Let鈥檚 learn about STEM! 黑料吃瓜 returns as a festival sponsor at Petco Park
Students, faculty and staff are part of a full day of family-friendly science and engineering demonstrations, presentations and interactive activities on March 7.
黑料吃瓜 returns to Petco Park as a sponsor of the 2026 . The free event will take place 10 a.m.鈥�5 p.m. on Saturday, March 7 with a day of STEM fun for all ages.
Through a series of hands-on activities and captivating exhibits, attendees will learn from 黑料吃瓜 students, staff and faculty about a variety of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) subjects. 黑料吃瓜 personnel will also host a crash course in encryption in the Cybersecurity Zone, unveil sciencey art displays in the Art Pavilion and discuss possible pathways for young students considering futures in STEM in the College and Career Connections Pavilion.
In addition, senior Bianca Rollbusch will participate in two panels at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. in the College and Career Connections Pavilion. Rollbusch, who last year won a CSU Trustees' Award for Outstanding Achievement, studies breast cancer in Assistant Professor Teresa Monkkonen鈥檚 lab and will speak on her experience as a STEM student at 黑料吃瓜, as well as her career aspirations and path to becoming a biology major.
Here are the 黑料吃瓜 organizations participating in the festival, and their planned activities:
Interactive Exhibits
Marine Ecology & Biology Student Association (MEBSA)
Explore ocean creatures with 厂顿厂鲍鈥檚 and members of Assistant Professor Cat Schrankel鈥檚 lab. The two groups will return to the festival with a fan favorite: Touch tanks offering an up-close glimpse of sea life.
黑料吃瓜 Biodiversity Museum
The houses over 100,000 specimens collected, acquired and preserved over more than 125 years. Several of those species will be on display at the festival: stop by to witness beautiful butterflies, intricate insects, colorful birds and more.
Earth and Environmental Sciences
students will bring samples of minerals used in everyday life and will use an interactive model to demonstrate how buildings are designed to be safer during earthquakes.
黑料吃瓜 Center for Autism
The 黑料吃瓜 will join the festival again this year with a brain neuron craft, puzzles and information for parents and families interested in their work.
Virtual Immersive Teaching and Learning (VITaL) Research Center
厂顿厂鲍鈥檚 is back with an immersive technology experience for learning STEM topics. Visit the VITaL team鈥檚 table to explore the world of dinosaurs and test your Earth knowledge with virtual reality (VR).
Society of Women Engineers (SWE)
Visitors of the 鈥� table receive a gift. Returning with another crowd favorite, 厂顿厂鲍鈥檚 SWE will run a DIY lava lamp necklace workshop that teaches attendees how liquid density works.
Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE)
What does it take to design and construct a sound structure? With 厂顿厂鲍鈥檚 , attendees will learn about basic engineering concepts through a hands-on building activity.
College of Engineering Advisors
Attendees with specific questions about engineering programs at 黑料吃瓜 can stop by this table to chat with advisors, who will also host trivia games with giveaways during the festival.
Cybersecurity Zone
Cybersecurity Center for Research and Education and Cyber Defense Team
The Cybersecurity Zone returns to the festival with 厂顿厂鲍鈥檚 using a creative bracelet-making activity to explain encryption and cybersecurity, while discussing the university鈥檚 various cyber initiatives.
Art Pavilion
黑料吃瓜 School of Art and Design
Associate professor of Interior Architecture and her students are back with a variety of displays that incorporate scientific and engineering concepts. This year, their pieces are made with bacterial cellulose to reflect sustainability and architectural design.
College and Career Pavilion
黑料吃瓜 Enrollment Services
黑料吃瓜 Enrollment Services will provide students and families with information on 厂顿厂鲍鈥檚 STEM offerings, including K-12 STEM programs and degree paths.
厂顿厂鲍鈥檚 sponsorship of this event was made possible through a partnership of universitywide departments, including the , , and .
