Welcoming close to 500 guests to its Oshawa campus in the name of science, Durham College participated in the University of Ontario Institute of Technology’s (UOIT) sixth annual Science Rendezvous on May 11 at the university’s Energy Systems and Nuclear Science Research Centre (ERC) for a day of fun-based learning, free food and prizes.

A popular tradition since 2008, the event is Ontario’s largest public science festival with many interactive educational workshops that students, children and parents alike enjoyed together while expanding their knowledge.

Durham College hosted a household science display with numerous activities including refraction; making batteries with fruit and vegetables; exploring scientific compounds in foods such as cereal; and making objects disappear.

School of Science & Engineering Technology faculty member Laura Benninger has volunteered for the Science Rendezvous since its inception and helped organize and run this year’s events.

“The Science Rendezvous was able to reach the goal of exposing the public, and children especially, to science in both an entertaining and educational sense,” said Benninger. “I strongly believe in bringing science into the community and showing that science and technology are fun!”

In addition to the college’s activities, participants had the opportunity to race bottle rockets; handle robotics; compete in a tower building competition, enjoy liquid nitrogen ice-cream; examine forensic evidence from a crime scene; isolate their own DNA; and many other activities.