On Saturday, October 4, from 2 – 11 pm, the College of San Mateo hosts the Family Science & Astronomy Festival + Makerspace, a celebration of science for all ages. As part of National Astronomy Day, the festival welcomes the community to learn more about astronomy, science and the wonders of the universe.

A full schedule of activities is planned and will include planetarium shows, telescope viewing of the night sky, science demonstrations by CSM science faculty and hands-on workshops for children and adults.  The newest addition to this year’s festival is Makerspace – hands on projects and skill sharing in electronics, crafts, media and much more, presented by CSM’s Library. All activities are free of charge and open to the public.

The festival features a special presentation by Dr. Patricia Burchat, the Gabilan Professor of Physics at Stanford University at 7 pm. Her presentation is titled, “The Dark Side of the Universe: Dark Matter and Dark Energy.”  Dr. Burchat studies differences in the time evolution of matter and antimatter created at the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory and the gravitational bending of light by massive clusters of galaxies in the universe. A reception will be held for all guests immediately following her presentation.

Most of the events will be held in CSM’s Science Building 36, Building 19, Planetarium, and Library; however, due to popular demand, Dr. Burchat’s lecture will be presented in CSM’s Theatre, Building 3. Visit collegeofsanmateo.edu/calendar/events  for the full event schedule and additional information.

Family Science & Astronomy Festival & Makerspace is co-sponsored by CSM, the San Mateo County Astronomical Society and Pacific Library Partnership. For questions, contact janatpour@smccd.edu or call (650)-574-6272.

College of San Mateo is a fully-accredited, comprehensive California community college serving approximately 10,000 students. Since 1922, the college has been a gateway to higher education leading to university transfer, career preparation and advancement, and professional and personal development. CSM offers 79 associate degree majors and 75 certificate programs. The campus is located at the northern corridor of Silicon Valley on a beautiful 153-acre site that overlooks San Francisco Bay.