Michigan Tech Mind Trekkers to take magic, mystery of science to Sheboygan

A little girl can't wait to taste liquid nitrogen ice cream. (Photo courtesy Michigan Technological University)

By Jennifer Donovan, Michigan Tech Director of Public Relations
Posted April 9, 2012, on Michigan Tech News
(Reprinted with permission)

HOUGHTON -- What body parts do a cat and a fish have in common? How can you use liquid nitrogen to make edible ice cream in 60 seconds? What if your eyeglasses adjusted their prescription automatically to your eyes when you put them on, like Dow Corning’s Adspecs do? Or how about walking on water -- or at least on ooblek, a liquid water and cornstarch mixture that supports weight if you move across it fast and drags you down if you don’t.

Jessica Banda, founder of the Michigan Tech Mind Trekkers student organization, helps a youngster try on Adspecs, Dow Corning eyeglasses that adjust automatically to the prescription of the person wearing them. (Photo courtesy Michigan Technological University)

Michigan Technological University’s Mind Trekkers is bringing these intriguing demos and nearly 100 other hands-on science and engineering activities to the Blue Harbor Resort in Sheboygan, Wis., this Friday and Saturday, April 13 and 14. Student volunteers and staff from Michigan Tech and local high schools in the Houghton area will present the popular road show that reveals the science and engineering facts behind the magical mysteries.

On Friday, teachers have been invited to bring their classes to the Science and Engineering Festival. There will be two sessions, one from 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and another from noon to 2:30 p.m. Up to 800 elementary and middle-school students are expected at each session.

On Saturday, April 14, the same science fun will be open to the public from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission to Mind Trekkers is free and open to everyone.

At other booths, visitors will be able to talk with local science, technology, engineering and math professionals and learn about colleges and universities in the area that offer studies in these fields. ...

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