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MONDAY, APRIL 4, 2016
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Volume 121 · No. 49 FOOD AND DRINK
Ducote, Barcadia to host MLB party BY LAUREN HEFFKER @laurheffker
the little engineers that could GRETA JINES / The Daily Reveille
LASM’s annual Engineering Day exposes children to the fun side of STEM BY KATIE GAGLIANO @katie_gagliano Hundreds of curious children and families filled the hallways of the Louisiana Art and Science Museum during its third annual Engineering Day on Saturday. The event featured 24 stations with displays ranging from 3-D printers that produced bracelets in real time to ExxonMobil’s solar-powered miniature racecars. The variety of exhibits promoted curiosity and exploration as kids stared wide-eyed at cancer testing demonstrations and asked questions about bridge building.
Sheree Westerhaus, LASM’s Engineering Day coordinator, said the museum started the event in 2014 to explore the connection between art and science through engineering and design. Though the event is targeted at children, an appreciation of science and engineering is not limited by age, she said. “Parents and grandparents with these children really have as much fun at it as anyone else,” Westerhaus said. “And that’s what museums want to inspire — lifelong learning.” Inspiring a love of STEM subjects at an early age is crucial, Westerhaus said,
because it helps children see that science and engineering are fun, not frightening, and it surrounds them every day. University students were key in bringing a fun spirit to the event and engaging the children, Westerhaus said. Of the 24 groups present, nine were either directly from the University or connected to it, and dozens of University students manned exhibits and served as guides throughout the day. “It’s priceless to watch the LSU students engaging with our visitors and
see STEM, page 7
Baton Rouge Major League Baseball fans will have their own corner of the world today. Barcadia, a bar, restaurant and arcade, opened at 11 a.m. for the Major League Baseball Opening Day party. As MLB games air from midday until late, food and drink menu specials will be available throughout the day, including 75-cent wings, $2 hot dogs and $3 domestic drafts. In addition to its regular menu and happy hour, Barcadia is offering several stadium-inspired special menu items for the event, including traditional ballpark snacks like nachos, chili cheese dogs, boneless wings, peanuts and Cracker Jacks. The party is co-hosted by Bite and Booze blogger Jay Ducote and tommysTV founder and producer Tommy Talley. “We’ve been saying for several years now that Major League Baseball Opening Day should be a national holiday,” Ducote said. “We wanted to do something this year to celebrate that.” Ducote said he wants to create an atmosphere welcoming any and every type of baseball fan, from the employee on his or her lunch break, to the student
see MLB, page 7 STUDENT LIFE
Foreign students showcase cultures at International Fusion BY TRENT PARKER @TrentParker_TDR The International Student Association hosted music, dance and fashion performances from a multitude of cultures at International Fusion on Sunday night. The event, held in the Student Union Theatre, opened with a reception in which tables displayed clothing, art and traditions from around the world. Students from Nepal, Oman, Sri Lanka and many other countries answered questions and taught attendees about their respective homelands. “It’s a representation of the
melting pot of LSU ... an annual event that’s bringing us all together,” said Kenyan management graduate student Habiba Alambo. The Sri Lankans and other tables offered to translate names into their languages and presented attendees with calligraphy of the results. “We [Sri Lankans] have very little population here,” chemistry graduate student Jeewan Ranasinghe said. “This is a good chance to provide people with our culture, our dances, our letters; so many things.” Others wanted to also dispel misinformation about their home
countries. Electrical engineering graduate student Hamed Shamkhali said he hoped information on traditional calligraphy, handmade jewelry and literature would counter negative portrayals of Iranian people in the media. “We try to show that we’re coming from a rich culture,” Shamkhali said. “We are very friendly, we are very peaceful.” After the reception, International Fusion moved into the Student Union Theater for cultural performances from
see FUSION, page 7
WINGATE JONES / The Daily Reveille
The International Student Association presents a contemporary Indian dance during the 6th annual International Fusion on Sunday at the LSU Student Union.