lbock | October 20, 2012Looking back on his childhood days in Prince Edward County, Virginia, acoustical scientist James Edward West, says curiosity ruled his life. "If I had a screwdriver and a pair of pliers, anything that could be opened was in danger," remembers James with a laugh. "I had this need to know what was inside." One day when he was eight years old, his curiosity resulted in a harrowing, but life-changing experience. While propped on his bed's brass footboard, he stretched upward to plug the cord of a radio he had repaired into the ceiling's empty light socket, just to see what would happen. Suddenly…
lbock | October 19, 2012PLEASE SHARE IF YOU ARE INSPIRED BY THIS STORY!
Dian Fossey's path to studying gorillas in Africa began in San Francisco, where she was born. Her father (an insurance agent) and her mother (a fashion model) divorced when she was 6, at about the time she began developing a keen interest in animals, including becoming an avid horseback rider. After high school she enrolled in a pre-veterinary course in biology at the University of California, Davis, but she had difficulties with basic sciences including chemistry and physics, leading her to transfer to San Jose State College to study…
lbock | October 19, 2012Some of you may find this surprising, but I don’t mind ironing. Unlike giving a lecture, writing a column or appearing on TV or radio, you get immediate gratification. You see the results of your efforts. Wrinkles that were there before are gone. I suspect, however, that not everyone shares my enthusiasm for this task. The textile industry realizes this as well and has responded by producing a variety of “durable press” fabrics that can withstand wrinkles. But withstanding allegations of toxicity is more of a challenge. In this case the hullabaloo is about formaldehyde, the chemical…
lbock | October 18, 2012Co-inventor of "Hospital-in-a-Box", a solar-powered, life-saving operating room which can be transported to remote areas of Africa and set up quickly
Although he spent part of his youth in America (including going to high school in Cleveland, OH), Seyi Oyesola's heart was always in his native country of Nigeria as he dreamed of returning there to become a physician and help his people. After completing high school here, he returned with his family to his homeland where he earned his medical degree and began his internship training. But he soon discovered that on his meager salary as an…
lbock | October 17, 2012Read more....
These days the eyes of the academic chemistry community are riveted on a courtroom in Los Angeles where UCLA chemistry professor Patrick Harran stands accused of “willfully violating occupational safety and health standards and causing the death of a young technician in his laboratory.” Many professors are following the trial with trepidation, mindful of the possibility that they could be the ones facing the music in that courtroom. So far there is only one certainty about this evolving drama. It is tragic for everyone involved. A young woman with great promise for the future is…
lbock | October 17, 2012 Read More…
Credited with helping to popularize physics and other fields of science for millions of students worldwide with his futuristic way of presenting these frontiers, Michio Kaku says his explorations into such realms began in childhood when his hero Albert Einstein died. He was eight when he learned of Einstein's death, and he remembers that the public's reaction to the great physicist's passing "was as big as Whitney Houston dying." Michio, who grew up in Palo Alto, CA, soon learned that Einstein had failed to finish his greatest work: a single, inch-long equation that would…
lbock | October 17, 2012(Science Question of the Day: Are you often teased and put down by peers and others because of your love of science or engineering? So was Ellen. Read her amazing story of success!)
Blasting off into space was once an all-male’s game. But on the heels of such trailblazers as Sally Ride, engineer and inventor Ellen Ochoa became part of growing breed of NASA female astronauts who have since helped change all that. In 1993, she made history by becoming the first Hispanic woman from any country to travel in space. She would follow up this journey with three more space flights in 1994,…
lbock | October 16, 2012Read More…
Although dance was among her first loves while growing up in Decatur, Alabama, Mae Jemison also had a high degree of interest in science, particularly space exploration. "I always knew I'd go to space," she says with a smile. A desire to help others through medicine was also high on her list. With determination, she set out to make her dreams come true. She entered college at age 16 as a chemical engineering student and after earning her degree, she completed medical school and practiced in Los Angeles before joining the Peace Corps' as a Medical Officer in Sierra Leone and Liberia…
lbock | October 15, 2012Read More…
The next time in class that you are contemplating the value of such algebraic equations as
x^2 - 20 x + 100 = 81 x , think of Muhammad ibn Mūsā al-Khwārizmī and the power he unleashed to scientists, engineers, mathematicians -- and everyday people -- to solve a wide range of problems through algebra! Although details of Muhammad's early life are sketchy, he is believed to have been born in the year 780 in the Khorasan province of Persia (now the country of Uzbekistan). He later moved with his family to a place near Baghdad, Iraq, where he accomplished most of his work between the…
lbock | October 14, 2012PLEASE SHARE IF YOU ARE INSPIRED BY THIS STORY!
(Let Us Know Your Comment: In addition to being a brilliant scientist, did you know that Benjamin was also an outspoken critic against the evils of slavery in his day?)
Born in 1731, Benjamin Banneker was born in Baltimore County, Maryland -- the son of free African slaves. Benjamin grew up on his father's farm with three sisters. After learning to read from his mother and grandmother, he read the Bible to his family in the evening. Briefly attending a nearby Quaker country school was the extent of his formal education. As he grew into…
lbock | October 12, 2012Science Question of the Day: On your road to success in science and engineering, how willing are you to break down, and break through, stereotypes and other obstacles? Sally was. Read her story!
While completing her Ph.D. in physics at Stanford University in 1977, Sally Ride became intrigued by a NASA newspaper ad seeking astronaut candidates. Her decision to answer that advertisement would change her life forever.
When she and with four fellow astronauts blasted off aboard the space shuttle Challenger in June 1983, she became the first American woman—and, at 32, the youngest American—in…
lbock | October 11, 2012PLEASE SHARE IF YOU ARE INSPIRED BY THIS STORY!
(Let Us Know Your Comments! Tell us what you think about this story, particularly how David is working to study and save vital fish populations for Native Americans!)
Since his teenage years, Native American scientist David Close, (a member of the Cayuse Nation tribe of the Pacific Northwest), has been intrigued by fish and their importance as a foodstock for Native tribes. Originally, he had no idea of becoming a scientist since he felt contented as a youth just to work in community fisheries along the rivers of his Native community. But the…
lbock | October 10, 2012PLEASE SHARE IF YOU ARE INSPIRED BY THIS STORY!
(Send us your opinion today: How can science and engineering make life better for persons with autism and other learning and physical challenges? Let us know what you think of Temple's achievements in the face of autism!)
Because of autism, Temple Grandin was not able to talk until she was 3 ½, and for a time experts recommended that she be institutionalized. Speaking of her childhood experience, she recalls: "Junior high was a real mess for me and then came puberty. My anxiety attacks came during puberty, and then all of my nerves started […
lbock | October 9, 2012PLEASE SHARE IF YOU ARE INSPIRED BY THIS STORY!
(Send us your opinion today: What are the challenges faced by NASA engineers and scientists in keeping the Space Station and its astronauts safe from harmful bacteria, viruses and other nasty microbes? Tell us what you think of Monserrate’s contributions!)
Microbiology may not come to your mind when the name International Space Station (ISS) is mentioned, but it should, says NASA microbiologist Monserrate Roman. She should know. Monserrate, born and raised in Puerto Rico, was a member of the team which built the early stages of the ISS and…
lbock | October 8, 2012
PLEASE SHARE IF YOU ARE INSPIRED BY THIS STORY!
(Tell Us What You Think: What are some of the science and engineering skills that Lonnie used to invent the Super Soaker? He proves that science can be TOTALLY fun!)
It seems that Lonnie Johnson was born to be an engineer. Growing up in Mobile, Alabama, he was a quiet and curious child who was fascinated about how things worked. “Lonnie tore up his sister’s baby doll to see what made the eyes close,” his mother recalls. As he grew older, he began making things, including rockets powered by fuel cooked up in his mother’s saucepans. In his…
carlyo | May 1, 2012The 2012 USA Science and Engineering Festival was a huge success this past weekend! More than 150,000 attendees battled the rain, traffic and crowds to celebrate science at the Convention Center!
The Festival would not have been possible without the hard work of our amazing volunteers! Over 750 volunteers dedicated their valuable time and showed incredible patience and enthusiasm during their shifts at the Festival. We are so grateful to ALL of you! We received wonderful feedback about our exhibitors and the amazing hands-on activities. Exhibitors made each person feel welcome and…
carlyo | April 27, 2012
The excitement is filling the air at Sneak Peek Friday today as we are gearing up for an amazing weekend! The Festival takes place Saturday from 10-6 and Sunday from 10-4 at the Walter E Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C. Please visit our "Plan Your Day" section on our website for important information regarding attending this FREE event. Those attending the Festival will be in for quite a treat with over 3,000 hands-on science and engineering activities and over 150 stage shows!
We have had some incredible events leading up to this weekend including our AT&T Sponsored…
carlyo | April 26, 2012The 2nd USA Science & Engineering Festival has finally arrived! The Expo will take place this weekend at the Walter E Washington Convention Center in Washington, DC. The hours are Saturday from 10-6 and Sunday from 10-4. Evening shows are also scheduled for the weekend including the Stargazing Party with Bill Nye and Featured Author Panel Discussion- Science Stories in Society & School: Using Narrative to Bridge the Gap.
The Festival will be packed with entertainment for the whole family with 3,000 amazing hands-on exhibits and over 150 incredible stage shows. This FREE event is…
carlyo | April 23, 2012Under the guidance of some of the top astronomy experts in the country, explore our amazing Universe - including up close views of the Earth's moon, Jupiter and other mysterious planetary objects - at the Stargazing Party, an exciting educational collaboration between the Festival, the Smithsonian's National Air & Space Museum (NASM), telescope manufacturer Celestron and other partners, on Saturday, April 28 at NASM in Washington, DC.
A hit with visitors at the inaugural Festival in 2010, the Stargazing Party is returning to the Festival Expo with an equally impressive lineup of evening…
carlyo | April 20, 2012Thank you to Blogger Amy from DC Metro Mom for a wonderful post on the USA Science and Engineering Festival!
Read all of DC Metro Mom's Post here.Spark An Interest in Scientific Discovery at the USA Science & Engineering Festival!
By Amy from DC Metro Mom
The 2nd Annual USA Science & Engineering Festival is a super-charged series of public events and school programs with a mission to "re-invigorate" children's interest in science, technology, engineering and math. The Festival kicked off this week with over 150 FREE events for the public and Greater Washington, DC schools leading…