The ASRA Saturday Thing is ASRA out of the box.

The Saturday Thing is driven by the imagination. It is a place for unstructured learning in a relaxed and supportive environment.  It is an informal community of learners who like to have fun, tinker, and be creative with science, technology, engineering, art, and math (STEAM!).  We never know exactly what we will be doing, but projects and activities of all kinds are encouraged. ASRA provides ideas and projects and encourages students to bring ideas of their own. The room is full of creativity and expertise.

Everyone is welcome. Projects are usually geared toward middle and high school ages, but we have had "kids" from grade school to senior citizens. Anyone can participate and bring in project ideas. Older kids and adults can act as volunteers, mentors, role models, and elders. Parents do need to supervise younger children.  ASRA instructors, faculty, and alumni are regular participants.

Projects have included: Aurora Bearealis LED lightbox, sewing with conductive thread, dancing oobleck on a speaker, math pendulum, quilting, origami, stained glass, extreme photography, lampwork, fix-it clinic, steampunk, discrete logic clock (electronics), liquid light, robotics and building a Segway from scratch. We welcome new ideas and dreams and will help make them happen.

The ASRA Saturday Thing is the farthest northwest branch of the MIT Saturday Thing, created by ASRA instructor and consultant Ed Moriarty of the MIT Edgerton Center in Cambridge, Massachusetts. There is now a Saturday Thing in Juneau, modeled after the MIT and ASRA Saturday Thing. 

The Saturday Thing is free.

The Saturday Thing is held on the dates listed below. 

Where: UAF Bunnell Building - Rm 316

When: 11:00 - 2:00 +

2011 Fall & 2012 Spring Dates:

October 15, 22, 29

November 5, 12, 19

December 3, 10, 17

January 7, 14, 21, 28

February 4, 11, 18, 25

March 3, 10, 24, 31

April 7, 14, 21, 28

May 5. 12. 19. 26

June 2, 9

For more information, please contact:

Jeff Drake at 474-7077 jdrake@alaska.edu