STEAMed Magazine April 2016 | Page 25

Imagine a place where you could explore, play, invent, create, and experiment. Now imagine that it all revolves around a circus. Intrigued? So are lots of others, apparently. STEAM Carnival is a high-tech entertainment showcase and handson invention playground, created by the folks at Two Bit Circus.  This showcase regularly fills up and is so popular that it’s planning a tour for the fall of 2016. The team at Two Bit Circus consists of engineers, scientists, artists and STEM-trained professionals having fun building games with modern technology. STEAM Carnival represents a unique platform to share their love for invention and play with kids.  We had the opportunity to interview STEAM Carnival founder and CEO Brent Brushnell and Director of Special Projects, Elise Lemle, about their perspectives on the STEM to STEAM movement and how we can bring more hands-on invention and innovation to our own classrooms. STEAMed Magazine: Why go this route?  Why STEAM and not STEM? Brent Brushnell: Particularly in US culture, STEM has a branding pr