Science Saturdays return for 2025 with new hands-on learning opportunities

Science Saturdays are back and ready to heat up young scientific minds in 2025.

These 90-minute educational enrichment sessions are a cornerstone of community outreach at Florida Institute for Human and Machine Cognition (IHMC). Topics for the 2025 season include photo editing, roller coasters, human performance, and more. The sessions are aimed at students in grades 3-7 and are free to attend thanks to the support of community partners.

In the series’ 16 years, nearly 5,600 students have attended and explored their interest in a wide array of science and technology topics, according to Dr. Ursula Schwuttke, director of educational outreach for IHMC.

“Students who become interested in science when they are young are more likely to be ready to pursue those subjects in high school and college,” Schwuttke said. “Our sponsors have helped us establish Science Saturdays as a place for students to explore a wide array of scientific subjects independent of family resources.”

Surveys conducted with families consistently show that the sessions are a lot of fun, and the variety of topics is intended to offer something that interests everyone, Schwuttke says.

“We consider those factors to be a good measure of the quality of our effort,” she says. “Enjoyment of science by young students is important for developing the long-term interest that Science Saturdays are designed to foster.”

Sponsors for the 2023-2024 series in Pensacola include Premier Sponsor NextEra Energy Foundation/Florida Power & Light and Sponsors Florida Blue Foundation, the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office (with Law Enforcement Trust Fund monies), and Cox.

SCIENCE SATURDAY SPRING SCHEDULE

The schedule for Science Saturday for the Spring is complete. Use this link to stay up to date on dates and topics for these sessions. And share the link with friends with children in grades 3-7 https://www.ihmc.us/life/science_saturdays/

Pensacola Sessions

Jan. 25: William Howell, Photo Editing.

Feb. 22: Dr. Matt Johnson, Roller Coasters.

March 22: Dr. Marcas Bamman, Faster, Stronger, Smarter.

April 19: Dr. Kevin Gluck, To Be Determined.

IHMC is a not-for-profit research institute of the Florida University System where researchers pioneer science and technology aimed at leveraging and extending human capabilities. IHMC researchers and staff collaborate extensively with the government, industry, and academia to conduct ground-breaking science and develop breakthrough technologies. IHMC research partners have included: DARPA, the National Science Foundation, NASA, Army, Navy, Air Force, National Institutes of Health, IBM, Microsoft, Honda, Boeing, Lockheed, and many others.