Science and Engineering Festival Comes to New Jersey

Festival Aims to Encourage Youth's Interest in Science, Engineering and Technology

CLIFTON, N.J., Oct. 18 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- In an effort to increase young children and students' interest in science, engineering, technology and aviation, the first ever "New Jersey Science and Engineering Festival" will take place on October 23 and 24 at both Clifton High School and the Essex County (Caldwell) Airport. This event is a satellite of the USA Science and Engineering Festival taking place at the same time in Washington, DC at the National Mall and surrounding areas.

The New Jersey Science and Engineering Festival will be a fun, hands-on and educational event for children and adults of all ages. The section taking place at Clifton High School will feature exhibits from universities, private industry, museums, science centers, the military, and various organizations, including, but not limited to: the Liberty Science Center, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Princeton, Rutgers, Bayer, Fanuc Robotics, US Air Force, and US Marine Corps. The auditorium will also feature live shows and demonstrations of large reptiles, birds and more. Also featured will be astronaut Dr. Greg Olsen, the third private citizen to orbit the earth on the International Space Station.  

The Clifton location will feature dinosaur skeletons, fossils, a flying model aircraft, an inflatable planetarium, original theatrical performances, live music, and "RoboFest 2010." RoboFest 2010 will feature a huge collection of industrial and military robots, a live robotics competition that will allow students to drive and control robots themselves, and interactive exhibits that children can touch.  Graduate-level lectures are also planned, discussing advanced scientific and engineering topics.

The Essex County Airport Festival location will feature civil, military and experimental aircraft on display, hosted by Avantair, Inc., as well as exhibits on associated aerospace and aviation-related technology. Participants will include several flight schools and aviation academies, representatives from the Experimental Aircraft Association, pilots, instructors and others.  

"Many of us believe that the country needs to get more young people interested in science, engineering and technology, in order to develop new industries that will enable our country to continue to function and grow," said Mike Paitchell, executive director of the New Jersey Science and Engineering Festival. "Children today don't have much exposure to these fields, and it is my hope that this event will help stimulate their interest and show them that science and engineering can be fun."

The Festival is free to attend and transportation between both parts of the Festival will be provided for and is also free. For more information about the New Jersey Science and Engineering Festival, please visit: www.njsciencefestival.org.

SOURCE New Jersey Science and Engineering Festival