carlyo | January 25, 2013The Festival will be unveiling a new program called X-STEM on Thursday, April 24, 2014.
X-STEM is a special “Extreme” symposium for middle and high school students featuring interactive presentations by an exclusive group of visionaries who aim to empower and inspire kids about careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). These STEM role models and industry leaders are sure to ignite your students’ curiosity through storytelling and live demonstrations.
This all day event will feature multiple presentation sessions covering a wide array of subject areas including space…
carlyo | January 23, 2013--Director of the famous Hayden Planetarium at the Museum of Natural History, New York City
-- Hosted the science TV show "NOVA scienceNOW" on PBS
--Named to host new sequel to Carl Sagan's "Cosmos" TV series on Fox later in 2013
In addition to his research, astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson is widely known for using his talents in astroscience to increase science literacy among students and the general public by presenting complex concepts in clear, engaging ways. Influenced by Carl Sagan, Einstein and Richard Feynman. Neil grew up in New York City, where at age 9 he took his first trip to…
carlyo | January 18, 2013--Widely considered the founder of modern-day Pediatric Cardiology
--Discovered the cause of “Blue Baby Syndrome” in infants, and helped ban the use of the drug Thalidomide for pregnant women in the U.S.
--Battled dyslexia as a child, and deafness in the later years of her career
For years, physicians were baffled by “Blue Baby Syndrome” – a mysterious condition in which infants, either at birth or soon after, died after their skin became blue-tinted in color. The prevailing medical thought was that the condition was caused by cardiac arrest. However, a young physician and researcher named…
carlyo | January 17, 2013--Called the "Father of the Green Revolution"
--Using research in plant genetics, he developed high-yielding, disease-resistant strains of wheat and other crops to dramatically increase food production in poor, developing countries
--Awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1970 for his work
In addition to being called the "Father of the Green Revolution", American agricultural scientist Norman Borlaug also became known as the "The Man Who Saved A Billion Lives" through his work. During the mid-20th century, Norman -- who was born and raised on his grandparents' farm in Iowa and later earned his Ph.D…
carlyo | January 15, 2013--Trained as a nuclear physicist, she abandoned that field to travel the world researching the behavior and history of bees
--Established the first worldwide organization for exchanging authoritative research information on bees
Born in Britain in 1912, Eva Crane earned a Ph.D. in nuclear physics but left that field to pursue her fascination with bees and their hives -- a deep interest cultivated after she received a box of bees as a wedding gift in 1942. (Such a present was very much welcome in Britain during those days of World War II to help lessen the short supply of sugar.) Eva would…
carlyo | January 10, 2013--Known as the “Lady of the Cells” for her Nobel Prize-winning discovery of NGF (nerve growth factor) which helped unlock mysteries of both normal and abnormal growth of nerve cells in the body
--Died recently in Italy at age 103
Even up to her final days of life, Rita Levi-Montalcini -- the internationally-known biologist and neurologist who was co-recipient of the Nobel Prize in Physiology and Medicine in 1986 for the discovery of NGF (nerve growth factor) -- remained engaged as a scientist. She died December 31, 2012 in Rome, Italy at age 103. Early in her long and compelling scientific…
carlyo | January 9, 2013--The key scientist who helped NASA plan and identify the Moon landing location for Apollo 11
--Currently is a leading expert in the study of deserts and how to find and sustain water in such environments in the Arab world
Two years before America's historic Apollo 11 moon landing mission was officially confirmed, NASA turned to a talented young geologist to help it plan and identify the best touch down location for the spacecraft that would land the first humans on the lunar surface. That scientist was 26 year-old Egyptian-born Farouk El-Baz who had recently completed his Ph.D. in geology…
carlyo | January 8, 2013--Considered the world's foremost expert on chimpanzees
--Her research of primates has led the way to giving us valuable insight into our closest relatives in the animal kingdom
At the age of 78, famed British primatology researcher Jane Goodall still maintains a hectic schedule. She is said to be on the road more than 300 days per year. At any given time, she could be on any continent. On any given day, she could be speaking to a group of students, meeting with government officials to discuss animal conservation issues, sitting before television cameras being interviewed, or meeting with…
carlyo | December 31, 2012--Known for developing the first highly accurate standardized test for the sexually transmitted infection, syphilis
--First black professor appointed at Harvard Medical School
Academically talented, William Hinton from the start wanted to be recognized for his achievements instead of his race. As a high school senior in 1909, he was offered a scholarship reserved for African American students, but instead of accepting it, he chose to compete for a scholarship that was open to all students. William ended up winning that scholarship two years in a row. He would go on to Harvard Medical School…
carlyo | December 28, 2012--One of the nation's leading historical archaeologists
--Using forensics and other techniques, her digging excavations have shed light on a wide-range of historical events –from the life of Naval hero John Paul Jones to the Donner Party ( America's classic story of cannibalism)
From the time she went on her first archeological excavation at age 15, Julie Schablitsky has been enamored with digging (literally) for the truth – one artifact at a time. Julie's job as a historical archaeologist is to investigate questions whose answers seem lost to history. She first made a name for herself…
carlyo | December 27, 2012The most memorable remaining landmark from Montreal’s fabulous Expo 67 is the giant geodesic dome designed by architect, engineer and futurist Buckminster Fuller (1895-1983) for the U.S. pavilion. The magnificent 62 meter high dome now houses an environmental museum known as the “Biosphere.” Fuller, who dreamed of energy efficient homes, recycling and global sustainability long before these ideas became fashionable, would be pleased. But the famous inventor, writer and designer surely never dreamed that his name would be immortalized in numerous chemistry journals, lectures and textbooks. “…
carlyo | December 26, 2012--Co-creator and co-founder of YouTube with partners Chad Hurley and Steven Chen
--One of the first computer engineers behind the success of PayPal, the online payment service
--Recently started his own internet service, Youniversity Ventures
Even as a teen, Jawed Karim displayed considerable talent and genius in the realm of computer science. Among his early feats: As a high school senior, while creating a website for a research lab at the University of Minnesota, he came up with a complex computational process to help the lab map the atomic structure of a crucial protein -- a process that…
Role Models in Science & Engineering Achievement: Yoky Matsuoka -- Leading Researcher in Neurobotics
carlyo | December 21, 2012--One of the nation's preeminent scientists in neurobotics -- an emerging field that merges neuroscience with robotics
--Her work could one day allow artificial limbs to be controlled directly through patients' brain signals
Growing up in Japan, Yoky Matsuoka, driven and highly competitive, was on her way to becoming a world-class tennis player, even having made the qualifying rounds for Wimbleton. However, when injuries ended her tennis dreams, she turned to another early interest: robotics. Twenty years later Matsuoka is now a leader in the emerging field of neurobotics, hard at work…
carlyo | December 19, 2012--Famous for naming and advancing the scientific concept of “Fuzzy Logic” as well as “Fuzzy Sets” and “Fuzzy Systems”
--These concrete principles have been applied to numerous fields – from computer technology to artificial intelligence
You've likely heard of the term “Fuzzy Logic” or “Fuzzy Mathematics”. But despite what their names may imply, there is nothing inexact about these scientific concepts. Based on precise formulas, Fuzzy Logic, introduced in 1965 by Lotfi Asker Zadeh (a mathematician of Iranian-Russian descent), helps scientists, mathematicians and others to make accurate…
carlyo | December 17, 2012In 218 B.C. the Carthaginian general Hannibal crossed the Alps with his elephants to settle a score with Rome. The perilous journey almost came to an end when his army approached what looked like an impenetrable rock fall. But Hannibal, an ingenious leader, had a trick up his sleeve. Or at least, some vinegar in his pot. As the Roman historian Livy recounts, the general had his men heat up the vinegar and pour it over the rocks, causing them to crumble. And here the story crumbles. Scale deposits in a kettle may certainly crumble when immersed in hot vinegar, but that is a long way from…
carlyo | December 14, 2012-- At age 25, he co-discovered the synthetic compound norethindrone, which formed the chemical basis of the first oral contraceptive, or birth control pill.
--The Pill is often called one of the most important inventions of the 20th century, and for his achievements, Luis’s honors include being recognized by the Institution of Chemical Engineers as “one of the chemical engineers who changed the world.”
Luis Ernesto Miramontes Cardenas was just a 25-year-old undergraduate chemistry student when he began at Syntex Corporation, a fledgling biochemical company in Mexico City, where he joined…
carlyo | December 13, 2012Wonderful story to share about this scientist from Thailand with a deep passion to help others- she truly is a role model in science & engineering!
For the full biography of Krisana Kraisintu and all of our role models click here
carlyo | December 12, 2012Exhibitor applications are now being accepted for the 3rd Festival! Don't miss out on our Early Bird Special!
We invite you to celebrate science at the 3rd USA Science & Engineering Festival, the largest celebration of science and engineering in the United States! The 3rd Science Festival will kick off with nationwide school programs, contests and events year-round, and culminate in a 2-day Grand Finale Expo on April 26-27, 2014 at the Convention Center in Washington, D.C. Sneak Peek Friday will take place on April 25.
Sign up to Exhibit by December 31st, 2012 to take advantage of all the…
carlyo | December 11, 2012Amazing! Read about the impressive life of this Physician Specializing in Aerospace Physiology. To read the full biography of Edwin Muñiz and other role models in science and engineering, click here.
carlyo | December 10, 2012Exercise the brain? Click here to read more about how Neurologist Eleanor Maguire studied the training of London Taxicab drivers to challenge the belief that the adult brain is inflexible.