While cruising through the NY Times a few weeks ago, I came upon a full page ad for the 4th Annual World Science Festival that was to be held in NYC from June 1st through June 5th. This event seemed really cool as it looked like a giant scientific education outreach covering multiple areas of science. There were lectures, a street fair in Washington Square Park, events that focus on women in science, science communication, studies on cancer treatments, astronomy, mathematics, neuroscience, chemistry– you name it, they had it. I thought I’d never see a real Science Festival in my lifetime, but there it was!

I even like the advertising for this event as the WSF website highlights images of prominent scientists who would be presenting: James Watson (molecular biologist and Nobel Laureate, proposed structure of double stranded DNA with Francis Crick), Brian Greene (hunky, well known physicists and mathematician from Columbia University) Eric Lander (geneticist, one of the principal leaders of the Human Genome Project and Director of the Broad Institute). True you initially have to wade through images of Alan Alda, Live Schreiber and Maggie Gyllenhaal – I haven’ the heard of these researchers before – has anyone else? – but in general, the real researchers are the ones who were featured.

I hope the event was well attended. I certainly would have liked to be there.