Richmond, B.C. – Kwantlen Polytechnic University is playing with fire – while serving tea, offering tours, giving Chinese calligraphy lessons, operating robots and a host of other activities at its Richmond campus this Saturday, June 7.
KPU Richmond is one of the host venues for Doors Open Richmond, the city’s annual celebration of arts, culture and heritage co-ordinated by the Richmond Museum Society in partnership with the city.
All events are free, and KPU is pulling out all the stops.
Starting at 10 a.m. Saturday, the university will offer campus tours for residents to explore existing facilities and also learn about upcoming developments taking place at the Lansdowne Road campus, including a sneak peak at the new $36 million Wilson School of Design, which will break ground this summer.
Visitors can also catch a fiery Science Magic Show put on by the chemistry and physics departments at 11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. inside KPU’s Melville Centre for Dialogue. There will be fire dancing and music incorporated into the show, and members of the audience will have a chance to win a prize for naming the correct song.
Meanwhile, KPU’s Dr. Jack Hayes, who specializes in Asian studies and history, will present a traditional tea ceremony at noon and 2 p.m. Tea in China and Japan is not just a refreshing drink or historical artifact — it is a practice and way of life. Chinese and Japanese tea ceremonies and cultures have shaped societies, politics and entire economies in East Asia.
Hayes will demonstrate several short Japanese (sado) and Chinese (gongfu) tea ceremonies and give visitors a glimpse into KPU’s ASIA 2150 course, which explores the rich history and practices related to the Chinese and Japanese “way of tea.”
Other activities taking place at KPU for Doors Open:
· Card tricks, cryptography puzzles, space-filling polyhedra from the math department.
· Giant Jenga game in the atrium.
· Virtual tours of the new Wilson School of Design.
· 3D printing demonstrations.
· Robot demonstrations.
· Graphic design demonstrations with the completed works turned into iron-on transfers to take home.
· Arab sweets and coffee.
· Gardening tips, demonstrations and takeaways from KPU’s Sustainable Agriculture & Food Systems.
· Free popcorn.
The event runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, June 7 and parking is free. KPU Richmond is located at 8771 Lansdowne Rd.
For more information on Doors Open, visit www.richmond.ca.
Kwantlen Polytechnic University has been serving the Metro Vancouver region for 30 years, and has opened doors to success for more than 250,000 people. Four campuses — Richmond, Surrey, Cloverdale and Langley — offer a comprehensive range of sought-after programs, including business, liberal arts, science, design, health, trades and technology, apprenticeships, horticulture, and academic and career advancement. Over 18,000 students annually have a choice from over 124 programs, including bachelor’s degrees, associate degrees, diplomas, certificates and citations. Learn more at www.kpu.ca.
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Media contact:
Hayley Woodin
Media Specialist
Office: 604.599.2883
Cell: 604-364-1288
hayley.woodin@kpu.ca
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