Science, technology, engineering, art and math will collide in Lincoln City this Wednesday in the Taft High Commons in the first-ever STEAM Expo.

The Taft Science Department made it a goal this year to create a venue for exhibiting student innovation and communicating with the community, so from 4-6 p.m. Wednesday April 18, it will do just that.

There will be an array of projects in the fields of science, technology, engineering, art and math (STEAM). A.P. Physics will have a huge Foucault pendulum hanging from the rafters with display boards. The Robotic Operated Vehicle (ROV) team will show off its new design.

There will also be a “Pi Wall,” which is a wall of TVs connected by Rasberry Pi computer chips.

As if that wasn’t enough, visitors will see compressed air rockets, art, CSI, genetics projects and a Van de Graff generator.

Coffee, tea, water and cookies will be served.

Dr. Bruce Menge, a marine ecologist from Oregon State University, will speak as a special guest.

The Science Department chair, Noah Lambie, who teaches Physics, Commercial Graphic Design, Digital Design, and Robotics, had this to say about the STEAM Expo:

“I think this Expo format is the perfect one for the students to share their impressive work with the public.  They are driving our programs forward, and this is the sort of thing that can sustain and power that.”

Taft’s STEAM programs have been upgraded over the last decade with the help from the Siletz Tribal Charitable Fund. The upgrades include 3-D printers, 3-D carvers, new computers, complex modeling programs, vinyl cutters and T-shirt production.

Representatives of the Taft Science Department said they hope to continue to excite and engage students with many new ideas on the horizon.