Engage in fun activities with local scientists at Florida Museum’s Girls Do Science event this Saturday

Press release from Florida Museum of Natural History

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Science lovers are invited to attend the free Girls Do Science event at the Florida Museum of Natural History on Saturday, Feb. 8, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Hosted in celebration of the United Nations’ declaration of Feb. 11 as International Women and Girls in Science Day, the museum will host a plethora of fun and engaging activities with scientists from more than 20 local collections, groups, and university labs. These include interactive games, biology lessons featuring real specimens, and displays of research equipment.

“I’m very excited about how many tablers we have this year,” said Janelle Peña-Jiménez, the Florida Museum’s public programs coordinator and Girls Do Science organizer. “From wetlands and astronomy to insects and minerals, each organization has fun activities planned about a variety of topics. These kinds of events really showcase that science is for everyone!”

Along with participating in activities, attendees will have the opportunity to see live critters and meet people representing an assortment of science organizations like the Santa Fe College Teaching Zoo, University of Florida Thompson Earth Systems Institute, UF Howard T. Odum Center for Wetlands, and the museum’s McGuire Center for Lepidoptera and Biodiversity. Each group will bring a unique set of knowledge and hands-on demonstrations for all ages.

For those who cannot attend the in-person event, the Florida Museum has developed a Girls Do Science! activity book, which is free and available for download online. The book was created by scientists and includes projects for a variety of ages. Activities range from coloring pages highlighting influential female scientists to a step-by-step strawberry DNA extraction guide.

While Girls Do Science hopes to inspire female engagement in science, the event is open to all.

For more information on the event or to download the activity book, visit www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/event/women-girls-in-science-day.