Duke Energy Foundation Funds LIVE Science! Programming at Kaleideum

Kaleideum has received a generous gift from the Duke Energy Foundation to support the museum’s LIVE Science! program. The money will be used to provide educational programming for students visiting the Museum on field trips, as well as for members of the general public. The LIVE Science! program utilizes theatre as an avenue to explain and demonstrate STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) topics while getting the audience engaged and excited to try out experiments at home. Audience members will walk away with one or two basic STEM concepts that they can observe and experience in the world around them.

“Duke Energy is excited to award Kaleideum a grant for live pop-up science programming. These types of up-close, real life science experiences should inspire students to become the scientists and engineers we will need in the future to find improved ways to power our lives,” says Jimmy Flythe, Duke Energy’s West Region Director of Government and Community Relations.

LIVE Science! shows are performed at regular intervals and are free and open to all Kaleideum visitors. Following the North Carolina state standards in curriculum as well as seasonal themes, the Kaleideum Learning & Engagement team researches and develops 10- to 15-minute shows with three demonstrations for all ages. The program combines characters with a simple plot through which scientific concepts, such as sound, light, energy, gravity, etc., are taught.

While Kaleideum is temporarily closed due to the COVID-19 situation, the museum staff is producing LIVE Science! videos that will be posted on the Kaleideum At Home page of the website and sent out via email and social media channels.

“With the generosity of organizations such as the Duke Energy Foundation, we can direct our energy into expanding access and opportunity to STEM education for people of all ages and backgrounds,” says Elizabeth Dampier, Kaleideum Executive Director. “By making science relatable and relevant, we are preparing students for jobs that don’t exist yet. With our informal delivery, we are cultivating lifelong learning. For our world’s big issues, we need to promote skills such as critical thinking and creative problem-solving. Engaging with the sciences through programs such as LIVE Science! helps do exactly that.”