Summer 2023 SCOPE Magazine

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May 27 – September 4, 2023

Humans' love story with man's best friend is a tail as old as time! Come sniff around to learn about where dogs came from and what makes our bond with them so special as you see, hear, smell and think like a dog.

October 1, 2023 – January 9, 2024

Unearth the science in your backyard! Step into a garden of wonders as you explore the outdoors from the perspective of a bee, take a swing at garden golf, and try on night vision goggles. There's a hidden world of science waiting to be discovered!

January 21 – May 24, 2024

Planes, and trains, and rockets, oh my! Buckle up and explore the technology behind the different modes of transportation that carry humans to the farthest reaches of the world.

Executive Editor JoAnn Newman

Editors Christina Schreiber, Jeff Stanford

Contributing Writers Nicholas Chapman, Aubrey Coats, Alyssa Flores, Jill Goddard, Monica Hamburgh, Spencer Jones, JoAnn Newman, Chelsea Piner, Amy Quesinberry, Nicole Rivera, Lisa Robbins, Christina Schreiber, Jeff Stanford, Shannon Zimmerman

Graphic Designer Kristie Hoover Photographers Alyssa Flores, Roberto Gonzalez, Emily Jourdan, Someillan Entertainment

We’re so much more than just a fun family outing.

Orlando Science Center is a great place to beat the heat this summer, enjoying air-conditioned family time as you explore our four floors of exhibits and experiences. But there’s also something much more important going on than just a fun outing. The time you spend here with your children promotes learning new skills, exploring fresh ideas and cultivating a better understanding of the world around you.

Activities at the Science Center let caregivers and children work together to solve problems. Whether it’s a challenge-based exhibit or a chemistry experiment, you and your loved ones can hone your critical thinking skills and learn how to work as a team. Success on the exhibit floor can boost your child’s confidence and encourage a sense of belonging with science, which can promote further exploration into STEM subjects and ultimately careers.

Experiences here help foster curiosity and wonder that lead to a lifelong love of learning. When adults take an active interest in their child’s learning, they reinforce this passion by encouraging exploration and inquiry. Spend some time building canals in the water play area of KidsTown, explore states of matter in Dr. Dare’s Lab or be co-directors of a stop motion animation production in the Hive. Perform experiments or participate in challenge-based exhibits and discuss the results.

The interactive exhibits at Orlando Science Center encourage everyone to learn through participation. This hands-on approach can be really helpful for children who struggle with learning in more traditional settings. Many of us learn by doing and if that learning happens while we’re having fun, we often retain that information better. There are myriad opportunities here to help curious minds of all ages better understand scientific concepts through fun and immersive experiences.

We look forward to having you join us this summer with your family. Our new exhibit, Dogs! A Science Tail, examines the intimate bond between humans and dogs and provides unique opportunities to explore how dogs interpret our world. It is guaranteed to be a crowd-pleaser! Plus, we have new films to enjoy, live shows to experience, and special events planned throughout these next few months to engage all ages. Summer at the Science Center ignites your imagination, inspires your curiosity and stimulates your brain. See you soon!

Sincerely,

PRESIDENT/CEO

GET A PET TO BOOST YOUR CHILD'S IMMUNE SYSTEM

Author: Monica E. Hamburgh, MD, Pediatrics, Orlando Health

Most children share a deep love and bond with their family pets. These adorable furry friends do more than offer companionship, teach responsibility and bring joy to your home — they can help boost children’s immune systems, too.

Immune Response: Allergens, Eczema, Infections

Though you may hesitate to let your dog lick your baby’s face, these doggy kisses may help protect your child from getting sick.

Researchers in Finland found that family pets — dogs in particular — have a protective effect on children’s respiratory tracts. Babies who have early contact with cats or dogs are 30 percent less likely to experience colds, ear infections and coughs than children who are not exposed to animals.

Why Pets Help Our Immune System

When you let your dog outside, they may dig in the dirt, sniff their environment, chase animals and roll in the grass before coming back inside your home. Though this may be a turnoff for some parents, when a pet brings germs into our homes on their paws, fur and snouts, these germs benefit the human microbiome and help keep us healthier.

Outdoor cats who spend time in the home also offer health benefits, though they are a little more fastidious and tend to track fewer germs than dogs.

Indoor cats and other pets may not be as beneficial to the immune system, but they are wonderful for providing companionship and reducing stress. A few minutes of petting an animal can give your child an immunity boost, too. One study found that petting a dog for only 18 minutes can raise immunoglobulin A (IgA) levels in our saliva, an antibody that helps protect against infection.

Never Too Young

Being around pets offers health benefits from infancy to adulthood, so having a family pet is great at any age. The immunity boost your pet provides will happen as soon as you introduce the pet into your home. But you should get a pet only when you are ready for the responsibility.

Other Health Benefits of Having Pets

In addition to boosting children’s immune systems, the bond between

human and animal offers your children other health benefits, too.

• Mental health. Animal companionship can ease anxiety and reduce stress.

• Physical activity. Taking your family pet for a hike, walk or run is a great way to fit daily exercise into your child’s schedule.

• Self-esteem. When your pet gives your child unconditional love, this can boost your child’s self-esteem. Being responsible for the pet’s care also develops a sense of accomplishment and responsibility in young children.

• Socialization. Having a family pet can improve your child’s social and emotional skills.

Before You Get a Pet

It’s essential to teach babies and children animal safety. Show your children how to responsibly interact with pets to avoid accidents and injury. Don’t leave a baby or small child unattended with a dog for the safety of both.

Thank you to our Local Presenting Sponsor Orlando Health for their support of Dogs! A Science Tail, exhibiting this summer May 27 - September 4.

Orlando Science Center is dedicated to helping break down fears surrounding intimidating topics to encourage more curiosity, innovation, and discussion. We want to strengthen people’s skills in the scientific method so they can apply critical thinking skills to make informed decisions regarding science topics.

So, what is a major issue we face every day that might seem intimidating? Climate change. Building critical thinking skills and science literacy will help us better understand complex interactions and connections between us, our planet, and our ecosystems.

Our understanding of climate change has gone through several changes over the last few decades. For a while, debate centered on whether global warming existed at all. Later, the debate evolved into an either/or situation: are humans impacting the climate, or is this change entirely natural?

It is very clear that humans are changing

the atmosphere through greenhouse gas emissions and deforestation, which is leading to a warmer average temperature and changes in climate and ecosystems around the globe.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) is a collection of people around the world who have dedicated their entire lives to the research of climate change. They’ve created detailed reports that prove these claims.

If you’d like to do your own research, you can read through these reports on the IPCC Website. The reports are a great source, and the IPCC provides more approachable summaries on their site that do a good job of breaking down the complex science.

However, if you’re looking for something more digestible, you’re in luck! There are many reliable sources across the internet. If you need help figuring out whether a source is reliable or not, check out our

QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER

• What is climate change?

• How does climate change affect my life?

• What can I do to help make a difference?

blog on Mythbusting Misinformation. Then check out our content on Protecting the Planet, where we’ve shared some of our favorite resources on climate change! This includes carbon footprint calculators, video resources from PBS and more, action-oriented steps to make changes in our everyday lives, conversation starters, and tips for talking to your kids about climate change.

The good news about climate change is that it is NOT an all-or-nothing outcome. There are a million different possibilities with varying degrees of impact, and the more we do to slow down the change, the more we can minimize harm. This truly means that every little bit helps – and there are hundreds of ways to make a positive difference!

Everything from turning off lights to advocating for policy changes that support meaningful action can make an impact. One of the biggest ways you can make a difference is to simply be curious. Educate yourself and remember that there is always more to learn, no matter your background or education level. To learn more about our Protect the Planet initiative, visit osc.org/protect-the-planet.

LIVE FROM ORLANDOIT’S SCIENCE NIGHT LIVE!

Exhibits, trivia, guest speakers and more! From getting hands-on with cool science experiments to wild animal encounters, there’s no place like OSC. Enjoy everything you love about the Science Center – without the kids!

While school is out for summer, Science Night Live (SNL) is IN! Flashback to those field trip days of scouring the Science Center with your friends as you explore four floors of interactive exhibits, see mind-boggling live science shows, and remember that learning is fun.

Those 21+ are invited to relive your childhood adventures as you dig for dinosaur bones, gaze at the solar system and beyond, and achieve your National Geographic dreams of meeting exciting exotic animals from foreign lands. This is a unique

opportunity to have fun while learning something new!

SNL is also a great way to get to know the community. Local scientists, community partners, and STEM industry leaders gather to connect, teach, share the work that they’re doing to benefit the Central Florida community, and how YOU can get involved!

But don’t just learn something new, try something new! Step into the role of mad scientist in Dr. Dare’s Lab to try your hand at some chemical concoctions. Then make(r) some time in your night to visit The Hive: A Makerspace and learn a new skill like cartography or 3D design for printing.

Don’t forget to take a break for some snacks, with lite bites and spirits available

for purchase throughout the building.

No two people are identical - and neither are any two Science Night Lives! Each event has its own unique theme and content to make each experience one-of-a-kind! Do you really dig dinosaurs? Are you psyched about space? Maybe you’re a tech titan ready to take on the Matrix! No matter your passion, we’ve got you covered!

At Orlando Science Center, our mission is to inspire science learning for life. Whether you’re learning about how fossilized feces can help us piece together the prehistoric past, or the anthropology of undead vampires, zombies, and mummified remains, you’re sure to walk away awe-struck and inspired. Members can reserve their complimentary tickets HERE.

ON DISPLAY MAY 27 – SEPTEMBER 4

Hightail it into Orlando Science Center for a paw-some new Summer exhibit – Dogs! A Science Tail locally presented by Orlando Health!

Have you ever wondered what your dog is thinking? Dogs have long been referred to as a human’s best friend, but now, experience for yourself the extraordinary way that dogs see, hear, and smell the world around them. Visitors can learn first-hand what makes this unique bond between us and our canine companions one of the most successful interspecies partnerships of all time.

See what it’s like to interact with the world the way our furry friends do! Visitors will have a ball sniffing out hidden smells, testing out the speed of their own zoomies against different breeds, and getting inside a dog’s head to see and hear how they do.

The love between people and puppies is a tail as old as time! Guests are invited to step into the role of bark-eologist and dig into the history of our fur-ever friends. Excavate replica

fossils to find out whether they belonged to dogs or wolves, analyze bones and DNA patterns to see how scientists study dog domestication, and see how wolves evolved into the diverse doggos we know and love today.

With over a dozen different interactive exhibit pieces, Dogs! A Science Tail explores the science behind where dogs came from, how dogs experience the world, what makes our bond so special, and how to care for dogs.

From service dogs who help their humans better function in the world around us, to the super sniffers who help researchers and rescue teams save lives, dogs aren’t just our friends and pets, they have paws-itively changed the world as we know it! For more info, visit osc.org/dogs.

MEMBER PERK ALERT!

Members are invited to an exclusive first look on Sunday, May 27 from 10:00 am - 12:00 pm.

CREATED AND DEVELOPED BY THE CALIFORNIA SCIENCE CENTER.

This project is sponsored in part by the State of Florida through the Florida Department of State, Division of Cultural A airs, and the Florida Council on Arts and Culture.

KINGDOM OF THE MIGHTY

DR. PHILLIPS CINEDOME

Air Racers

Apollo 11:

First Steps Edition

Great Barrier Reef

Journey to Space Robots

Superpower Dogs

Animal Kingdom 3D

From the vast African savannah to the frozen ends of the Earth, from open skies to the deep blue, Animal Kingdom will take audiences on a joyful adventure to celebrate the diversity of life on our planet. Viewers will meet members of the six families of the animal kingdom from insects to birds to mammals, and might just be surprised by some of their incredible abilities!

Get up close and personal with a rich cast of animal characters: the offbeat dung beetle, the irresistibly cute penguin, the ferocious crocodile, the wise elephant matriarch… Not to mention, few experiences are quite like swimming with the whales and listening for sorrow and joy in their mysterious songs. Join us as we meet the mightiest families in the Animal Kingdom.

Watch Trailer Here

SUMMER LASER LIGHT SHOWS

Lasermania

Summer Laser Jam

DIGITAL ADVENTURE THEATER

Antarctica 3D

Animal Kingdom 3D

and is subject to

MAY JUNE

MESSY SCIENCE MONTH

MAKER MONTH

Are you a budding builder, excellent embroiderer, or a maker in the making? If you can imagine it, you can make it during Maker Month! Roll up your sleeves and get ready to make(r) some memories and add some skills to your metaphorical toolbelt!

Homeschool Program* 6 & 7 SATURDAY & SUNDAY Bank of America Weekend 10 WEDNESDAY Kinetic Zone Summer hiatus begins 13 & 14 SATURDAY & SUNDAY Mess Fest 27 SATURDAY Exhibit Premiere Dogs! A Science Tail Locally Presented by Orlando Health Member-Only Preview 10:00 am – 12:00 pm 29 MONDAY Summer Camps Begin 31 WEDNESDAY OSC is Open 3 & 4 SATURDAY & SUNDAY Bank of America Weekend 10 SATURDAY Science Night Live (Ages 21+) 8:00 – 11:30 pm 17 & 18 SATURDAY & SUNDAY Make Fest

JUNE 10 & AUGUST 26

MONTH

3.. 2..1.. blast off to Orlando Science Center during Astronomy Month! Join us as we explore the solar system and beyond, launch hands-on astronomy and engineering challenges, learn about the science of rockets, and more!

ENGINEERING MONTH

We’re building curiosity during Engineering Month presented by FINFROCK! Step into the role of engineer as we learn about the skills it takes invent, innovate, design, build, maintain, and improve the world around us!

MAY 13 & 14

Join us for our ooiest, gooiest, MESSIEST science lesson ever as we learn about colorful chemistry, flashy physics, and splat-tacular science! When we say messy, we MEAN messy, so make sure you dress for the mess!

JUNE 17 & 18

Celebrate the maker movement by learning a new skill, and meeting some of the expert craftspeople who are (literally) making a difference in our community. Whether you’re a professional maker, or exploring a new hobby, everyone has something exciting to learn!

JULY 15 & 16

3... 2... 1... Blast off into Astro Fest! Join us as we explore the solar system, launch engaging hands-on astronomy and engineering challenges, and learn about the science of rockets!

AUGUST 19 & 20

Are you ready to build the future? Don’t just learn about engineers - become one yourself! Together, we’ll invent, innovate, design, build, maintain, and improve the world around us.

As an institution, Orlando Science Center is dedicated to increasing science literacy in our community and beyond. We’re taking steps to solidify our place as a trusted resource for up-to-date information on popular science topics. From climate science to space exploration, we hope that when a community member has a STEM-related question, we are the first place they go to find out more.

As part of this endeavor, we are proud to launch our Scientist in Residence program, which goes hand-in-hand with our Science Matters initiatives. We envision the Scientist in Residence as a STEM professional who is an expert in their field and available to provide unique insight into trending science topics, promote science literacy, and answer questions from the public.

It is our pleasure to introduce Dr. M.J. Soileau, our inaugural Scientist in Residence. We feel that he is the perfect person to help us launch this program. A big personality with a passion for improving the STEM environment and a former trustee of Orlando Science Center, Dr. Soileau has been a trailblazer in both optical research and higher education.

A Louisiana sharecropper/laborer’s son who hoed cotton to pay for college, Dr. Soileau learned the value of hard work early. He remembers his parents as good, hardworking people who raised him to speak bluntly and pursue goals relentlessly.

“I never was the brightest star in the galaxy – and I’m still not – but I grew up learning how to work,” Dr. Soileau said. “I think one of the most important things you learn in science is, if you really push on a problem long enough and hard enough, it gives up.”

Introducing Dr. M.J. Soileau

Dr. Soileau moved to Orlando in January 1987 to be the founding director of the Center for Research in ElectroOptics and Lasers (CREOL) – now CREOL the College of Optics and Photonics – at the University of Central Florida (UCF). He dedicated more than 35 years of his career to UCF, transforming the fledgling research center into one of the major educational and research institutions for optics in the world before becoming Vice President for Research and Commercialization in 2000. He returned to the CREOL faculty in the Fall of 2016 and retired July 2022.

“What a wonderful life to spend your life learning stuff,” Dr. Soileau said. “And by the way, when you teach, you learn so much more than the students do.”

It is this passion for learning and education that we hope will permeate our halls and help support us in our mission to inspire science learning for life. As our Scientist in Residence, Dr. Soileau will be making appearances and offering unique experiences throughout the year. This partnership promises to deliver exceptional educational value to our members, visitors and Central Florida community - from special presentations at Science Night Live to guest workshops with the kids of Neighborhood Science.

We invite you to submit any questions you have for Dr. Soileau to our Ask a Scientist forum, available on our website at osc.org/ask-a-scientist, which will be the best resource to learn about his upcoming appearances. Keep an eye out for additional opportunities to engage with our very first Scientist in Residence!

Oobleck

Oobleck is a non-Newtonian fluid that can act like a solid or a liquid, depending on what you do. Anything that takes up space is made of matter, and we know about three of its’ most common states: solid, liquid, and gas. However, oobleck is weird because when you exert a force on it by pushing or squeezing, it acts like a solid, but when there’s little or no force, it acts like a liquid. Let’s make some!

MATERIALS

THE SCIENCE OF OOBLECK

• Oobleck is made up of molecules called polymers that are arranged in long chains.

• When there is no force on the oobleck, the chains are stretched out, and it acts like a liquid.

• When you put pressure on the oobleck, the chains bundle up and stick together and it acts like a solid.

1

2 3

DIRECTIONS:

1. First, measure ¾ cup of cornstarch into your bowl.

2. Next, measure and add 1/3 cup of water to the bowl.

3. Start stirring. As you stir it’ll get harder to mix, just keep going. Stir until it looks like glue.

DON’T FORGET TO CLEAN UP!

• It’s better to throw oobleck in the trash instead of pouring it down the sink.

• Oobleck doesn’t last long in storage so if you’re going to keep some around you should keep it refrigerated and don’t keep it for more than a few days.

NOW THAT YOUR OOBLECK IS READY, LET’S TRY SOME EXPERIMENTS!

• Try poking it fast with a spoon. Does it act like a solid?

• Leave the spoon on the oobleck. Does it sink like it would in a liquid?

• Can you hold the oobleck in your hand? Can you squeeze it or roll it into a ball? What happens when you let go?

The Scientific Dream

May is Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month (AAPI), and in celebration, we’re doing our part to increase representation. A 2020 demographic study of 7 commonly used biology textbooks revealed that less than 3% of featured scientists were Asian. Not only that, but there was not a single Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander scientist represented. This is just a sliver of the incredible history of AAPI scientists, and many people continue these legacies today.

Dr. Barry Paw

Born in Myanmar, Burma, Barry Paw became a refugee at age 7 when his family immigrated to the US. He grew up in California, attending public schools before earning both an MD and a PhD in biological chemistry from UCLA. His dissertation explored the molecular basis of Tay-Sachs disease, a rare genetic disorder with an average life expectancy of 4 years that destroys nerves in the brain and spinal cord.

Dr. Flossie Wong-Staal

Born in Guanzhou, China, Yee Ching Wong was encouraged to adopt an English name to further her academic opportunities, and Flossie Wong made her debut. Wong immigrated to the US to attend UCLA, where she worked her way to a PhD in molecular biology. Upon graduation, she joined the National Cancer Institute, researching retroviruses under Dr. Robert Gallo.

Retroviruses invade cells and insert their own genes into the DNA of their host, completely changing the genome of that cell. Together, Wong-Staal and Gallo identified HTLV-III, a retrovirus that they believed was responsible for the transmission and development of AIDS. This was confirmed by concurrent research by French scientist Dr. Luc Montagnier.

HTLV-III is now known as HIV, and Wong-Staal was the first to clone it. She came to understand that it evaded the body’s immune system by disguising itself as part of its host. Though her research saved countless lives, Wong-Staal is not mentioned in the US Department of Health and Human Services timeline that chronicles the domestic HIV/AIDS epidemic. The Nobel Prize for Physiology and Medicine was awarded to Montagnier, not Gallo or Wong-Staal. However, her work was vital to the development of HIV antibody tests and antiretroviral drugs, and it laid the foundation for COVID-19 research decades later.

Paw’s investigation of Tay-Sachs disease was the beginning of a long career in pediatric hematology and oncology. Hematology is the study of blood and blood disorders, such as sickle cell disease or hemophilia. While completing his residency at Boston Children’s Hospital, Paw introduced the zebrafish as an animal model to investigate human blood disorders.

The process of blood cell formation is quite similar between zebrafish and higher vertebrates such as humans, and they’re very accessible, which makes the species perfect for hematology research. Paw’s introduction of the zebrafish paved the way for other researchers for years to come. His studies alone identified several new genes and their functions, contributing to our understanding of red cell disorders such as anemia.

A Proud Neuroscientist

June is Pride Month in the United States , a time to recognize past and present struggles and successes in the ongoing fight for civil rights, as well as to celebrate the accomplishments of LGBTQ+ individuals. Ben Barres is one such individual who not only changed his field of science, but helped make the STEM community a better place!

Ben Barres was a pioneering neurobiologist at Stanford University. His work on a type of brain cells called glia – the most numerous type of brain cell in development and disease –revolutionized our understanding of the brain. He was also an ardent campaigner for equal opportunity in science.

Barres was assigned female at birth, but never felt comfortable as a girl. At school, Barres repeatedly requested but was denied, access to courses in science and engineering. A summer science course without gender restrictions at Columbia University enabled him to pursue further studies in science, going on to earn a Bachelor of Science in Biology from MIT, an MD from Dartmouth Medical School, and a residency in neurology at Weill Cornell Medicine.

In 1997 he began to transition from Barbara to Ben, and in 2013 Barres became the first openly transgender member elected to the US National Academy of Sciences, an organization that includes many of the United States’ leading scientists.

Celebrating the Individual

July is Disability Pride Month, which was first established in 1990 when the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was passed, prohibiting discrimination against people with disabilities. According to the Disability Community Resource Center (DCRC), Disability Pride is defined as accepting and honoring each person’s uniqueness and seeing it as a natural and beautiful part of human diversity. Disability Pride is an integral part of movement building and a direct challenge of systemic ableism and stigmatizing definitions of disability.

British Paralympic athlete and surgeon John McFall will join the European Space Agency’s (ESA) latest cohort of space travel candidates as the world’s first “parastronaut.”

McFall, had his right leg amputated after a motorcycle crash when he was 19 years old.

Following his recovery, he became a professional track and field athlete competing and medaling in multiple Paralympics. Along the way, he earned a bachelor’s and master’s degree in medicine, then went on to medical school, and is now a trauma and orthopedic surgeon and member of the Royal College of Surgeons.

Last year, John was selected out of 257 applicants to take part in the European Space Agency’s Parastronaut Feasibility Project. While the selection of McFall does not guarantee that he will get to fly, this is a huge step forward considering that people with physical disabilities were previously unable to apply for space travel. Through this program, and with the aid of John McFall, the ESA aims to improve their understanding of, and overcome, the barriers space flight presents for astronauts with disabilities.

Meet Our Members!

While we make it our mission to inspire science learning for life, our Members live that mission beyond our walls every day. Curiosity about STEM might spark at the Science Center, but when you leave our building, we want you to keep fanning the fire. This summer, meet just a few of our incredible Members who are doing just that as part of their STEM careers!

Erica McCay

Erica is the Creative Director at Valtech Themed Entertainment Studio, and describes her career as, “The dream job I didn’t know I should be dreaming of!”. Erica is particularly passionate about the process of sketching an idea and seeing it come to life. She has worked with animated Harry Potter figures, creating wand magic, and more recently designing software for Super Nintendo World in Japan, Hollywood, and Orlando.

In a career filled with storytelling, Erica puts her Masters of Fine Arts in Creative Writing to use on a daily basis. Growing up in San Francisco, Erica was a frequent visitor to the Exploratorium, a museum of science, technology, and art in San Francisco, and even enjoyed a visit to Singapore Science Center as part of her local First Robotics team. As someone who is immersed in a culture of creativity, Erica believes that museums foster endless curiosity and allow visitors to understand the “why” behind education.

Viviana Castro

Viviana has been a Landscape Architect with Dix-Hite for over 8 years. Combining her passions for art, architecture, and the outdoors ensures that no two days are the same for Viviana. She holds a degree in Landscape Architecture from UF and is currently working on a design for the 4Roots Farm Campus as well as Winter Park’s beloved Castle Park.

Viviana enjoys the collaborative nature of her role, frequently working closely with other STEAM professionals such as civil engineers and electrical architects, and takes pleasure in the reward of seeing her hand-drawn designs come to life. Viviana credits visiting museums and the lasting impression the exhibits left on her as a child with inspiring her to pursue a career in design.

Diana Galante

Diana is an Art Conservator, and owner of Galante Art Conservation, whose services museums and cultural institutions request for guidance in keeping their collections safe for future generations to enjoy. Working on the preservation, examination and restoration of everything from furniture to sculptures, to historic artifacts for over 15 years, Diana has worked all over the world, including Turkey, Italy, and Norway.

Growing up visiting the Smithsonian, Diana developed a desire to work in museums from a young age, attended NYU’s Institute of Fine Arts’ Conservation Program, and is thrilled that she now gets to visit and work in a variety of cultural institutions. Diana particularly enjoys diving into the story that an object tells about its history if we take the time to look closely enough. She believes in the importance of museums for ongoing, lifelong education.

Head’s Up!

In order to make room for new friends during our Summer exhibition, Dogs! A Science Tail, Kinetic Zone will be taking a hiatus from the floor. Don’t worry, though - your favorite simulators, pulley chairs, and rocket launchers will return in the Fall!

Kinetic Zone will close for the Summer on May 10, so make sure to stop by before then! And don’t despair – before Dogs! start roaming our halls, this means there will be even MORE space to get extra messy during Mess Fest on May 13 & 14!

We Have Some New Friends!

another zoological facility through a Species Survival Plan, which means they were born under human care through a carefully managed breeding program. They might look like hedgehogs, but they actually belong to a completely separate scientific order!

As we prepare to open our new nature and conservation exhibit Life later this year, we’re slowly but surely adding new animals to our living collection!

We recently welcomed two Sun Conures (Aratinga solstitialis) to our halls, and we’re looking forward to introducing them to their new home in the in the Rainforest area of the Life exhibit. While they take to the skies, they’ll have some new ground-dwelling neighbors, too!

Meet our Lesser Madagascar Tenrecs (Echinops telfairi)

These two boys arrived at the Science Center from

Currently, our tenrecs are in torpor, which is a state of hibernation-like inactivity, so you won’t see them around the Science Center for a little while. In the meantime, we are hard at work providing these little guys with the best habitat around. We can’t wait to show you what’s been going on behind the scenes!

Orlando Science Center SCIENCE COMPETITIONS

Orlando Science Center is committed to supporting children and young adults in their scientific endeavors. According to a study published in the International Journal of Science Education, students who participate in STEM competitions are more likely to choose STEM fields of study after high school than those who do not. To encourage students to foster their interest in these fields, we host science competitions for Grades K-12 each school year. As students grow older and gain experience, they can participate in increasingly challenging competitions at the Science Center with the potential to earn cash prizes and scholarships!

CURTIS RISING STARS CHALLENGE

The Curtis Rising Stars Science Challenge introduces young students to science competitions and helps them develop teamwork skills. The competition is open to students in equivalent Grades K-5, who register through their educational organization.

Students are first prepared through pre-activities and prompts with their class at school. The experience culminates in the day-long competition at Orlando Science Center when students put their STEM skills into practice!

CURTIS KINETIC SCIENCE COMPETITION

The Curtis Kinetic Science Competition is open to students in middle school grades, in teams of up to five. Teams of tinkerers and budding engineers compete for cash prizes! This competition challenges students to transform ordinary and found objects into a kinetic system inspired by Rube Goldberg’s famous machines.

LOCKHEED MARTIN SCIENCE CHALLENGE

The Lockheed Martin Science Challenge provides county science fair winners an opportunity to present their projects to a team of expert judges before advancing to the state science fair.

Congratulations to this year’s winner, Camille A. Duma, who took home the Best in Fair Scholarship for her project titled “Application of MichaelisMenten Rational Function Models, Parametric Calculations, and Differential Equations to Determine the Most Influential Factor on Histamine Levels”.

DR. NELSON YING SCIENCE COMPETITION

This competition encourages young minds to save the world! Local scientist, entrepreneur and philanthropist Dr. Nelson Ying has partnered with Orlando Science Center since 1999 to celebrate local students’ exemplary achievements.

This competition is open to individual students in Grades 9–12. Projects can be classified into a wide range of STEM topics, but they always have one thing in common: the goal to help humanity through scientific research.

LIMITED SPACE LEFT IN ACADEMY SUMMER CAMPS

GRADES 5 – 9

Orlando Science Center Summer Camps inspire students to get excited about STEM as they create, experiment, make new friends, and develop 21st Century Skills.

OUR CAMPS FEATURE:

EXCITING THEMES

Our interactive Summer Camps are designed and taught by staff educators to engage campers in trending topics including robotics, space, nature, and so much more!

SAFE ENVIRONMENT

American Camp Association accreditation and staff training ensure a safe, healthy environment.

FLEXIBLE OPTIONS

Member, sibling, and multi-week discounts available! Early and Late Care are available for an additional fee.

Thank you, Bank of America Charitable Foundation, for supporting our place-based outreach programming - Neighborhood Science! The Bank of America Charitable Foundation strives to prepare tomorrow’s workforce, giving youth the skills and inspiration needed to find their future career path. Neighborhood Science provides engaging STEM opportunities for underserved and underestimated youth throughout the Central Florida community. Current Neighborhood Science programming is focused in the 32805 ZIP code, which has been identified by the Economic Innovation Group’s Distressed Communities Index as the most distressed ZIP code in Central Florida, enduring a low rate of high school graduation, high unemployment rate, and high poverty rate. With the support of generous partners like Bank of America, Neighborhood Science helps us build communities that thrive, together.

Our innovative, upcoming new exhibit Life is part of our comprehensive campaign, Unlock Science, which would not be possible without the generous support of our community. Life will immerse visitors in three habitats to help them understand how fragile these ecosystems are, inspire them to form a personal connection with the animals that live there, and empower them to become stewards and protectors of our planet. This exhibit is possible thanks to generous support from contributors, including our friends at the Elizabeth Morse Genius Foundation. The Foundation was established in 1959 for the recognition of religious, charitable, scientific, educational, literary, or educational purposes, and to promote the welfare of mankind. Thank you, Elizabeth Morse Genius Foundation, for helping bring this impactful new exhibit to life!

We are so grateful to the PNC Foundation for their ongoing support of our early childhood education outreach through their Grow Up Great initiative. Since 2004, PNC Grow Up Great has helped children from birth through age five develop a passion for learning that lasts a lifetime. This $500 million dollar initiative is built on the understanding that education is a powerful tool for economic and social mobility. This initiative has provided ongoing support for our Ignite Discovery program, which provides direct services for preschool-aged children and caregivers from low-income households through hands-on STEM workshops, teacher professional development, and family engagement events. Thank you, PNC Foundation, for your instrumental support of this impactful program.

We are honored to be a recipient of the USDA Food and Nutrition Service’s Farm to School Agricultural Education Grant! Since the Farm to School Program’s inception in 2013, the department has awarded nearly $75 million in grants, funding over 1,000 projects across the country, impacting over 25 million students in nearly 60,000 schools. We are thrilled to join forces with our friends at 4Roots Farm to bring highly engaging, hands-on agricultural science curriculum to Lakeville Elementary School to educate the students about how their foods are harvested and made. This project has been funded at least in part with Federal funds from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The contents of this publication do not necessarily reflect the view or policies of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, nor does mention of trade names, commercial products, or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.

JOINING THIS GROUP PROVIDES: A PASSION FOR SCIENCE. A DESIRE TO MAKE A POSITIVE IMPACT.

ALL YOUNG PROFESSIONALS RECEIVE :

• Networking & professional development workshops

• Invitations to annual fundraising events, exhibit openings, and VIP receptions

• Special events hosted by the Young Professionals

• Free admission to 21+ Science Night Live events

• And much more!

To secure your Membership to the Young Professionals for Orlando Science Center visit osc.org/young-professionals or email us at ypgroup@osc.org for the most up to date information and events.

CORPORATE PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM

The Corporate Partnership Program was designed with your company’s philanthropic priorities in mind while supporting workforce development efforts in STEM education. This is a customizable sponsorship program that recognizes companies through hands-on exhibits, STEM programs and special fundraising events each year. As corporate partners, you are able to share access to Orlando Science Center with your employees and their families.

THANK YOU TO OUR CORPORATE

Orlando Science Center is coming to you!

We love participating in family-friendly festivals all around Central Florida - and we have two appearances coming up in the community! See if you can spot us at Kids Fringe or Kids & Family Fest. We can’t wait to see you!

Orlando Garden Club, 710 E Rollins St, Orlando, FL 32803

Download the OSC Member App Today!

This convenience for our members means your Membership Card is available digitally whenever you need it! Making reservations is a breeze and you can find the latest Science Center news and updates right at your fingertips!

In the Google Play store or Apple store, search “OSC Members” to download the Orlando Science Center Member App. Once you have downloaded and opened the app, tap in the top right, and log in using the same email address you gave us at the time of purchase, which is the primary email on your account.

Enhance Your Visit with the OSC App!

Download the FREE App to Your Phone Today

The official Orlando Science Center App allows you to unlock unique content and hidden experiences throughout our exhibit halls. Content is updated regularly so you can explore and learn something new every time you’re here!

Search “Orlando Science Center” in the Apple App Store or Google Play Store or click the corresponding links below.