During Oct. 13-22 TN STEAM Festival, MTSU students, faculty featured at STEAM-a-Palooza

Middle Tennessee State University students and faculty will play a prominent role in the upcoming Tennessee STEAM Festival to celebrate the fields of science, technology, engineering, art and math.

Particularly with the STEAM-a-Palooza from noon to 4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 14, at the Discovery Center at Murfree Spring in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. MTSU students will man a variety of booths at the facility located at 502 Southeast Broad St.

The annual 10-day festival brings the five STEAM subject areas to life at events across the state from Friday, Oct. 13, through Sunday, Oct. 22.

Dr. Greg Van Patten, professor, Chemistry; dean, CBAS — Dr. Greg Van Patten

“Once again, our students and faculty are stepping up and volunteering their time and talents to help young people — and people of all ages — to become more knowledgeable about STEM and the art aspect that adds to it,” said MTSU College of Basic and Applied Sciences Dean Greg Van Patten.

“Informal education is just one important way MTSU benefits our community and state,” he added. “Any opportunity we have to keep STEM and the arts in front of young people potentially could inspire them to pursue degrees and careers in these specialized fields.”

University groups agreeing to participate include the Middle Tennessee Shell Club, Middle Tennessee Sinfonietta, MTSU Asian Arts Association, MTSU Chemistry Society, MTSU Collegiate FFA, Departments of Aerospace andChemistry, MTSU Fermentation Science program, the Tennessee STEM Education Center and the Mathematics and Science Education student coordination committee.

Middle Tennessee State University Fermentation Science graduate student Anna Arnold, second from left, shares information about their highly regarded program with people attending the 2022 Tennessee STEAM Festival’s STEAM-a-Palooza outside the Discovery Center at Murfree Spring in October 2022. MTSU students and faculty will return for this year’s STEAM-a-Palooza event that runs from noon to 4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 14. All outside activities are free. (Submitted photo)

STEAM-a-Palooza is a free outdoor event (rain or shine) featuring local artists, scientists and engineers for all-ages and hands-on fun. People can travel booth to booth and learn about the processes behind robotics, composting, cosmetics, creative arts, physics, environmental conservation, mathematics, meteorology and more.

There will be live performances, food trucks and more.

Discovery Center’s museum admission for indoor exhibits will be half-priced from noon to 4 p.m. Oct. 14.

Overflow parking for the STEAM-A-Palooza will be at Holloway High School, located on 619 S. Highland Ave.

Virtual, in-person tree event

“Trees are Terrific! A Self-Guided Tour of MTSU’s Arboretum” is an MTSU Center for Environmental Educationoutside tree tour on campus that can be done in about two hours anytime during daylight hours. It is free and for all ages.

Download the Native Tree map: https://www.mtsu.edu/facserv/arboretum/ and use the QR codes on the tree label to navigate to the next tree. If taking the tour from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, visitors can park at meters or obtain a $2 per day pass and campus map from Parking Services, 205 City View Drive.

In collaboration with Vanderbilt University, a virtual tour of the MTSU Arboretum on campus can be experienced via: http://bioimages.vanderbilt.edu/mtsu/35.

Middle Tennessee State University Geosciences professor Mark Abolins, center, leads a group of students on a walking tour of the Murfreesboro Greenway in October 2022 as part of the Tennessee STEAM Festival celebrating the fields of science, technology, engineering, arts and math. At 10 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 21, beginning at the Fortress Rosecrans Trailhead on the greenway, people can meet to experience an hourlong walk back in time. (Submitted photo)

A taking-you-back-in-time walk

Free and limited to adults, MTSU Geosciences will have an hourlong walk on the Murfreesboro Greenway starting at 10 a.m. Oct. 21, meeting at the Fortress Rosecrans Trailhead. You’ll discover limestone rock formations, 455-million-year-old fossils, Civil War fortifications and a creek named after a Revolutionary War captain. Sturdy boots or shoes are recommended.

Aerospace STEAM activity

MTSU’s highly regarded Aerospace program will partner with Murfreesboro Airport and more than a dozen other exciting groups from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 21, at the airport.

At MTSU’s Flight Operations Center, the department’s DA-40 fleet will be displayed, plus showcasing the aircraft maintenance lab, drone operations and other collegiate opportunities available to potential students and others.

For more information about the College of Basic and Applied Sciences, call 615-898-2613 or visit the college’s website.

School of Music live concert

Helping the STEAM Festival wrap up at 3 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 22, in MTSU’s School of Music’s Hinton Hall, 1439 Faulkinberry Drive, will be a free live concert at the Sinfonietta’s “Portraits,” where orchestral works paint vivid portraits through melodies, accompanied by a professional photography exhibition, open to all ages.

— Randy Weiler (Randy.Weiler@mtsu.edu)