Several UNM departments and colleges used the New Mexico State Fair Tuesday to reach out and heighten interest in science and technology in the Hispanic community.
Interactive booths lined Main Street Tuesday afternoon featuring hands-on science and engineering displays and information about various UNM departments and colleges at Celebra la Ciencia (Celebrate the Science): Changing the Face of Science. The displays at the event were part of a national program meant to increase awareness in science, technology and health education programs among Hispanic families and youth.
"It's so important to have the community combine their efforts to reach out to youth in science," said event co-organizer Eleanor Sanchez, a UNM Marketing and Communications Department marketing specialist.
The event kicked off at Ford Pavilion with performances by local mariachi and dance groups and a welcoming address given by UNM President F. Chris Garcia.
"This is a really important event, not only for me, but for the children of New Mexico," Garcia told the large audience.
Representatives from the Biology and Chemistry Departments, several Health Sciences Center programs and other UNM departments were all present to impress and educate all in attendance, not just Hispanics.
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Children crowded several of the booths, such as the one sponsored by UNM Recreational Services, where Laura Montoya made oobleck out of baking powder, water and food coloring to demonstrate the differences between solids and liquids.
John Sanchez, a UNM engineering graduate student, showed children the ins and outs of robotics at the UNM Engineering Department booth. Sanchez works for the NASA-PURSUE Program that encourages students to pursue a career in science.
"We're interested in promoting science literacy for all ages, but particularly to families," said Jayne Aubele, director of education for the New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science, a co-sponsor of the event.
This was the first year the UNM event had featured co-sponsors.
About 20 organizations, including UNM, the Albuquerque Biological Park, Balloon Explorium and New Mexico State Parks participated in the event.
"Hopefully this event encourages parents to take their children to visit these wonderful places we have here in Albuquerque," Eleanor Sanchez said. "We're hoping to get some youth interested in science. We want to reach families, parents and teachers."
Garcia also expressed the need to establish a strong bridge between science and technology and youth in the community.
"The future is ours and parallel to that is the growth of science and technology," Garcia said. "The problem is we're not making the connection. We need to have some of our kids going into science and technology to make that connection because that's where the jobs are."
