Ecology

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Sweetwater Union High School District

Since 2009 Castle Park High students, with Dr. Pomeroy of UCSD, have learned to produce biodiesel from vegetable oil. Our booth demonstrates the step-by-step process of biodiesel synthesis, discusses the advantages of biodiesel over petroleum and outlines the ease of production. Our booth includes CAICE researchers who provide demonstrations concerning climate change and atmospheric chemistry. We also partner with Algenesis who demonstrate biodegradable materials that mimic plastics and foams.

National Park Service - Cabrillo National Monument

A sampling of hands-on STEM activities that showcase the natural resources of & real science performed in our National Parks. Attendees will learn about SD native plants & why invasive plants are destructive; try out reptile & amphibian study techniques; after learning about adaptations, they will build their own birds to demonstrate how organisms fit into their ecosystems; & more! These activities will be led by park scientists & youth apprentices, demonstrating science is for everyone!

Marine Genome Project

Booth with fun activists for people of all ages showing how to extract DNA from strawberries, scuba diving equipment used to collect tissue samples from marine species, along with other activities relating to marine science and underwater exploration

County of San Diego

Beach and Bay Water Quality Monitoring Program will use a 3-D watershed model to demonstrate how surface water run-of and pollution leads to contamination of our beaches and bays. This impact on our recreational waters can affect our health. Also, we plan on demonstrating the various laboratory processes used for water quality testing in our public health lab, which help identify if the water has microbial pathogens.

County of San Diego Vector Control Program

The booth will include info about mosquitoes & public health. There will be interactive activities where visitors can look at insect samples under microscopes. Visitors will learn about the mosquito life cycle, entomology, and how to stay safe from vector transmitted diseases. There will also be giveaways like pencils, magnets, or magnifiers. Info about other environmental health programs including water quality analysis will also be available. We will try to have a Spanish speaker present.

Boz Institute Open Lab

Have you ever seen a brain pulled out of a fly and dissected right in front of you? How does a fish look as an embryo versus as an adult? Come to the Boz Institute’s virtual open house to learn about our projects and programs, and see for yourself how we use worms, fish, and flies to study environmental pollutants’ effects on gene expression in humans.

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