Science Rendezvous Durham

An In-Person Event

Science Rendezvous Durham returns (IN-PERSON) on May 11, 2024!

For over a decade, Science Rendezvous has been taking science, technology, engineering, art, and math (STEAM) research out of the lab and onto the street! Join us at the Ontario Tech University and Durham College Campus for a FREE family festival, and get your hands on science!

This year’s theme is INNOVATE! Get ready to:

Tour the ACE Wind Tunnel and see it rain inside! (sign up on site)
Break out of our Kid Friendly Escape Room
Watch flaming gummy bears and frozen bubbles at the chemistry extravaganza
Cool down with some Liquid Nitrogen Ice Cream
Try your hand at virtual reality, 3D printing, coding, and much, much more!

Come for the fun, stay for the adventure!

Activities run from 10:00 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. in the UB, ERC, and SHA Buildings as well as the Polonsky Commons. The Grand Finale will take place from 2:30 to 3:00 p.m. in UB-2080. Check out our Campus Map.

Welcome to Science Rendezvous (the second virtual version) 2022!

Take a journey with Hunter the Ridgeback and discover the fascinating world of science at Ontario Tech U. Check out the cool science resources in the 15 tabs below where you will find activities, videos and demonstrations to watch. Don’t forget to give Hunter a virtual high-five before you move on! Once you’re done at Ontario Tech, you can journey to other Science Rendezvous sites for more amazing science! If you feel like a challenge, you can test your knowledge by participating in the Science Chase. Once you have checked out the resources, navigate back to the Science Rendezvous main page and click the “Join Science Chase” button.

Have fun!

This Site's Science Chase Resources:

Engineering Challenge 1- Design a Mars Rover or Lander!

Build a spacecraft that can withstand a drop from shoulder height with Let’s Talk Mars Bitmoji Classroom: https://bit.ly/3r1OJm5

Practice Question #1:

How much time does it take to get from the top of the atmosphere of Mars to the surface?

Engineering Challenge 2 - Design a Vehicle

Learn about vehicle design and testing and learn what goes on at Ontario Tech Univeristy’s ACE (Automotive Center of Excellence) with Let’s Talk Automotive Bitmoji Classroom: https://bit.ly/3jjfYod

Practice Question #2:

What part of the car charges the battery and powers the electrical system when your car is running?

Playful Machines - Design Your Own Pulley

Learn about pulleys and then make your own pulley system using household items.

Playful Machines_PulleyExt

Practice Question #3:

A grooved wheel with a rope around it describes what type of machine?

Kool Kaleidoscopes

Have you ever wondered how you get all the cool colours and patterns in a kaleidoscope? The video will show you how to make your own kaleidoscope and how how they work.

Instructions for making your kaleidoscope: Kaleidoscope Instructions

Practice Question #4:

Besides light and angles, name one more thing that is needed for a kaleidoscope to work?

Artificial Intelligence All Around Us!

Do you know what artificial intelligence is? Did you know that it plays a role in your everyday life? Watch this fascinating video to learn more!

Practice Question #5:

What does AI stand for?

Bird Beak Adaptation Match Game

Do you know what an adaptation is or why they happen? Have you ever wondered why different birds have different types of beaks? Well, this is the place to find out! Learn a little bit about adaptation and then play the bird beak match game. Everything you need can be found in this link: Bird Beak Adaptation Match Game

Practice Question #6:

Which bird uses its beak upside down?

Origami DNA

Learn about the structure of DNA by folding your very own DNA molecule!

Materials you will need:

Scissors
DNA template – print it from here DNA-Origami-Coloured-Template

Once you have these ready, you will be ready to follow the demonstration video below and fold a DNA molecule! Too cool!!

Practice Question #7:

Which base pairs with C?

Home-made Elephant Toothpaste

Watch this demonstration of how to make elephant toothpaste at home. Then download the recipe from the link below and make it whenever you want. But remember it’s really messy so you might want to do this one outside or in the bathtub.

Elephant’s Toothpaste Recipe

Practice Question #8:

What is the catalyst in the elephant toothpaste reaction?

Learn about Fish - Virtual Tour of the Aquatic Omics Lab

Join Dr. Denina Simmons as she takes you on a tour of her aquatics lab facilities and tells you a bit about the kind of research she does.

Practice Question #9:

What kind of mating dance do the Florida flagfish do?

The Science of Slime!

Three simple ingredients, some mixing, an endothermic reaction and voila, you have slime!

Want to make it yourself at home? Here’s the recipe: Science Slime

Practice Question #10:

The reaction that happens when you add the contact lens solution is endothermic. Does this mean that the slime feels warm or cool when you touch it?

Math Mystery: The Case of the Dual Jewel

We need your help to figure out when a precious gem was stolen from the museum of ancient science by using patterns from museum security camera footage.

Click here for the activity: Math Mystery_Science Rendezvous

Can you figure out when the gem was stolen?

Practice Question #11:

What was stolen from the museum?

My Racing Heart

Learn about Daphnia (also known as water fleas, although they aren’t really fleas) and help biologist Annette with an experiment where you count a Daphnia’s heart beats!