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In addition to being in local newspapers, both Kansas State University and University of Kansas' an article on Rocks & Rockets. Click the links below!
Founder Sarah Lamm has presented on Rocks and Rockets at science conferences. Click the links!
Past LinkedIn Posts
Past LinkedIn Posts
Another Rocks & Rockets outreach event is in the books! This was our 3rd Annual Event in Colby, KS—one of the most rural areas in America—and we had over 500 people join us for a day filled with exciting STEM activities!
Thanks to KANSAS GEOLOGICAL FOUNDATION for funding us!
Thanks to all of our local volunteers and our volunteers from:
Cosmosphere
Fort Hays State University's MakerSpace
Kansas Strong: The KS Oil & Gas Resources Fund
Kansas Geological Survey
Kansas Biological Survey
Kansas State University (Departments of Geology, Physics, Chemistry, Geography, and the Southwest Research and Extension Center)
Colby Community College
Girl Scouts of Kansas Heartlandwww.linkedin.com/posts/sarah-lamm_another-rocks-rockets-outreach-event-is-activity-7231460685426176001-Nlfy?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAAB6qDokBLe5bCIbHwyyfPjZxPVFYAlWyi3E
We had a great day at the 2nd annual Rocks and Rockets an outreach event in Colby, Kansas back on August 19! The event saw an impressive turnout, with over 350 attendees joining us.
We extend our heartfelt gratitude to our sponsor, the Kansas Geological Foundation. Additionally, we wish to express our deep appreciation to the volunteers who made this event a success. Our team of volunteers comprised not only local people but also individuals from the Cosmosphere, KU Physics and Astronomy, Kansas Geological Survey, Kansas State University Department of Physics, Kansas State University Department of Geology, US National Weather Service Goodland Kansas, and the Kansas State University Department of Chemistry!www.linkedin.com/posts/sarah-lamm_we-had-a-great-day-at-the-2nd-annual-rocks-activity-7106676644030935040-9eD7?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAAB6qDokBLe5bCIbHwyyfPjZxPVFYAlWyi3E
This weekend was my 5th Annual Rocks & Rockets outreach event in my hometown of Colby, KS (one of the most rural places in America). I admit that it was disappointing to see a significant decrease in visitors this year, from ~500 to ~370. I think there are a few reasons for this. School was not in session yet, which meant we weren’t able to advertise through many of the local schools as we have in past years. High gas prices may have also prevented people from out of town from attending.
That being said, I think the overall quality of the event increased. We had four new activity booths this year, bringing us up to a total of 14 exhibitor-led booths, 7 activities run by family and friends, and more than 20 self-guided activities. We also had returning exhibitors tell us that this event has helped them refine their own science communication. A few of our past exhibitors also had better booths and activities than they had in previous years.
One example really stood out to me. One exhibitor used to bring really high-tech equipment, but he realized that most people actually want to engage with another person. So this year, he left the technology at home and brought something simpler, cheaper, and more engaging. He said he had better engagement this year than he had in past years, even when there were more visitors.
Due to my scientific background, I tend to think too much in terms of numbers and forget that impact does not necessarily equal quantity of visitors. At the end of the day, Rocks and Rockets is not about how many people attend. It is about the quality of the experience we create for each individual.
Rocks and Rockets is sponsored by Kansas Geological Foundation.www.linkedin.com/posts/sarah-lamm_this-weekend-was-my-5th-annual-rocks-rockets-activity-7494991638432342016-k_4P?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAAB6qDokBLe5bCIbHwyyfPjZxPVFYAlWyi3E
Rocks and Rockets: The 4th Annual event is officially in the books. This is the free Northwest Kansas Science Festival that I started in 2022. We rent out two gymnasiums and fill them with Kansas exhibitors and space activities.
This year, we had 10 exhibitors and over 20 activities. More than 500 people attended, which is incredible considering Colby has a population of only about 5,500. Many groups stayed for more than two hours exploring everything we had to offer.
Over the past two days, I walked more than 40,000 steps between preparation, the event, and clean up. That included 7 hours of set up, a 3.5 hour event, and 2 hours of clean up. And that is just this weekend, not counting the year-round work that goes into emailing, planning, logistics, and follow-up, such as sending statistics and photos to our volunteers. It truly is a labor of love.
An event like this is never done alone. None of it would be possible without the advertising, driving, time, and effort contributed by my family and friends.
Edit: I was so tired, I forgot to mention our sponsor the Kansas Geological Foundation! This is the 3rd year they have sponsored us!
https://lnkd.in/guy_vFeywww.linkedin.com/posts/sarah-lamm_rocks-and-rockets-the-4th-annual-event-is-activity-7362722738395893761-EgrR?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAAB6qDokBLe5bCIbHwyyfPjZxPVFYAlWyi3ELocal Newpaper
Colby Free Press
Wednesday, June 29, 2022 Volume 133, Number 93
Colby Free Press
Friday, August 18, 2023
Volume 134, Number 91
Colby Free Press
Friday, August 25, 2023
Volume 134, Number 93
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