October 23, 2012 > Bay Area Science Festival Bay Area Science Festival Submitted By Lauren Eastman Photos By Courtesy of Chabot Space and Science Center During the recent presidential debate, President Obama touched upon the importance of STEM initiatives to boost both educational opportunities and the U.S. economy. STEM, (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) is a nationwide program that infuses our younger generations with programming related to these fields. But just as important as creating jobs when our youth are ready to enter into the workforce, is creating excitement and accessibility to science fields while they are still young. As part of the STEM initiative, the second annual Bay Area Science Festival, taking place October 25 - Nov. 30 is offering just that sort of accessibility to communities from Santa Rosa to San Jose. On Saturday, October 27, Chabot Space & Science Center will offer free admission and free shuttle service throughout the Oakland area. Guests will enjoy Chabot's interactive exhibits, hands-on demonstrations and Planetarium shows, along with "Flash Mob Science" activities taking place from 1p.m. - 5 p.m., including guided hands-on experiments dealing with energy, light, sound, gravity forces and motion that instill children of all ages with the power of possibility. The museum will be free to the public from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., offering the community the ability not only to get there for free, but also the ability to enjoy all that is inside. The Second Annual Bay Area Science Festival (BASF) is being presented by Chevron and organized by the University of California San Francisco (UCSF). Last year, more than 70,000 participants enjoyed activities, performances demonstrations, discussions and experiments highlighting the innovation of science and technology. The 10-day festival seeks to delight, educate and inform people of all ages about the magic of science. Visit http://www.bayareascience.org for more information on the festival. Bay Area Science Festival Saturday, Oct 27 10 a.m. - 10 p.m. Chabot Space & Science Center 10000 Skyline Boulevard, Oakland Day of free museum admission and shuttle bus service to the event Info: http://www.bayareascience.org