The gates to the U.S. Army Engineers, Research and Development Center will be open to the public Sept. 9 for the first Mad Scientist 5K.

The Mad Scientist run/walk will take racers through the center of ERDC’s campus while showing off some of the science that is happening there on a daily basis. 

“We want to run you through the center of campus and we want to start showing off the brand new headquarters building,” Col. Bryan Green said. “We hope to put some scientific displays and models and signage along the way.”

Some of the displays they are considering setting up are the moon buggy tires that were invented at ERDC, a variety of military vehicles that have been tested there and some of the force protection, concealment and camouflage items researchers work with.

“One of the comments we hear all the time here at ERDC, although friends and family work in the station, since 9/11 when the fence went up we kind of fell off the day-to-day conversation of the community,” Green said. “The idea that we could open the gate back up, invite the community back in and refresh everybody that we are a driving part of this community and equally invested, that is what we hope to gain in this.”

Registration for the race is already open at racesonline.com/events/mad-scientist-run. There will be a 5K run, a 5K walk and a one-mile fun run. Registration for the 5K races costs $20 through Sept. 1 and $25 after the first. Registration for the mile run is $10 through Sept. 1 and $15 after the first. The one-mile race registration does not include a t-shirt.

There will also be a team race event. Up to five runners may compete as a team, but only the three fastest times will count. The top three times will be added together to create the team time. Registration for the team event is $75 through Sept. 1 and $100 after the first.

The top three male and female finishers in the two 5K events will receive a trophy of the Army Corps of Engineers’ castle logo that was 3D printed on campus at ERDC. The top three finishers in the six age groups will each receive a medal. 

“A little bit of outreach, a little bit of history and tradition and a little bit of nesting into Vicksburg and what people in Vicksburg like to do,” Green said of what they hope to accomplish with the run. “We’ve always had a couple runs here. Throughout our history, we’ve had a turkey trot, any time we do a Corps or the U.S. Army Engineer birthday there is usually a bike race and a run.”

On race day, participants should enter through the ITL gate located at 1165 Porters Chapel Road and will be required to show a picture ID at the gate. The race will begin promptly at 8 a.m.

For more information about the race see facebook.com/Madscientist5K/.