Inaugural Pratt Open House was a Huge Success!

We were thrilled to be part of the inaugural Discover Engineering @ Duke on April 11 as part of the North Carolina Science Festival!

Hosted by Duke University Pratt School of Engineering, the event brought together community members of all ages for an afternoon of hands-on STEM activities, demos, and conversations with researchers and students. With 20+ tables and activities across Pratt and the support of 80+ Duke volunteers, the energy throughout the day was incredible – even the Duke mascot stopped by to join in the fun!

Our lab (Jessilyn Dunn, Kaileigh Moertl, Hayoung Jeong, Yihang Jiang, and Annika Kumar) had an amazing time engaging directly with 100+ attendees, many of whom were elementary, middle, and high school students, along with their parents and guardians. From curious questions to hands-on exploration, it was inspiring to see such enthusiasm for science and engineering at every stage.

Beyond the demos, we were excited to make some great new connections with families, students, and fellow researchers, highlighting just how impactful community-facing events like this can be.

Even more impressive, the event welcomed 250+ attendees overall, reflecting the strong interest in STEM across our community.

A big thank you to our lab’s community engagement committee, the event organizers, and everyone who stopped by to chat with us – we’re already looking forward to next year!

Learn more: https://pratt.duke.edu/nc-scifest/