By Christopher Katella

RALEIGH, NC (03/12/24)—In anticipation of this year's 14th annual North Carolina Science Festival (NCSciFest), Governor Roy Cooper has declared April 2024 STEM Education Month in North Carolina. The proclamation marks the beginning of the festival season, which officially launches on April 1 with over 400 in-person and virtual events.

"We're excited that the NC Science Festival is just around the corner, and the statewide, month-long celebration will bring hundreds of incredible events to more parts of the state than ever before," said Erik MacIntosh, NCSciFest manager. "We're grateful that Governor Cooper has continued the tradition of proclaiming April as STEM Education month in the state of North Carolina and recognizes the importance of science, technology, engineering, and math to our state's rich culture."

The proclamation was signed before an evening reception at the Executive Mansion in Raleigh to celebrate NCSciFest's partners and supporters and was presented to attendees by DNCR Secretary Reid Wilson. Christy Shaffer, NCSciFest Advisory Board chair; Tim J. Gabel, President and CEO of RTI International; Crystal Harden, EdD, Director of Program and Inclusion Initiatives at Morehead Planetarium and Science Center; and MacIntosh also delivered remarks.

As NCSciFest's new presenting sponsor, RTI International also offered attendees a unique virtual reality experience to explore. The Virtual Reality Crime Scene Investigation Simulation allowed users to immerse themselves in three different crime scene scenarios and gave them access to a wide range of CSI tools to process and investigate the scene.

"There is a natural synergy between NCSciFest and RTI International, and we're thrilled to expand our partnership this year," said Gabel. "Together, we're emphasizing the value of STEM education and the importance of engaging with the future scientists in our state and beyond."