Science Discovery Center of Oneonta facts for kids
| Established | 1990 |
|---|---|
| Location | 108 Ravine Parkway Physical Sciences Building Oneonta, New York, United States |
| Type | Science museum |
| Owner | SUNY Oneonta |
The A.J. Read Science Discovery Center of Oneonta is a super fun, hands-on science museum located at SUNY Oneonta in Oneonta, New York. It's a place where kids and adults can explore over eighty simple science experiments. Many of these experiments focus on physics, helping you understand how the world works!
Besides being open for regular visitors, the center welcomes school groups and other organizations. It also puts on special events to teach about science, like "Nano Days." The center offers cool, family-friendly activities during big events such as Homecoming Weekend and the Otsego County Fair.
Contents
Discovering the Center's History
The A.J. Read Science Discovery Center has an interesting story. It was created thanks to the hard work of Albert Read. He was a physics professor at SUNY Oneonta from 1957 to 1985.
How the Center Started
After Professor Read retired, he spent his time planning and designing the science center. He set it up in a room that used to be used for batting practice. The center officially opened on January 21, 1990.
From its opening in 1990 until Professor Read retired as its director in 2005, the museum grew a lot. It doubled the number of exhibits it had. About 7,000 people visited the center each year during that time.
The center is part of a group called the Association of Science-Technology Centers (ASTC). Some of the exhibits Professor Read created were even featured in the ASTC's "Cheapbook" guide for exhibits.
Leadership and Growth
After Professor Read retired, Dr. Hugh Gallagher became the director. In 2006, the center received a big grant of $100,000 from the state. This money helped the center do many things.
Expanding Learning Opportunities
The grant allowed the center to reach out more to local elementary and high school teachers. It also provided more learning materials for both teachers and students. The money helped improve the center's facilities too.
Dr. Gallagher was very excited about the grant. He said it was a "tremendous opportunity" to make the center an even better resource for the community. He believed the hands-on exhibits helped people of all ages learn about physics.
The grant money was used to re-decorate the center and create new exhibits. It also made existing exhibits more interactive and fun.
Recognizing Contributions
The work done at the center was shared in a special presentation by many faculty members. This presentation was called "Science Discovery Center: A Resource for Curricular Enhancement for Many Disciplines."
Paul French served as the director of the center until September 2015.
A New Name for a Special Place
In 2015, the center celebrated its 25th anniversary. To honor Professor Albert Read's amazing contributions, the center was renamed. It became known as the "A. J. Read Science Discovery Center."
Around that time, the center temporarily moved from the Physical Science Building. It was located on the 3rd floor of Bugbee Hall for a while.
In 2017, the center moved into a brand new space. This happened after the Physical Sciences building was renovated and updated.
In September 2016, Douglas Reilly joined the team as the Outreach Coordinator. He works with the A. J. Read Science Discovery Center. He also helps support the SUNY-Oneonta Planetarium.
