Thousands of families attended the 2011 San Francisco Bay Area Science Festival Oct. 29 through Nov. 6 for a chance to learn about the complex and exciting nature of science, engineering, and technology. 

Participants had an opportunity to touch real brains, learn the mechanics of lasers from elite scientists, and view tattoos depicting viruses at exhibitions located throughout the Bay Area. 

“The number one goal is to get the population excited and energized about science and technology. It’s important to have it be an element of conversation that resounds throughout the year,” Bay Area Science Festival director and UCSF chemist Kishore Hari told India-West.

“Science and technology is absolutely the key to our future, both from an economic perspective, and from the perspective of solving grand challenges such as energy crises and medical mysteries,” added Hari. 

The festival took place in cafes, museums and public places in several cities, including San Jose, Berkeley, and Santa Rosa. It was a collaborative effort from some of the most esteemed scientists, college professors, educators and sponsors. Well over 70,000 individuals participated in interactive exhibitions designed for both adults and children ranging from science pub crawls, lectures featuring science authors, and robot and magnetic train stimulation activities. 

The finale took place at San Francisco’s AT&T Park during Discovery Day Nov. 6 which attracted well over 21,000 participants. 

“We’re bringing science where people live, not the other way around,” said Hari. 

Some of the highlights of the festival included a live appearance of National Public Radio’s Radiolab show at UC Berkeley. The performance consisted of a lively discussion about the evolution of the eye followed by a musical interlude. 

During the festival, children also had the opportunity to participate in a live video conference program at the Tech Museum with students in Genoa, Italy. The purpose of the program was to identify scientific concepts and try to imitate them in the form of charades. 

“You could tell the kids were energized and felt a connection halfway across the world,” said Hari. 

In order to keep science and technology alive, several companies donated beakers, pipette tips, and educational supplies for teachers in various districts in the Bay Area. 

According to Hari, the Bay Area continues to make significant contributions in the field of science and technology. “Twelve elements that are featured in the periodic table were actually discovered by individuals from the Bay Area,” the Indian American told India-West. 

Hari believes that in order to address some of the ongoing issues present in our world today, we must invest in science education and continued research. 

Even though the festival has ended, Hari and his colleagues continually develop interesting and innovative ideas for upcoming projects. As of now, they are hoping to expand science education programs in the Middle East and help push for international science festivals. 

“Personally, I am a nerd at heart. I love science. I think the exploration of our world and finding solutions to some of our grandest problems is one of the most incredible endeavors anyone can participate in,” said Hari. 

UCSF, Chevron, the National Science Foundation, and 22 other sponsors were instrumental in making the festival possible.