STEMville Science Summit
Explore STEM careers in new and exciting ways at the STEMville Science Summit!
Designed for Grades 4 – 7
Saturday, April 12th, 2025 | 9:00 AM – 12:30 PM
Registration Required – Deadline Extended to Friday 3/28!
Morehead Planetarium and Science Center, on the campus of UNC-Chapel Hill, invites inspiring local scientists and UNC students to lead hands-on STEM activities for underserved and underrepresented groups in STEM. Past activities have included microscope marvels, lemon electricity, and building biomechanics. Event t-shirt, swag items, and meal included.
This event focuses on underserved and underrepresented groups in STEM and connects with local community groups as well as a small volume of public registrants. Registration for this program will open in early 2025.
This event is part of the North Carolina Science Festival (NCSciFest), an annual statewide initiative of Morehead.
This year’s STEMville Science Summit is made possible thanks to the generous support of Gilead Sciences.
2025 STEMville Science Summit
The next STEMville Science Summit will be held Saturday, April 12th, 2025. We look forward to seeing you later this year!
Location:
Morehead Planetarium and Science Center
250 E Franklin St, Chapel Hill, NC 27514
Registration for the STEMville Science Summit is open!
Click Here to go to the Registration Page
Cost: $10 (Financial assistance available. Please reach out to stemville@unc.edu)
Tickets for this program will go on sale on 2/14, and be available online until 3/28 at 5PM.
Participants will be able to participate in 3 of the 6 following sessions during the STEMville Science Summit. Sessions will be selected via ranked choice. We cannot guarantee that participants will get their top three choice, but we will do our best to accommodate.
Session 1: Chemistry is all around us!
Description: From lava lamps in the 80s to secret messages among spies. Learn about the chemical processes that occur as you write a secret message to your friend! Join us to learn about chemical bonds as you create your own lava lamp!
Session 2: What makes you YOU? How does your brain work?
Description: Do you get tricked by optical illusions? Can your brain overcome these tricks? How does the brain work? Find out in our neuroscience room! Also, join us to learn about your genetic traits. Are you left-handed? Do you have funky earlobes? Are you a “taster”? Come join us to create your own Candy DNA and pipe-cleaner neurons as you discover your brain’s powers and what makes you YOU!
Session 3: The Chemistry of pH
Description: The purpose of this lesson is to introduce pH and what it measures. Participants will determine the difference between acids and bases by exploring pH magic with cabbage.
Session 4: Balloon Car Experiment
Description: Build a simple car powered by air from a balloon! As the air rushes out, it pushes the car forward, demonstrating Newton’s laws of motion.
Session 5: Light microscopy
Description: This session involves using learning about small living things, using the compound microscope to observe some of them in our water samples, and learning about how microscopes work! Kids will learn about our microscopic world and how microscopes work. They will learn how to prepare simple specimen slides under our supervision and can also view pre-made sample slides.
Session 6: Evolution of function and shape of animal skeletons (bones)
Description: We will compare the skeleton of humans and birds to identify bone structures that are shared between the two groups, and learn how these bone structures have evolved for different functions and movements. Then with this knowledge we will work in small groups on an activity to identify other bone structures shared among other animals and relate those to different functions making a connection to the habitat where those animals live and how they move.
Thank you for your interest in volunteering at the STEMville Science Summit. We are no long accepting submissions to volunteer for this event. Please check back in the future for more opportunities.
For general inquiries and questions: stemville@unc.edu
For inquiries related to leading hands-on sessions:
Will Freund | Community Education Specialist
919.445.8434 | wfreund@unc.edu
For inquiries related to community groups, volunteers, and attendees:
Nikitta Grillo | Community Education Specialist
919.962.8435 | grillon@unc.edu