The Center for Chemical Evolution played an integral role again at this year's Atlanta Science Festival. The Festival, which has just completed its fifth year, was founded by past CCE EOD director, Meisa Salaita. 
This year, the Center sponsored four separate programs. Two of these were evening events for adults, and two were booths at the Exploration Expo, which took place in Piedmont Park this year. 
On Wednesday, March 21, the Center hosted a panel of scientists alongside our animator, Jon Perry. The event took place at Monday Night's new Garage location in Southwest Atlanta. Martin Solano, a graduate student in the Hud lab, served alongside Nadia Szeinbaum, a NASA postdoc in the Glass lab at Georgia Tech, as well as Jon. Three animations were screened: "What is DNA and How Does it Work?" "What is the RNA World Hypothesis?" and "How to Spot an Alien-- According to NASA's Definition of Life." The program was well attended with 75 community members joining to share in our science. 
The next day, the CCE went across town to Manuel's Tavern in Virginia Highlands. They hosted us for the Science Trivia event organized by the Leadership and Outreach Council. Kelvin Smith, David Fialho, Adriana Lozyoa, Tyler Roche, and Asim Alenaizan all played integral roles in the planning and execution of the event. The room was packed to the point that some had to be turned away. We hope to organize more Science Trivia events in the future, both as part of the Atlanta Science Fesitval and at other times throughout the year. 
The Atlanta Science Festival's big closing event, the Exploration Expo, featured two booths from the Center for Chemical Evolution. At one of these, David Fialho drew caricatures of kids as scientists for a third year. These free portraits give students a way to picture themselves as scientists. In addiiton students were encouraged to color depictions of easrly Earth environments while Christine He, a CCE alumna's, mural was displayed. At our other booth, graduate students and postdocs led members of the public through our innovative game-based chemistry demonstrations, developed in collaboration with Holly Kerby of Fusion Science Theater. 
As always, we had a blast this year and can't wait for ASF 2019. 
If you have any questions about these programs, please don't hesitate to reach out to Christopher Parsons by emailing christopher.parsons@chemistry.gatech.edu.