The Votes Are In!
2023 Readers' Choice is back, bigger and better than ever!
View Winners → 
Pasadena Embarks on an Educational Voyage Celebrating STEAM18
Education Mar 08, 2018
ArtNight Pasadena. - Courtesy photo
by
share with
ArtNight Pasadena. – Courtesy photo
the Pasadena convention & visitors bureau, along with Caltech, JPL and the city of Pasadena to host events inspiring public awareness of science, art and space exploration
Pasadena and its institutions will embark on a year of science, technology, engineering, art and math (STEAM18), bringing together some of the city’s greatest minds. The first of its kind initiative will promote activities, events and curriculum to help audiences discover the world of space exploration inspired by the 2018 COSPAR conference which encourages international cooperation in the pursuit of scientific research in space. The conference will take place July 14-22 at the Pasadena Convention Center.
Known for its historical landmarks, annual Tournament of Roses® Parade and the Rose Bowl Game, Pasadena will host a series of events celebrating the city’s rich background in science and the arts. Several STEAM inspired events will take place for the public to enjoy. They include:
Dreaming the Universe: The Intersection of Science Fiction & Southern California
March 3 – September 2; Pasadena Museum of History
The Pasadena Museum of History will explore the history of science fiction in Southern California from 1930 to 1980, and how it interacted with the advances of science, the changes in technology, and shifts in American society. The exhibition will feature historic artifacts, fine and graphic art, books and ephemera, and historic photographs.
Southern California ushered in the Rocket Age in 1936 with the first rocket tests in Pasadena’s Arroyo Seco. The growth of the aeronautics industry in the area was closely paralleled by the growth of the creative science fiction community. Dreaming the Universe will examine visionary creators such as Ray Bradbury, Octavia Butler, Frank Kelly Freas, Ray Harryhausen, and Emil Petaja, and the books, fanzines, art, and media they created; attention will also be given to the fans of science fiction, individuals such as Forrest Ackerman, as well as fan organizations.
ArtNight: March 9; Citywide
During ArtNight, the city’s most prominent museums and cultural institutions open their doors for free and offer special programming. Explore Science in the Artwork of Frida Kahlo; Rocketry at Caltech; or Visual Futurist, a documentary on automotive, industrial and film design at the Pasadena Public Library.
No Boundaries: March 9-18; Pasadena Unified School District
Our annual all-district exhibition “No Boundaries” will include a STEAM Wall of artworks that reflect STEAM instruction in PUSD. Opening night is part of ArtNight Pasadena and includes lively student performances.
The Innovation Exposition is Pasadena Unified School District’s alternative to the typical science fair. This exciting event will showcase elementary through middle school student-generated work – connecting students with their community. For the Expo, students chose to compete in 1 of 6 categories: Scientific Inquiry, Environmental Innovation, Invention, Reverse Engineering, Science Fiction and Creativity with 3D printing. Student projects are judged by community STEM experts. For the 2017 Innovation Exposition, judges were recruited from local doctor’s offices Caltech and JPL.
Los Angeles County Science and Engineering Fair: March 23-24; Pasadena Convention Center
The 68th Annual Los Angeles County Science and Engineering Fair will showcase the talented work from 6th to 12th grade students from more than 150 area schools at the Pasadena Convention Center. The students show off their investigative skills and creativity to compete for medals, special awards and scholarships. The Los Angeles County Science Fair will present Interactive Exhibits designed to inspire and entertain students and the public.
Eyes on the Universe: Southern California’s Leadership in Astronomy Today
March 24; Pasadena Public Library, Linda Vista Branch
Join Dr. John Mulchaey, Director of the Carnegie Observatories, as he discusses the history and accomplishments of the Carnegie Observatories. All ages welcome.
Caltech Science for March: March 31; Caltech Beckman Mall
The first Science for March open house aims to bring the local community and scientists together at Caltech to enjoy, share, and celebrate science. The event will feature multiple interactive booths and learning stations from Caltech labs, affiliates, and organizations in the greater LA area, as well as an indoor speakers series including a keynote addresses by Caltech professor and Mars 2020 Project Scientist Ken Farley and Project Scientist Founder Sandy Marshall, and a series of TED-style talks delivered by Caltech students, postdoctoral scholars, and faculty members.
LitFest Pasadena presents the Roswell Award Best Short Sci-Fi Readings and Awards
May 19; Pasadena Playhouse District
The Roswell Award is an international competition for short science fiction by adults. The finalists will be chosen and their stories read dramatically by celebrity guests on stage at LitFest Pasadena.
AstroFest and AstroWeek: July 14-22; Citywide
Pasadena AstroWeek features a week-long series of public events celebrating Pasadena’s rich history as the “City of Astronomy” and a world leader for telescopic celestial discovery and robotic space science. The week coincides with the 42nd COSPAR Assembly at the Pasadena Convention Center, which will welcome thousands of space science professionals from all the over the world. AstroWeek will begin with an Astronomy Festival (AstroFest) at the Convention Center on July 14, 2018, on COSPAR opening day.
AxS Festival: Nov. 2-11; Citywide
The Pasadena Arts Council (PAC) produces the AxS Festival, a two-week citywide celebration of art and science featuring exhibitions, performances, educational activities and a Conversation Series which honors and reflects on the allied importance of both the arts and the sciences to the dynamic tenor of our time. While often described as occupying opposite ends of a spectrum, art and science are instead united in the AxS Festival’s recognition that both domains are powerful engines of contemporary culture.
Great Minds in STEM’s, 30th HENAAC Conference: October 17-21; Pasadena Center
Great Minds in STEM (GMiS) is pleased to host the 30th HENAAC Conference “Generation Xcellence.” The nation’s most prestigious stage for honoring STEM talent, as well as building and reinforcing networks, the HENAAC Conference is the place where top executives, innovative professionals, and the brightest STEM students convene.
Individuals looking for jobs, internships or to further their education in STEM, are welcome at the Career and Graduate School Fair on Saturday October 20, 2018 at the Pasadena Convention Center. Free and open to the public, from 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m., the Career Fair will host a large number of companies, military and government agencies, looking for interns and full time hires, as well as Graduate Schools from across the country.
Rise of the Rocket Girls: Pasadena Public Libraries
The City of Pasadena designed the One City, One Story to broaden and deepen an appreciation of reading and literature by recommending a compelling book that sparks a community conversation on important issues. Rise of the Rocket Girls is the riveting true story of the women who launched America into space. In the 1940s and 50s, when the newly minted Jet Propulsion Laboratory needed quick-thinking mathematicians to calculate velocities and plot trajectories, they didn’t turn to male graduates. Rather, they recruited an elite group of young women who, with only pencil, paper and mathematical prowess, transformed rocket design, helped bring about the first American satellites, and made the exploration of the solar system possible.
Stargazing & Lecture Series
February 23 at 7 p.m. – Matt Orr
March 23 at 8 p.m. – Leo Stein
April 20, 8 p.m. – Marta Bryan
May 25, 8 p.m. – Heather Knutson
June 22, 8 p.m. – Gregg Hallinan
Location: Caltech Astronomy
One Friday each month, Caltech Astronomy provides a free public lecture and guided stargazing through telescopes.
