March for Science Triad Happens April 14 at Government Plaza in Greensboro
The March for Science Triad will take place on Sat., April 14, 10am-1pm, at Government Plaza, 110 Greene St. in downtown Greensboro. Last year’s march involved about a thousand people, and the eclipse event in August more than that.
Marchers are encouraged to take GTA buses downtown to Government Plaza, where they can talk to student researchers on the work currently taking place in our local universities before marching down Elm St. to Center City Park. They can also bring science or science fiction books to trade at the March’s Little Free Library. Other groups will be there to engage the public on issues such as GTA’s 2040 transit plan, which is in its public comment period. Candidates for public office will be available to discuss their positions on scientific topics, and the League of Women Voters will be conducting a voter registration drive.
According to Randall Hayes, poll worker and one of the March’s organizers, quoting a principle of scientific cause and effect, “Registration is necessary, but it’s not sufficient. Board of Elections records for 2016 show that voter turnout among already registered voters 18-25 was below 50%, the lowest of any demographic. That’s why we’re showcasing the work of these students over the work of older, professional researchers. We want to push our young scientists not just to vote, but to volunteer on issues that matter to them, and even to run for office.” Students interested in presenting should contact Hayes at agnosia.media@gmail.com.
The March for Science will also host the launch of Code for Greensboro’s GoVoteGSO app, which will allow voters to determine their registration status and their polling place from their phones. Outdated addresses in voter records are a particular problem for college students and other demographics who change their residences frequently.
There will be music and food trucks at both locations. Viva la Muerte will play at Government Plaza at 10am, and at 11am Disaster Recovery Band will welcome the Marchers to Center City Park. Attractions for kids will include the Joint School of Nanoscience and Nanoengineering’s “NanoBus.” The March for Science will feature six speakers on topics where science overlaps with public policy, including definitions of race, effects of immigration on the scientific work force, gerrymandering, and research on gun control.
After the March for Science ends at 1pm, there will be other events downtown, including a reading at Scuppernong Books, 305 S. Elm St, by author Jonathan Ward on the destruction of the space shuttle Columbia and a panel of local science fiction authors at the Central Library on Church St. Greensboro’s makerspace, The Forge, at 219 W. Lewis St., will be open for tours. For more information about the March for Science, contact marchforsciencetriad.com or e-mail marchforsciencetriad@gmail.com.
As an official 2018 North Carolina Science Festival event, the March for Science Triad is among hundreds of community-based events that are showcasing STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) activities for the citizens of North Carolina.
Founded in 2010, the North Carolina Science Festival is the first statewide science festival in the United States. Through a series of community-based events each April (hosted by schools, colleges, libraries, museums, parks, businesses and other local organizations), the Festival celebrates the economic, educational, and cultural impact of science in North Carolina.
“Science is fun, science is everywhere, science is for everyone — that’s what the North Carolina Science Festival is all about,” said Jonathan Frederick, Festival director. “In 2018, we have a special focus on ‘The Science of Food and Drink’ with events for the full month of April.”
The North Carolina Science Festival is presented by the Biogen Foundation and produced by Morehead Planetarium and Science Center at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. For more information, visit www.ncsciencefestival.org.
