Saturday afternoons are great for many things. At Georgia Gwinnett College (GGC), it was a time for kids and families to explore the world of science during the Atlanta Science Festival event, “Grizzlies in the Forest of Science.”
GGC faculty and students helped young explorers discover the wonders of science – from the environment and body strength to technology and chemistry.
Dr. Misael Romero-Reyes, assistant professor of chemistry at GGC, said the annual event started in 2023 with 150 attendees. This year’s event had over 400.
“Every year we do this to give our students and faculty the chance to reach out to the community,” he said. “We want kids to enjoy science and maybe even become a scientist one day.”
Maa’idah Abukar, a Lawrenceville resident and GGC student majoring in chemistry with a biology minor, demonstrated a popular experiment called Dragon’s Breath.
“This is a fun treat you can make with Rice Krispies treats,” she said. “You dunk the treat in liquid nitrogen, which freezes it. When it evaporates, it creates nitrogen gas. You put it in your mouth, blow it out and it makes smoke.”
Abukar assured attendees the process is safe because nitrogen evaporates quickly and the gas escapes as it warms.
Visitors also sampled ice cream made using liquid nitrogen. The mixture included half-and-half, heavy whipping cream, fruit preserves and sugar.
For Vic Wren, 13, of Dacula, the frozen treat deserved a unique name.
“I call it witch’s brew because it looks like that,” he said. “The ice cream was delicious.”
His father, Brian Wren, said the family has attended the event for three consecutive years.
“Exposing him to science early was one of the main reasons we came,” he said. “We were excited to have something like this here locally to help keep that interest going.”
The event also connected science to the environment. Children painted small pots and planted seeds while learning about ecosystems and sustainability.
“For young kids, it’s important to learn the best ways to take care of their environment,” said Aubrey Dyer, director of GGC’s Institute for Environmental Science and Sustainability. “With our micro farm, they learned about gardening in an urban environment. You don’t need a huge farm or lots of land to grow something for yourself.”
GGC student Olivia McMahon introduced visitors to a live snake.
“This is a ring snake,” she told onlookers as the small reptile coiled around her hands. “It’s venomous, but the venom doesn’t harm humans.”
Abraham Hall, 9, a third-grade student at Simonton Elementary School, said the snake was his favorite part.
“I like snakes,” he said. “They’re cute.”
Dr. Ricky Fiorillo, professor of biology at GGC, used the opportunity to explain an often-misunderstood relationship in nature.
“We’re showing people that most living organisms are infected with other living organisms,” he said. “Parasites are very common. While we usually think of parasites as something bad, they’re actually an important part of ecosystems.”
Fiorillo said parasites can even signal environmental health.
“If a stream is polluted and these organisms disappear, it shows the ecological connectivity has broken down,” he said.
At the health and fitness station, GGC exercise science students demonstrated how science applies to the human body. Visitors tested their grip strength with a hydraulic hand dynamometer, learned how bioelectric impedance analysis measures body fat, and practiced performing chest-compression CPR.
Romero-Reyes, along with co-organizers Veronica Sublett-Breeden, lecturer of chemistry and Dr. Gillian Rudd, professor of chemistry, added that planning for next year is already underway.
“The event will always be on Saturday so that kids and their families can attend,” said Romero-Reyes. “Next year we’re looking to expand it with even more departments throughout the college participating.”