NASA Family Science Nights Set To Debut in October

Offering Geared Toward Middle School Students And Their Families

PITTSBURGH — On Tuesday, Oct. 5, Carnegie Science Center will unveil NASA Family Science Nights, a new event that will give middle school students and their families the chance to explore the Universe.

NASA Family Science Nights invite participants to learn about rocketry, solar power, and space exploration through a variety of hands-on activities and creative problem solving methods originally developed by the Solar Dynamics Observatory at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md. The program is geared toward middle school students accompanied by an adult, but the educational content encourages cross-generational learning and offers families the chance to learn together in a non-intimidating atmosphere. NASA Family Science Nights will take place from 6 to 8 pm the first Tuesday of each month through April 2011, with the exception of January. A pizza dinner is included.

“Our new NASA Family Science Night series was developed to ignite middle school students’ curiosity and interest in science, technology, engineering, and math, while also involving families and making these topics engaging and interactive, says Jessica Lausch, director of Visitor Experience at Carnegie Science Center. “The middle school years are critical in developing attitudes about science and technology career options, and this offering allows students to explore complex science topics while still enjoying themselves.”

NASA Family Science Nights became a reality after members of the Science Center’s education team were invited to participate in a Museum Educators conference at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in March 2009. During the conference, the educators were introduced to educational resources provided by NASA, including a micro-grant through the Summer of Innovation initiative to offer the series onsite.

Cost for NASA Family Science Night events is $7 per person per night. A discounted rate of $3 is available to North Side residents. Pre-registration is required; those interested should call 412.237.1637 to register.

About Carnegie Science Center
Carnegie Science Center brings the world of science alive for visitors of all ages. One of the four Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh, the Science Center features hands-on exhibits, three live demonstration theaters, a four-story Omnimax theater, Highmark SportsWorks®, an interactive full-dome digital planetarium, a Cold War-era submarine moored on Pittsburgh’s Ohio River, the world’s largest and most comprehensive robotics exhibition, and a world-renowned model railroad display. Carnegie Science Center is located at One Allegheny Avenue on Pittsburgh’s North Shore next to Heinz Field. Visit CarnegieScienceCenter.org

About Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh
Founded by Andrew Carnegie in 1895, Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh is a collection of four distinctive museums dedicated to exploration through art and science: Carnegie Museum of Art, Carnegie Museum of Natural History, Carnegie Science Center, and The Andy Warhol Museum. In 2009, the museums reached more than 1.2 million people through exhibitions, educational programs, outreach activities, and special events.