Activities for K-12 and up

Come explore interactive science booths, talks, and a planetarium at UCLA! Also, an award ceremony for a special guest you won't want to miss. All activities are free of charge and materials are provided - just bring your open mind!

68
Interactive Science Booths
18
Science Talks
450
Planetarium Tickets
1000s
of activities for everyone!

2026 Science Talks

15-min long presentations for all ages with time afterwards for questions. See the 2026 schedule below! EYU to the World: Talks held in CS50 will be live-streamed from 12 – 5pm! Click on 'Room B (CS50)' for the link!
November 8, 2026 12:00 pm - 12:45 pm Room B (CS50)

Science and Education Pioneer Award (LIVESTREAM)

Special kickoff to EYU at the beginning of the event by Dean Miguel García-Garibay of the division of Physical Sciences at UCLA including a presentation of the 2025 Science and Education Pioneer Award. Livestream at this link! 2025 Pioneer Award Recipient, Professor Terence Tao. We are proud to honor Professor Terence Tao of the UCLA Mathematics Department […]

November 8, 2026 12:45 pm - 1:15 pm Room A (CS24)

Rocket Science 101

What is a rocket and how does it work? What are its major components? Why does it use stages and how does it achieve the proper orbit? This talk by a former “rocket scientist” will help answer these questions and many more! Recommended grade level: 6th-8th

David Stephens
David Stephens UCLA Aerospace Engineering & Space Launch Integration Manager
November 8, 2026 12:45 pm - 1:15 pm Room B (CS50)

How the Sun Paints the Sky: the Science of the Northern Lights

The northern lights aren’t just beautiful, they are a conversation between the Sun and the Earth. One that can affect human technology. Come discover the incredible science behind one of Earth’s most magical natural phenomena, and how you might observe it, even from Los Angeles. Recommended grade levels: 9th-12th

Laura-May Abron
Laura-May Abron Astronomer Tornado-Chaser, Griffith Observatory
November 8, 2026 12:45 pm - 1:15 pm Room C (CS76)

From Spinning Tops to Spinning Protons

Have you ever spun a top and watched it whirl? Now imagine something far smaller—a proton, one of the building blocks of every atom. A proton also has “spin,” but here is the surprise: we still do not fully understand where that spin comes from. Inside every proton is a busy world of quarks and […]

Zhongbo Kang
Zhongbo Kang Professor / UCLA Department of Physics and Astronomy
November 8, 2026 1:30 pm - 2:00 pm Room A (CS24)

Power Up! How Fast-Charging Batteries Work

This talk will include an introduction to how batteries of many different types work, with the goal of understanding why they currently cannot charge quickly. We will then discuss new ideas in battery materials that should allow for fast charging, making it easier to electrify the future! Recommended grade level: 6-8th

Sarah Tolbert
Sarah Tolbert UCLA Distinguished Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry; Distinguished Professor of Materials Science & Engineering / UCLA
November 8, 2026 1:30 pm - 2:00 pm Room B (CS50)

The Tiniest Molecular Machines

Imagine tiny machines so small that billions of them could fit on the tip of a pencil! Scientists can build these artificial molecular machines from individual molecules. Like larger machines, they can move, switch between different shapes, or carry things—but they are much too small to see with our eyes. Some can be controlled with […]

Miguel A. Garcia-Garibay
Miguel A. Garcia-Garibay Dean / UCLA Physical Sciences and Distinguished Professor / UCLA Chemistry and Biochemistry / UCLA
November 8, 2026 1:30 pm - 2:00 pm Room C (CS76)

When Earth was a Boiling Magma Ocean

Why did the Earth start out completely molten? Did you know the Earth was once hit by an object the size of Mars? How did Earth evolve from its violent start? We will answer these questions and more through the talk. Recommended grade level:K-2nd

Lars Stixrude
Lars Stixrude Professor of Geophysics / UCLA Earth, Planetary, and Space Sciences / UCLA
November 8, 2026 2:15 pm - 2:45 pm Room A (CS24)

Near-Earth Objects: Hunting Rocks in Space

For billions of years, Earth’s landscape has changed slowly. Continents move relative to each other, mountains are worn down by wind and rain—these geologic forces take millions of years! But sometimes, change happens in an instant. A large asteroid impact can reshape the land in seconds! That’s why Principal Investigator Amy Mainzer and her amazing […]

Valeria Jaramillo
Valeria Jaramillo Public Education Specialist / UCLA EPSS and NEO Surveyor
November 8, 2026 2:15 pm - 2:45 pm Room B (CS50)

Astronomy in Hawai'i: The Past, Present and Future

Astronomy has a lot of cultural and scientific significance tied to Hawai’i. In my talk, I will show you native Hawaiians have used astronomy since the age of early Polynesian navigation, and how that eventually led to the telescopes on Maunakea, Haleakala, and Maunaloa. Recommended grade level: K-2nd

Maria Vincent
Maria Vincent Postdoctoral Scholar, JPL / JPL
November 8, 2026 2:15 pm - 2:45 pm Room C (CS76)

Why do fungal freeways never jam?

Traffic congestion is a maddening fact of life for drivers in cities. The more cars a road carries, the slower everyone goes. Fungi too build freeways — cellular roads that can stretch for meters along forest floors, and that ceaselessly transport nutrients, water and cell stuff that the fungi and its plant partners need for […]

Marcus Roper
Marcus Roper Professor / UCLA Mathematics and Computational Medicine / UCLA
November 8, 2026 3:00 pm - 3:30 pm Room A (CS24)

Exploring Distant Worlds: A Tale of Water Worlds, Rocky Planets, and the Search for Life

Our exoplanet research is like going on a cosmic treasure hunt, searching for amazing little worlds twirling around faraway stars! 🌟🪐 We explore them to see just how wonderfully different planets can be—giant, teeny-tiny, scorching hot, icy cold, or maybe even a bit like our cozy Earth. 🌍✨ Recommended grade level: 9th-12th

Björn Benneke
Björn Benneke UCLA EPSS Associate Professor & Vice Chair for Graduate Studies
November 8, 2026 3:00 pm - 3:30 pm Room B (CS50)

Cosmic Collisions at the Hearts of Galaxies

The centers of galaxies are among the most crowded places in the universe. There, millions of stars orbit a supermassive black hole, passing one another at extraordinary speeds. In this cosmic traffic jam, gravity can bring two or more stars together, send stars flying across the galaxy, or drive them into spectacular collisions. Some stars […]

Smadar Naoz
Smadar Naoz Professor / UCLA Department of Physics & Astronomy
November 8, 2026 3:00 pm - 3:30 pm Room C (CS76)

Organic Chemistry in the Movies

Despite its bad reputation, organic chemistry is awesome and is all around us. In this presentation, attendees will learn some of the basics of organic chemistry (yes, even kids can learn it!), while enjoying short clips from family-friendly movies. Recommended grade level: 3rd-5th

Neil Garg
Neil Garg Distinguished Professor & Associate Dean/ UCLA Chemistry and Biochemistry
November 8, 2026 3:45 pm - 4:15 pm Room A (CS24)

Going Back in Time to the First Stars, Galaxies, and Black Holes

Astronomers use telescopes as a tool to travel back in time to the beginning of the universe — which is almost 14 billion years in the past. The James Webb Space Telescope in particular has given us a completely unprecedented view of the first billion years of cosmic time. We are starting to understand how […]

Alice Shapley
Alice Shapley Professor / UCLA Physics and Astronomy
November 8, 2026 3:45 pm - 4:15 pm Room B (CS50)

Fun with Plastics

Where do plastics come from? How long are polymer chains? How are you supposed to open a ketchup package if it has no perforation marks? What is polyurethane foam used for and what is the largest polyurethane foam milkshake ever made? Come learn the answers to these and other fun with plastics questions. Recommended grade […]

Richard Kaner
Richard Kaner Distinguished Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry; Distinguished Professor of Materials Science & Engineering / UCLA
November 8, 2026 3:45 pm - 4:15 pm Room C (CS76)

Consider the ant and be wise - what can humans learn from ants?

Ants form incredibly successful social systems. Over millions of years they have evolved the ability to construct intricate nests, cultivate crops, build bridges and rafts, and herd other animals; just to name a few exciting collective behaviors that ants accomplish. Inspired by ant behavior, humans have developed new computer algorithms, building architectures, and robot swarms. […]

Noa Pinter-Wollman
Noa Pinter-Wollman Professor / UCLA Ecology and Evolutionary Biology & Computational and Systems Biology / UCLA
November 8, 2026 4:30 pm - 5:00 pm Room A (CS24)

Innate Immunity: Our Microscopic First Responders

Our immune system keeps our bodies healthy by fighting disease, but how does it recognize friend from foe? Meet the first line of defense against viral infections, and we’ll explore the basics of the innate immune response, how it is coordinated, and the consequences of when it all goes right (or wrong). Recommended grade level: […]

Katelynn Kazane Postdoctoral Scholar, UCLA Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics / UCLA
November 8, 2026 4:30 pm - 5:00 pm Room B (CS50)

The Science of Yoga: How Movement, Breath, and Mindfulness Can Shape Wellness

Ever wonder why taking a deep breath can instantly make you feel calmer? In this interactive talk, you’ll experience the science of yoga firsthand through gentle movement, guided breathing exercises like box breathing and ocean breath, and a short mindfulness practice. Along the way, we’ll explore what’s actually happening inside your body and brain when […]

Johnnie Yang
Johnnie Yang Postdoctoral Scholar, UCLA Pediatrics / UCLA
November 8, 2026 4:30 pm - 5:00 pm Room C (CS76)

Journey to the Center of the Earth

Take a trip to the Center of the Earth with me! How hot is it? Could you go there? What’s it made of? How does it make mountains, volcanoes and earthquakes?

Carolina Lithgow-Bertelloni
Carolina Lithgow-Bertelloni UCLA EPSS Professor / Louis B. and Martha B. Slichter Endowed Chair in Geosciences / UCLA