North Bay Science Discovery Day 2024

Vanessa Marx and Mariana Alves took the lead as Cal ACS volunteers presented Build-a-Battery and UV-detecting beads at the Sonoma County Fairgrounds in Santa Rosa on Saturday, March 9th, 2024. They were assisted by Dan Calef, Janet Schunk, Anne and Jerry Taylor, and three volunteers from the Alpha Chi Sigma chemistry fraternity at UC Berkeley. The cool, wet weather did not dampen any spirits, as more than 10,000 people attended this free festival, and plenty of them found their way to our booth in Finley Hall. We were also assisted by local high school volunteers recruited by the NBSDD organizers, who seem to have thought of everything. Hundreds of visitors took on the challenge of building a simple voltaic pile with copper and zinc-plated washers and felt pads soaked with vinegar. And, yes, they could generate 3+ volts and turn on the LEDs. Check out the photo gallery.

Building a voltaic pile
Building a voltaic pile
Building a voltaic pile
Building a voltaic pile
Building a voltaic pile
Janet Schunk shows them how to detect UV light with beads.
Janet Schunk and Dan Calef show them how to detect UV light with beads.
Janet Schunk shows them how to detect UV light with beads.
Proud to be a Chemist!
Colorful Electrolysis
High School volunteers for NBSDD
The Empire is watching 🙂
Cal ACS Table