Celebrate Science Indiana was one of 36 different organizations that hosted a booth at the 2024 Pacers STEM Fest at Gainbridge Field House on Saturday, March 16, 2024, from 11:00 AM – 2:00 PM. Set up around the concourse, this event showcased innovative projects and interactive exhibits, engaging participants of all ages in hands-on learning experiences. In line with Celebrate Science Indiana’s mission, it also served as a testament to Indiana’s commitment to fostering a culture of innovation and inspired curiosity.

Celebrate Science Indiana’s booth included a large plasma ball where kids and adults enjoyed the graceful, colorful arcs of plasma dancing in a plasma ball created by a large alternating voltage at its center. This was to entertain those in line for the main experiment – making Goofy Putty. Everything was done in a 2-ounce plastic portion cup which the participant used to take their Goofy Putty home with them. Each lid had a reminder with information about Celebrate Science Indiana where they can be further inspired! Elmer’s glue is an adhesive polymer made of polyvinyl acetate that can be modified by a chemical process called cross-linking. A 50/50 mix with water was colored and ready to go in squirt bottles to accommodate the large crowd. A super-saturated solution of the 20 Mule Team Borax (sodium tetraborate decahydrate) was used as a cross-linking agent. The properties of the long-chain glue molecules change when they are cross-linked. While stirring, the kids watched the liquid glue/water change first into a slimy glob and then into a putty.

We look forward to a diverse array of workshops and presentations at Celebrate Science Indiana on October 12, 2024, to be held at the Exhibition Hall at the Indiana State Fairgrounds. Please save the date!

2024 Celebrate Science Indiana Event

• • Who: Open to the public
    
  • What: Engaging, hands-on science experiences
  • Where: Exposition Hall at the Indiana State Fairgrounds
  • When: Saturday, October 12th, 2024, from 9:30 am – 5:00 pm