Ecology

Primary tabs

The Ms. Smarty-Plants™ Cools the Climate

The Ms. Smarty-Plants™ Cools the Climate is a conservation education program that brings learning about climate change to life. This program is designed to empower children and adults to tackle climate change, care for the Earth, and encourage scientific discovery. With her charming style of “Edu-taimment” Ms. Smarty-Plants™ reminds everyone science is fun and saving the planet is awesome! With music, magic and fun everyone will feel like an Earth Hero fighting for climate justice.

Algae Academy

The Algae Academy booth will allow attendees the opportunity to see algae in action! The booth will be equipped with microscopes connected to a projector that will allow attendees to see algae up close with the help of our “Algae Experts”. After attendees get a quick lesson in Algae 101, they will receive their own mini Algae Academy Kit that will allow them to grow their own algae at home! The kit includes a guided experiment, live algae, necessary consumables and contact info for support.

Biodiesel & Algal Studies Group

Since 2009 Castle Park High students, with Dr. Pomeroy of UCSD, have learned to produce biodiesel from vegetable oil. Students use a particle counter to determine how “clean” the fuel burns and discuss how particulate impacts our global climate. Students present this field data to support the benefits of biodiesel. Our booth, as in years past, will demonstrate the step-by-step process of biodiesel synthesis, discuss the advantages of biodiesel over petroleum and outline the ease of production.

e3 Civic High

The e3 Civic High STEM booth will feature a robotics demonstration from the school's FIRST Robotics team, the Griffins. The booth will also feature an interactive gardening experience that will allow visitors to pot and take home a small plant that will inspire them to think about how they can contribute to a greener world. Whether interested in human anatomy and physiology, aviation, robotics, agriculture, or nutrition, scholars can explore their curiosity for STEM at e3 Civic High.

The San Diego River Park Foundation

Working alongside San Diego River Park Foundation scientists, kids can conduct a bioassessment of the San Diego River by examining and sorting living aquatic invertebrates (“River Bugs”) in a sample of water collected from the San Diego River! By identifying the types of River Bugs found in our sample, kids can determine whether the River water is healthy!

National Park Service - Cabrillo National Monument

Festival participants will discover and learn about the science projects performed at Cabrillo National Monument with hands-on, inquiry-based activities that highlight our herpetofauna (reptile & amphibian) monitoring and Science Explorer's Club. Participants will take data about our native reptiles & amphibians as well as exploring other science themes (tidepool monitoring, bird monitoring, etc.).

Frontier Water Systems

Frontier Water Systems will demonstrate some of the engineering and design which goes into the creation of our equipment and Bioreactors. We will also show how these are used in the treatment and removal of selenium, nitrate and heavy metals from water that may be returned to our lakes and rivers. FWS employs innovative Engineers from many disciplines such as Electrical, Computer, Chemical, and Mechanical. We hope to inspire young Engineers of  to help with our future needs of clean water.

SDSU CMIL Marine Science Day

Ever wonder what goes on inside a marine research laboratory? Ever wonder what gadgets and gizmos scientists use to study the marine environment? Come visit the SDSU Coastal and Marine Institute Laboratory to find out! Meet marine biologists and scientists at San Diego State University, interact with local sea creatures, and learn about San Diego’s diverse marine ecosystems.

Boz Institute Life Science Seminar Symposium and Program Launch

Join us for our grand opening and first formal life science seminar symposium at the Boz Institute. Learn about our initiative and our current research modules utilized to prepare program participants for exciting careers in life science, and find out how to get involved. Our current research includes local ecology plant biodiversity, environmental science, cell-signaling and aging, neurobiology, single-cell organism intelligence...

2024 Festival Presenting Sponsor

2024 Festival Platinum Sponsor

2024 Festival Gold Sponsors

We Love Our 2024 Sponsors!

It takes true community spirit and engagement to build a successful Festival Week and momentum to support ongoing programs. Our mission is to provide meaningful year-round STEAM experiences for youth and adults alike in San Diego, and throughout the state of CA through our virtual platform.

2024 Sponsors  

Contact Us

Want to attend?

Want to get involved?

Have a question?

Send us a message and we will get back with you right away!