research Panel on Friday, April 27 at the RTP HQ. The event is free & open to the public and will include presentations from NASA Scientists, astronauts and technology researchers. This event will be focused on how private-sector companies can get involved with the space station. NASA astronaut Bill McArthur will lead the afternoon discussion (after which he’ll throw out the first pitch at the Durham Bulls game). Please RSVP for the here.
And if that weren’t enough, individual companies are hosting other events and adding to the calendar of RTP-based Science Festival activities. A special thanks and shout-out to RTI International and Biogen Idec for hosting groups from Citizen Schools to give them a firsthand look at STEM in action.
For more information on these events and other activities in RTP, please visit our events calendar.