Georgia Gwinnett College held its annual Atlanta Science Festival event, “Grizzlies in the Forest of Science,” on March 10, welcoming more than 400 attendees to explore science through hands-on activities and demonstrations.
The event aimed to spark interest in science among children and families by offering interactive experiences with faculty and students. Organizers said the gathering has grown since it began in 2023 with 150 participants.
Dr. Misael Romero-Reyes, assistant professor at Georgia Gwinnett College, said, “Every year we do this to give our students and faculty the chance to reach out to the community. We want kids to enjoy science and maybe even become a scientist one day.” Activities included chemistry experiments such as Dragon’s Breath, demonstrated by GGC student Maa’idah Abukar. “This is a fun treat you can make with Rice Krispies treats,” she said. “You dunk the treat in liquid nitrogen, which freezes it. When it evaporates, it creates nitrogen gas. You put it in your mouth, blow it out and it makes smoke.” Abukar assured attendees that the process is safe because nitrogen evaporates quickly.
Visitors also sampled ice cream made using liquid nitrogen. Thirteen-year-old Vic Wren called the frozen dessert “witch’s brew” because of its appearance, while his father Brian Wren said attending was a way to encourage early interest in science: “Exposing him to science early was one of the main reasons we came. We were excited to have something like this here locally to help keep that interest going.”
Environmental education was another focus of the event. Children painted pots and planted seeds while learning about ecosystems from Aubrey Dyer, director of GGC’s Institute for Sustainability. Dyer said, “With our micro farm, they learned about gardening in an urban environment. You don’t need a huge farm or lots of land to grow something for yourself.” Live animal demonstrations included a ring snake introduced by student Olivia McMahon: “This is a ring snake,” she told onlookers as the reptile coiled around her hands. “It’s venomous, but the venom doesn’t harm humans.” Nine-year-old Abraham Hall described snakes as his favorite part: “I like snakes… They’re cute.”
Dr. Ricky Fiorillo used live examples to discuss parasites’ role in ecosystems: “We’re showing people that most living organisms are infected with other living organisms… Parasites are very common… While we usually think of parasites as something bad, they’re actually an important part of ecosystems.” He added that their presence can indicate environmental health: “If a stream is polluted and these organisms disappear, it shows the ecological connectivity has broken down.” Health-related stations allowed visitors to test grip strength and learn CPR techniques.
Romero-Reyes confirmed that planning for next year’s event is already underway alongside co-organizers Veronica Sublett-Breeden and Dr. Gillian Rudd: “The event will always be on Saturday so that kids and their families can attend… Next year we’re looking to expand it with even more departments throughout the college participating.”
