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Free Science Experiments, Meet a Scientist Downtown (Welcoming Week 2021)

Meet a Scientist

About Welcoming Week

Welcoming Roanoke is a City-led campaign that involves dozens of partner institutions across the Roanoke Valley to welcome newcomers, with a particular emphasis on international populations and community members with diverse backgrounds. Each September, the City organizes a Welcoming Week event series to bring communities together and celebrate diversity. 

Virginia Tech researchers, students, and employees at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute and Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine are celebrating Roanoke Welcoming Week by bringing science to the community. All ages are welcome to visit our science experiment booths.

LOCATION: Our booths will be located outdoors near the Main Library at 706 S Jefferson St. in downtown Roanoke, beside the Roanoke Art Walk and Elmwood Park. 

EVENT TIME: 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 11

Experiments include:
- Learn about basic genetics
- Muscle contraction experiment
- Build your own light microscope
- Extract DNA from a strawberry
- Learn about medical and brain anatomy
- See brain tissue under a microscope
- Conduct basic chemistry experiments
- Grow your own bacteria (and take your sample home with you!)

Downloadable and Printable Instructions

Event Contact: 
Whitney Slightham
Communications Director