The Indiana University School of Optometry (IUSO) helped make this year’s IU Science Fest a memorable, hands-on celebration of discovery. Throughout the day on November 1, 18 enthusiastic OD and PhD student volunteers – joined by faculty members Dr. Nicholas Port and Dr. Stephanie Klemencic – welcomed a steady stream of families eager to explore how we see the world. Their suite of interactive activities invited children to step into the shoes of eye doctors, patients, and even visual scientists.
Visitors experimented with refraction by observing how a stirring rod disappears in glycerol, challenged their assumptions through classic optical illusions, and learned how polarized sunglasses can hide or reveal information on a monitor. Kids also tested their aim in the Eyeball Toss while wearing refractive lenses, navigated the “Googly-Eyed Gauntlet” to experience restricted visual fields, and tried their hand at the age-old optometrist question: “Which is better, 1 or 2?” One of the most popular stops was the eye-anatomy table, where dissected cow, pig, and mouse eyes were displayed alongside a human model to highlight similarities and differences across species.
IUSO’s presence embodied the spirit of Science Fest—making science accessible, exciting, and meaningful for children and families. Through playful learning and real scientific demonstrations, the School of Optometry helped ignite curiosity about vision and showcased how understanding our eyes deepens our understanding of the world.
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