Clearwater at the Southeast Science and Art Expo

There aren’t many chances to learn about composting, robotics, and pop art while watching liquid nitrogen demonstrations all in the same place. That’s why the Southeast San Diego Science and Art Expo was a great opportunity for Clearwater Innovation to not only learn about all the domains of science and art that San Diego supports, but also teach others about the environmental crisis and what they can do to help.

At Clearwater Innovation’s booth, advocate Lucas Chen presented about how groundwater can be utilized to help the environment. While listening to his presentation, attendees could contribute to a collaborative art piece assembled by Clearwater Innovation members. A whale shark, one of the more endangered sea creatures, was painted on a poster board, and people were asked to glue pieces of plastic to the shark. It proved to be a powerful image that emphasized the importance of recycling and keeping our planet green, and encouraged many students to have hands-on interactions with the booth. The statement piece even inspired an elementary school teacher, who wished to start a program at her school that initiates research projects and creates art to promote the environment. She was very motivated by the booth—an instance that Clearwater Innovation thrives for.

For the expo, Clearwater partnered with the FLL (First Lego League) robotics team L.I.T. (Legos in Transport), who showcased a variety of robotic contraptions made entirely of LEGOs, including a pinball machine, a grabber arm, and a robot that could shoot paper airplanes. Other booths at the expo included a leather-imprinting organization that stamped custom names on pieces of fabric, a Mad Science booth that gave a thrilling demonstration involving flames and bubbles, and countless other organizations with fascinating interests. Hourly raffles also rewarded attendees with tote bags, toolboxes, and tickets to history museums. The experience at the SESD Science and Art Expo was a positive and encouraging one, in an environment thrumming with upbeat music and endless conversations between fellow enthusiasts. Clearwater Innovation looks forward to more opportunities like this to spread our mission and have fun!