NSF STEM Day

The U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) commemorated its 75th anniversary on May 10th, 2025.

The free event showcased some of the research projects, education initiatives, and public science communication efforts that the NSF has funded at CU Boulder and CU Anschutz. CU Science Discovery organized and led the celebration with its Build a Better Book partners at Mountain Lakes Library in New Jersey, Explora Science Center in New Mexico, Laredo Public Library in Texas, and Arecibo C3 Center in Puerto Rico. The celebration at all 5 sites included activities and demos for the public, young and old!

Poster image of various ideas and innovations NSF has invested in.
 
Many of the discoveries and innovations that we use every day - including GIS technologies, the internet, AI and Duolingo - are the result of NSF investments in STEM. 
 
 
A group of kids using computers and 3D printers

3D printering (NJ)

Two young children at a computer

Sharing a computer (NJ)

Many children in a Makerspace

3D design (NJ)

a group of people looking at item on a table

Exploring 3D printed accessible items (NJ)

People doing activities at NSF STEM Day

Learning to write in Braille (CO)

A group of people at a table

CO Tactile Map

A group of people exploring tables at the CU NSF STEM Day Event

Coloring on tactile Swell Paper (CO)

A group of people at a Build a Better Book table

Braille Legos (CO)

2 people working with circuits and a computer

Playing with Makey Makey (NM)

An Adult and Child crafting

STEM Day activities (NM)

a group of people watching a kid control a robot

Fun with Robots! (TX)

children working with 3d printer pens

Popular 3D printer pens (TX)

A group of people looking at a large screen of the old observatory telescope.

C3 Center Grand Opening (Arecibo C3 Center, Puerto Rico)

A group of teens working on projects

STEM Day Prep (CO)

A group of teens in a 3D printing room

STEM Day Prep (CO)

University of Colorado Boulder (Main Internship site): Led the coordination, design, and dissemination of activities and experiences for STEM Day events and hosted a main event at the Engineering Center that showcases BBB intern projects and maker activities.

In the months before NSF STEM Day, CU Science Discovery BBB Interns recreated various projects created during their 2022, 2023 & 2024 Build a Better Book Summer Internships. Projects included laser cut accessible games - Ingenious and Chess and 3D printed Chess and Othello/Checker pieces. We disseminated the activities to our 4 partner sites for their NSF STEM Day celebration.

Activities at each site included:

  • Braille Embosser with text blocks that say "Build a Better Book"
  • Braille Twister dots
  • Braille Eggs
  • Braille Legos
  • 3D printed Braille Crayon caps, crayons and swell paper coloring pages.
  • Each site had a tactile laser cut map of their state and the public used fabric and craft materials to create a tactile map of their state.