Scientists and artists joined together Wednesday to create multi-balloon sculptures and provide hands-on science demonstrations at Tech’s Millard Oakley Stem Center.Balloons Around the World celebration is an international event in its 11th year. Locally hosted at Tech’s STEM Center, this event took place Wednesday from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Admission was free, and the public was invited.
The event was “designed to highlight the act of giving, to deliver thousands of smiles, and to showcase the art of balloon twisting and decorating,” according to the celebration’s website
Tech is participating in the event by adding “a scientific twist.”
The balloon sculpture designs included flowers, motorcycles, and cartoon characters. Dan Swartling and Janice Gray Coonce created the sculptures and donating them to the event. Balloon sculptures were auctioned to visitors in a silent clipboard auction ending at 7:30 p.m.
Also, hands-on science demonstrations by Kathy Rust, Andrew Callendar, Tech’s American Chemical Society Student Affiliates, and the Tech chemistry department were featured.
Visitors could get ice cream frozen with liquid nitrogen for $1 a cup.
All proceeds from the event go to the Cookeville Children’s Museum.
For more information, go to www.tntech.edu/stem/events or www.cookevillechildrensmuseum.org/events.
