The ooze and ahhs of science at FLC

Science Open HouseJoin Fort Lewis College for Science Open House, a free, public event designed to celebrate the wonders of science. Bring your questions and your curiosity to FLC on Saturday, April 15th, 1 – 4 p.m. and join hundreds of local and regional families to see phantasmagorical demonstrations, from explosions to oobleck races to liquid nitrogen ice cream!

THE INVISIBLE WORLD OF GASSES

Saturday, April 15, 2023
Chemistry Hall Auditorium, Room 130
Shows starting at 1:00, 2:00, and 3:00 PM

Watch Michael Grubb, associate professor of Chemistry, demonstrate the behavior of gases:

  • Hot air balloons
  • Fire vortexes
  • Invisible fluids
  • and more!

HANDS-ON ACTIVITIES

  • LIQUID NITROGEN ICE CREAM: Enjoy smooth ice cream made right in front of your eyes, at -320°F!
  • LASER-INDUCED BREAKDOWN SPECTROSCOPY: Learn the atomic composition of matter by blowing it up with a laser!
  • RAMAN SPECTROSCOPY: Test the authenticity of gemstones, or test for the presence of explosives residue, by looking at how light scatters off a substance.
  • ACOUSTIC LEVITATION: Levitate small objects using only sound!
  • LEVITATING SUPERCONDUCTORS: Levitate superconductors, synthesized in the chemistry lab by FLC students, on a magnetic track!
  • BLACK FLAME: Can chemists make a black flame? Find out!
  • OOBLECK TRACK: Try to run across our 10-foot track of oobleck, a non-Newtonian fluid made of water and corn starch, without sinking!
  • BONES AND STONES: Do some prehistoric sleuthing and learn about hominins from the human family tree. What did they look like? How were they adapted to their environment? What can we learn about their lives and deaths from the fossils and tools they left behind? Learn how paleoanthropologists and archaeologists use clues to interpret the past in this hands-on experience!
  • WHAT’S IN MY BEER?  WHAT’S IN MY BLOOD?:  Learn how chemists analyze the aroma molecules in Ska beer or the molecular markers of human disease
  • MATH GAMES:  Math isn’t just done with a pen and paper:  solve interactive math puzzles!

Campus mapDIRECTIONS & PARKING

The Chemistry Hall and other science-related buildings are located on the southwest side of campus.

Parking is free on campus on weekends. Please download our map to see the recommended lots for accessing the science buildings.

ABOUT FLC’S SCIENCE OPEN HOUSE

FLC’s annual Science Open House began in Spring 2017 and features all science and engineering departments on campus. This event is free and open to the public, showcasing engaging activities for kids of all ages.