The Festival Committee has organized a variety of fantastic and free events showcasing the wonders and value of the science on the Colorado Plateau. The goal of the event is to connect and inspire citizens and visitors of southeastern Utah with the societal importance of our regional research and the thrill of scientific discovery.  

Here is a snippet of some of the events we are hosting this year, please check our website for details as the Festival approaches.

Presentations
Pollinator Panel - We’ve gathered a group of knowledgeable and dedicated scientists to come and talk to you about insect pollinators, what they do for us and what we should be doing for them.
• Amanda Barth, Rare Insect Conservation Coordinator at the Utah Department of Natural Resources.
• Amy Dolan, Endangered Species Conservation Biologist (Mountain States Bumble Bee Atlas) at the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation
• Joe Wilson, Utah State University professor and co-author of Bees in Your Backyard
Explore what we have learned about the outer solar system from NASA’s missions with Fran Bagenal, Professor of Astrophysical and Planetary Sciences at the University of Colorado.
Planets and stars aren’t the only things that light up our night sky, Christy Bills, Invertebrate Collections Manager at the Natural History Museum of Utah, will present about fireflies, a rare delight in Utah.

Film
In collaboration with the Grand County Public Library, this year’s featured film will be The Last Bumble Bee, a solution-based documentary featuring scientists and environmentalists discussing the importance of bumblebees as pollinators and the various threats they face.

Tours/Hikes
Tour the night sky with our National and State parks partners. Discover the cosmos while learning about deep space objects like nebula, galaxies, stars, star clusters, planets and moons. 
Join experts of geology, hydrology, paleontology, and lichenology as they take you on informative journeys through our public lands including topics such as the geologic forces that forged Moab’s unique landscape, tracking magnificent dinosaurs that roamed an ancient landscape, and those colorful decorators of desert rocks and forest trees: lichens.

Activities for kids and teens
Students of Moab’s middle and high school science classes will participate in STEMonstrations - fun, engaging, educational science demonstrations presented by a variety of local organizations and agencies.
The Grand County Public Library will hold a STEAM storytime just prior to the Festival’s Bee Hotel Workshop in collaboration with the Red Rocks Art Festival.

Special extended trip
Delight in a science weekend experience at the University of Utah’s Bonderman Field Station at Rio Mesa that includes science-focused activities on stars, birds, and more!

Social activities
Please mingle with us on the Museum Lawn! A meet and greet with local and visiting scientists while enjoying light refreshments.

The best way to wrap up any festival is with Science Trivia! Gather clues throughout the week and team up with friends to compete in the final event, hosted by Moab Pub Trivia. The questions are written with a challenge level aimed at adult participants, but science-loving kids may enjoy teaming up with an adult to play, too.  

For more information and a complete schedule of events, please visit www.moab-scifest.org, facebook.com/moab.scifest/ or contact the organizers at moab.scifest@gmail.com. 

And be sure to mention you read about it in Moab Happenings.

Some events are limited – see website for events where registration is required via email. Please check our website at the dates approach to see any updates to locations or times, any new events added, and guidance related to Festival events.