Philadelphia Science Festival: Be a Pennovator!

PERCH, Penn Engineering’s Research and Collaboration Hub, at the Pennovation Center. Photo courtesy of KSS Architects by James Ewing

On Sunday, April 23, 2017, the Pennovation Center and PERCH will host a Philadelphia Science Festival Event called “Be A Pennovator!”

Be A Pennovator! is part of the Be A Scientist For a Day! program of events where adults and children alike can learn what it is like to be a scientist. The University of Pennsylvania is a core collaborator of the Philadelphia Science Festival, a 9 day festival held April 21–29, in partnership with the Franklin Institute.

Want to find out what it takes to be an innovator? The University of Pennsylvania opens the doors of the Pennovation Center, Philadelphia’s hub for Penn Engineering robotics research and entrepreneurial initiatives, to robotics, engineering, technology, and innovation enthusiasts ages 5 to 105 for a day full of demonstrations, innovation talks, and hands-on activities. Program robots, solve challenges, and innovate the future. Learn how to put your ideas to work! Pre-registration is required for full participation.

The theme of this event will be to provide attendees with an understanding of the innovation process, including research, discovery, ideation, testing, conclusions, and revision. Necessarily, this understanding concerns the product development process, the people who engage in that process, and the products themselves. Therefore, activities at Be A Pennovator! will include each of these aspects.

The Be A Pennovator! event will include the following, in increasing level of interactivity:

Innovation Talks. These are 15 minute talks given by Pennovation and PERCH experts that focus on aspects of the innovation theme. Talks should include information about the person, the product they are developing, and the process that they use. These can include a demonstration and interaction, but the bulk of effort will be in presentation of thematic concepts.
Demonstrations. These are 15 minute demonstrations of innovative technology by Pennovation and PERCH experts. Individuals will learn about innovative technology and the innovation process through observation and limited interaction. Demonstrations may include some presentation but should focus on “wowing” the crowd with cool stuff.
Activities. These are 30 minute interactive activities by Penn Students and Pennovation experts. Individuals will learn about the innovation process through guided and free play interactions with technology. For example, attendees may program Raspberry Pis to monitor temperature, or Develop CAD models of name tags and then have them laser cut, or construct self-stabilizing rotational craft, or choose valid sources of information using evidence

The event is free to attend, but pre-registration slots for some activities are already full.