Greetings internet-world!
Summer has come to the Twin Cities. The leaves are all (mostly) out, and the farmer’s markets are back in action! For the 5th season in a row, teams of enthusiastic scientists are spreading out of the halls of the University of Minnesota to farmers markets all around the state! For those of you who are new to us, Market Science is a collective of scientists from the University of Minnesota, and around the Twin Cities, sharing science through hands-on learning activities for kids, answering scientific questions for market goers, and creating conversations between researchers and their communities.
Between early May to early October, scientists young and old are going to be leading over 55 different sessions at 16 venues across the Twin Cities and the states. While we’re mostly at farmer’s markets (Midtown, Richfield, Nokomis, Linden Hills), we’re also heading out to state and county fairs. You can see the full, up to date calendar here – https://cbs.umn.edu/market-science/calendar
Do come out to the markets on Saturdays this season! If you’re interested in supporting session leaders, you can sign up to volunteer at different sessions. Through this blog, we’ll share fortnightly updates of what is happening at the market, along with special posts by session presenters who feel motivated to write about their work. If you’re a session presenter reading this, I can say it’s a lovely way to get some experience writing and getting the word out about your work. Contact us, and we’ll support you in doing so! Be sure to follow us on Facebook and Twitter to keep up with what’s happening on a more regular basis.
We’ve already had great sessions on butterflies, drones, and parasites, with many more to come. Coming up in the two Saturdays left in May are sessions on Entomology (insects!), Mycology (fungi!) and the Biology of Sunscreen! We’ll give you
Shoutout to the many folks and funders who make Market Science possible! We’re excited to begin the season. Watch this space for more news and features on the great science that is making it out to the markets!