Ecology

EIS will be partnering with Science Delivered to offer fun, engaging, hands-on activities for children. We will have paper helicopters for children to make and take home. We will have items to demonstrate and represent different STEM fields, such as blocks for engineering, preserved marine specimens, simple chemical reactions, a drone on display, etc.

San Diego is an amazing place and it allows us to journey from our rich coastline to the mountains and from ancient forests to the rugged desert wilderness. Join the Nat as we jump into activities focused on our own backyard wilderness. We’ll explore native plants, animals that co-exist in our urban spaces and want we can do to help with conservation in this place we call home.

The City's Ocean Monitoring Program will be discussing the health of the ocean environment off both Pt. Loma and Imperial Beach. We will have preserved marine specimens available for viewing as well as videos showing our work at sea and the animals we encounter.

Hands-on interaction with live reptiles and arthropods.

The Herpetology Hop- Audience will act as Herpetologist as they circulate through our interactive installation where they will identify a set of reptiles/amphibians indigenous to San Diego. Our installation will be composed of painted murals, not live animals.

Wonderful Wetlands! Did you know that wetlands are found worldwide and are among the richest habitats, just as rich as a tropical rainforest? Meet scientists from the Tijuana Estuary, discover wetland critters, dig through a mudflat, see the kind of science wetland biologists do, and discover why wetlands are important for YOU and for wildlife

Since 2009 Castle Park High students, with Dr. Pomeroy of UCSD, have learned to produce biodiesel from vegetable oil. Our booth demonstrates the step-by-step process of biodiesel synthesis, discusses the advantages of biodiesel over petroleum and outlines the ease of production. Our booth includes CAICE researchers who provide demonstrations concerning climate change and atmospheric chemistry. We also partner with Algenesis who demonstrate biodegradable materials that mimic plastics and foams.

A sampling of hands-on STEM activities that showcase the natural resources of & real science performed in our National Parks. Attendees will learn about SD native plants & why invasive plants are destructive; try out reptile & amphibian study techniques; after learning about adaptations, they will build their own birds to demonstrate how organisms fit into their ecosystems; & more! These activities will be led by park scientists & youth apprentices, demonstrating science is for everyone!