Six graduate students from the Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering (PME) at the University of Chicago, representing the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE), put on Noche de Ciencias, a night of science and engineering aimed at introducing young students and their families to the world of STEM.
The event was held October 13 at Pilsen’s National Museum of Mexican Art. It drew students from 11 schools across the city. Participants gathered in the museum’s West Wing for interactive STEM activities, networking opportunities, and informational sessions on college financial aid.
Cyrus Zeledon, president of the UChicago SHPE chapter, explained the impetus for hosting the event.
“We wanted to engage with the community in a way that was direct and impactful,” Zeledon said. “Instead of inviting people from Pilsen to come to UChicago, we wanted to flip the script and actually go out to the community and host an event there. That felt essential. By doing that, we could directly show students and their families what opportunities exist in STEM.”
Attendees spent the early evening touring science demonstrations put on by volunteers, learning about a broad range of technologies and concepts like 3D printing, chladni plates, ferrofluids, material design, and quantum science. Each demonstration included interactive elements designed to spark students’ interest. For instance, Brian Ingmanson, education engagement lead for IBM’s quantum community, presented how different materials could affect electromagnetic waves. To do this, participants held two sheets of polarized plastic to a light source and rotated them to reduce the amount of light that passed through.
