Science!

Maybe I am just a big geek but what's not to love about scientific stuff? I had the opportunity to visit the Museum of Science and Industry last year with friends ranging in age from 3 to 43 and we had an amazing time. Just as important as the fun, the children who joined us really learned something and it was terrific to see their eyes light up with discovery and wonder. My goddaughter, one of those little visitors, often talks to me about our trip to the MOOOO-ZEEE-UM and how the human bodies exhibit made her want to be a doctor when she grows up. She might not have considered that option otherwise, since her own trips to the doctor's office aren't always so comfortable!

If you love to explore the "why" and "how" behind our world and the way it works and if you have young people in your life who share that curiosity (or if you would like them to share it), please come to our second annual Family Science Expo this Saturday, October 16, 2010, from noon to 4 PM. You can watch the video clip from ABC 7 Chicago to get a taste of some of the hands-on experiences we have planned but here are some of the planned interactive exhibits:

• Learn to build a PC from spare parts;
• Construct skyscrapers and bridges from Legos then put them to an earthquake test;
• Explore x-rays, sonar and other non-invasive inspection methods;
• Experience light, color and optics and they way they affect how we "see";
• Discover the ways chemical engineers problem-solve to create cool stuff that keeps us safe;
• Learn how to participate in Destination ImagiNation, an exhilarating after-school activity in which students work in teams to solve mind-bending Challenges and present their solutions at Tournaments.

Activities are particularly geared towards children from grades 2-8. Participants include: MATHCOUNTS project of the North Suburban Chapter Illinois Society of Professional Engineers; The Optical Society of Chicago; American Society of NonDestructive Testing (ASNT); Illinois Section American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE); Structural Engineers Association of Illinois ( SEAOI); American Institute of Chemical Engineers ( AIChE); Destination ImagiNation; Construction Challenge; IEEE / WIE, The Women in Engineering Affiliate (WIE) of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) and more.

From our Web site: "The big picture: many children - and their parents - know little about engineering and science professions or the ways science and engineering affect our lives every day in very cool ways! Through simple hands-on activities, experiments and demonstrations, this expo will show kids of all ages that science is all around us and is, indeed, COOL! Long-term, the goal of many of the organizations exhibiting is to inspire a new generation of engineers and scientists that will be needed to rebuild infrastructures and create new green technologies."

So come on out this Saturday, October 16, 2010, between noon and 4 PM. The exhibits will be scattered all around our second floor Youth Services area. Everyone is welcome - there is no charge and no need to register. Bring your family, your friends and your imagination!