2012 final Masthead

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 Vol. 2 - No. 11 - August 30, 2011

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Finale Expo Larger Than Last Year - Last Chance to Secure an Exhibit Spot!   


The Festival Finale Expo is officially larger than last year, with over 400 exhibitors signed up to date, and nearly 1100 booths reserved!

It's not too late to sign up to be an Exhibitor or to sign up for the Book Fair, but you must act quickly as we are nearly oversubscribed. September 15, 2011 will be the last day to take advantage of the early bird special, so don't delay! 

 

Sign Up Now to be an Exhibitor! Authors, Publishers, Scientific Organizations & Booksellers, sign up to be a Book Fair Exhibitor!  

Festival Reminders:

  

Festival Hotel Blocks Selling Quickly    

Coming to the Festival From Out of Town Next Spring? We have secured group blocks with hotel buttondiscounted rates for Festival-goers at several hotels in the Downtown DC area and the rates are less than half of what they will cost during the high season. Rooms are selling out quickly, so if you still need to book room, don't delay!
 
Click Here to visit our Exhibitor Resources page and book a hotel room today before they are sold out!    

 

Informational Festival Webinar  

If you haven't done so already, join us for an informational Webinar! We will outline the plans for the upcoming 2nd USA Science & Engineering Festival Finale Expo. SIGN UP now for the next scheduled Webinar by filling out a short online registration form. You will receive a confirmation and dial-in information/instructions after you have registered.

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Upcoming Webinar Dates:

Thursday, September 22 

Thursday, October 6  

* All calls will be held from 1:30 - 2:30 PM ET

 

Can't make it to the next Webinar? You can watch the last Webinar by Clicking Here!   

 

Hand out Postcards and Posters - Promotional Materials Available Now!

USASEF PostcardThe Volunteer Outreach Team has promotional materials available for anyone who wants to spread the word about the Festival.  Please submit your name, address, the number of posters and postcards you need to Laura Angle.  If you are distributing materials to schools or organizations, please list the organizations in your email for our records.  Thank you!  

 

'Night of Comedy' at the Festival - Welcome to the Hilarious Side of Science! 

Science, no doubt, deals with some heavy, mind-boggling topics - but these technical concepts and frontiers don't always have to be sooo serious.  We've gathered some of the country's funniest science comedians to prove it at the Festival!

 

Don't miss it when Brian Malow, Norman Goldblatt, Pete Ludovice, and Tim Lee each bring their unique style of science humor to Georgetown University as part of the Festival's "Night of Comedy," Friday, April 27 (finale Expo weekend).

 

Brian Malow

Brian, self-proclaimed as "Earth's Premier Science Comedian," is also a freelance science correspondent, producing and appearing in science video essays for Time Magazine's website. He is a contributor to astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson's radio show.  His comedy routine on Neil Armstrong was once heard aboard an orbiting Space Shuttle (STS-44).  

 

Norm Goldblatt

Norm holds a Ph.D. in Physics from Catholic University. He can be heard in the Science Friday Archives when he joined Brian and Tim to discuss humor in science, and has written material for Jay Leno. Norm held the position of Professor of Physics at Rochester Institute of Technology for 10 years after which he joined the corporate world, and currently develops lasers for application in medicine.  

 

Pete Ludovice

Pete, with a Ph.D. from MIT and postdoctoral studies at IBM and NASA, is a self-described "nerd" with a gift for improvisational humor, which he uses enthusiastically to educate and entertain others in science.  In addition to performing comedy, he is an associate professor in the School of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology.  He also lectures internationally on the use of humor in technical communication and education.

 

Tim Lee

Tim wasn't supposed to be a comedian. A biologist by training, he spent years developing simulation and analytical models of population dynamics before he discovered that this bored him to tears. When he tried comedy for the first time the tears stopped. Tim has appeared on Spike TV, been featured in the NY Times and has over 4 million views on his YouTube videos.

 

To learn more about the Night of Comedy performers, and to view our full line-up of exciting performers to appear at the Finale Expo, Click Here

Surveyor Needed to Volunteer!


The Museum of Mathematics and the USA Science & Engineering Festival are planning a large public math event concentrating on the Ellipse in downtown Washington D.C.  In preparation for this event, we are seeking a professional surveyor to volunteer for one day to make some precise measurements of the geometry of the ellipse.  In particular, we need the coordinates, to as great a precision as possible, of 25 points around the perimeter of the Ellipse.Volunteer 

From these coordinates, MoMath personnel will determine the coordinates of the best-fit mathematical foci of an ellipse matching these points.  We would then like the volunteer surveyor to identify the locations of these foci on the grounds of the Ellipse.  We will then record those positions so they can be revealed quickly at some point during the "Ellipse Day" event.  

 

If you or anyone you know is interested in helping us out, then please contact Larry Bock at [email protected]

Leading Female Physicist Dr. Lisa Randall chosen as Featured Author for Book Fair

Lisa Randall, author of Knocking on Heaven's Door, studies tLisa Randallheoretical particle physics and cosmology at Harvard University and has been selected as a Featured Author at USA Science & Engineering Festival Book Fair. Her work has made her among the most cited and influential theoretical physicists today.  She has been included in Time's "100 Most Influential People" and Rolling Stone's "RS100: Lisa Randall Image Agents of Change," and her first book, Warped Passages: Unraveling the Mysteries of the Universe's Hidden Dimensions, was named a New York Times "Notable Book" in 2005.    

 

When not solving the problems of the universe, Randall can be found rock climbing, skiing, or contributing to art-science connections.

 

To view all Featured Authors scheduled to appear at the Festival Book Fair, Click Here.  

Butterflies, Beetles, Bees, Bugs... Insects Rule!

We're Looking for Entomology Contributors, Sponsors and Volunteers at the Expo! Read on to Learn How You Can Help...

InsectInsects make up the largest and most diverse group of organisms on the planet, with 4-30 million estimated species all playing a crucial role in the ecosystem. They are also important for agricultural, biomedical and other science fields.

 

Aaron T Dossey

"Insects are much too important to leave out of an event like the

USA Science & Engineering Festival," says Dr. Aaron T. Dossey, a Ph.D. biochemist and postdoctoral research entomologist.

 

"They represent one of the best introductions to the study and appreciation of science," says Aaron, "and in a venue like the Expo, students and others would be able to see insect species from around the world up close, and learn just how cool insects are." The theme of this section is: Entomology Inspires.

 

The Entomological Foundation, Green Matter, Aaron's new organization All Things Bugs and Daniella Martin, host of Girl Meets Bug, (the insect cooking show) are just a few contributors already signed up for a wide range of exciting hands-on Entomological activities.

Aaron T Dossey 2 

Booth themes for the Entomology section include: 

1) Bees and Pollinators; 2) Insect Zoos; 3) Cutting-Edge Insect Technology; 4) Insects as Human Food; 5) Biodiversity, Systematics and Taxonomy; and 6) Entomology organizations and clubs engaging in Entomological education and outreach.

 

Anyone interested should contact Dr. Aaron T. Dossey at: [email protected] and  by clicking here.  Also you can "bug" us online on Facebook and on Twitter

Featured Nifty Fifty Speakers 


Brought to you by:

ATT Logo  

mary CleaveMary Cleave, Ph.D. - She's ranked with Sally Ride and others for her pioneering achievements in space flight as a NASA Shuttle astronaut and scientist. Discover how the two Shuttle missions of this environmental engineer reinvigorated her efforts to protect the Earth and its atmosphere!  

 

Nan HauserNan Daeschler Hauser - Hear how the work of this passionate scientist-conservationist in the remote tropical region of the Cook Islands is leading to promising inroads to study and save the endangered humpback whale!

 

Charles HigginsCharles Higgins, Ph.D. - Imagine a robot with the sight and motion detection ability of a moth or dragonfly.  Welcome to the world of insect-inspired robotics with this noted electrical engineer and neuro-researcher!  Learn more about this emerging field and where it is taking robotics in the future!

 

KakliosJames Kakalios, Ph.D. - What can we learn about physics from super heroes such as Spiderman the Flash?  Plenty, says this noted researcher and author of "The Physics of Superheroes".  Discover what he means!

 

LavikErin Lavik, Ph.D. - Advancing the development of artificial blood platelets, and furthering the treatment of traumatic brain injury and  glaucoma are just some of vital research endeavors of this biomedical engineer.  Hear her amazing story!

 

LeonardJoel Leonard - Maintenance technician jobs such as mechanic, welder and air conditioning technician often carry the stigma of being menial 'grease monkey' jobs. But learn how this self-described "Maintenance Evangelist" is changing that image by motivating young people to pursue these well-paying, vital positions in high technology!

 

ParryElizabeth Parry - Learn from this noted expert in inquiry-based classroom techniques how to wow students through motivating experiences in science and engineering that they're sure to remember!

 

 

 

See the full list of Nifty Fifty Speakers here.    

 

Would you like to be a Sponsor of the Nifty Fifty program? Contact [email protected] for more info. 
 

Joint Sponsors Return: C&EN and the American Chemical Society

Two well-respected members of the science community- C&EN and the American Chemical Society (ACS) -have made commitments once again to participate as media partner and exhibitor/sponsor, respectively, in the USA Science & Engineering Festival. The festival will be held for the second time on April 27-29 in Washington, D.C.

 

CEN LogoC&EN, the flagship weekly newsmagazine published by ACS, will help convey information about the festival nationally and internationally through both its print and online editions. With 163,000 primary member subscribers worldwide together with pass-along and online readership, C&EN is seen by approximately 300,000 readers.  


C&EN Editor-in-Chief Rudy Baum says that "C&EN, in its commitment to advancing all aspects of chemistry, also sees a tremendous role to play in public outreach to engage students, teachers, and others in the wonders of science and engineering. This is why we are delighted to be returning as a festival media partner."    

 

Elise Swinehart, C&EN's assistant director of marketing and exhibits, echoes his sentiments: "As we increase our publication's reach and visibility in the science and chemical community, we, together with the ACS, are heightening our involvement in supporting outreach from K through 12 to grad school. In fact," she adds, "many readers are actually educators and teachers at the high school and college levels."

 

ACS LogoACS itself is planning exciting hands-on exhibits and activities, some of which will coincide with "Chemists Celebrate Earth Day" - showing how chemistry is at the forefront of "green" endeavors impacting the environment, according to Kevin McCue, assistant director of the ACS Education Division."The festival is one of the most exciting outreach experiences I've ever participated in," says McCue, "and we at ACS look forward to returning."

Also returning to represent ACS at this year's festival is Diane Bunce, a professor and education researcher with the Catholic University of America. Bunce is a member of the "Nifty Fifty (times 2)," which is a group of 100 noted science and engineering professionals who will fan out across the Washington, D.C., area in the 2011-12 school year to speak about their work and careers at various middle and high schools.  

   

ACS MoleLast but not least, representatives of ACS's Washington, D.C., local section; students from university chapters and chemistry clubs; and the ACS Mole (the society's mascot) will return to help festival-goers understand how chemistry impacts our daily lives.  

 

According to Madeleine Jacobs, ACS executive director and chief executive officer, "ACS is really delighted to be returning to the Festival. We were so pleased with the thousands of people who came by our booth to learn about how chemistry and chemists will help solve our world's most challenging issues - ensuring abundant food supplies and clean water, addressing disease and promoting public health and finding new energy sources and addressing climate change. We are looking forward to the Festival and to involving our members once again in this exciting outreach opportunity."  

 

2nd Annual You CAN Do The Rubik's Cube Tournament - Join the Fun and the Challenge!

Rubiks ImageK-12 teams will be competing for the fastest time to collectively solve 25 Rubik's Cubes. The top six finalists from 3 divisions will compete for their division's championship at the USA Science & Engineering Festival Expo on April 28, 2012. Prizes range from bragging rights to finalists t-shirts and trophies to $100- $750 cash prizes for the coaches to use toward STEM disciplines.  Register today - team information is not due until March 2012!  

Authors & Publishers - Submit Books for USASEF Book Fair   

BooksAuthors & Publishers - submit your books online for the USA Science & Engineering Festival Book Fair which will be held April 28-29, 2012. Authors are asked to give a 50-minute presentation with 15 minutes for question & answer followed by a book-signing. A New York Times reporting bookseller will sell author's recent books. Preferred books have a publish date between January 2011-April 2012 and are written for children and trade publications.
 
Selected Authors will be announced in September 2011. To submit a book, fill out the following form. See the full list of Book Fair Authors here. Would you like to meet your favorite Science Author at the next USA Science & Engineering Festival Expo? Click Here and complete a quick form.
 
Email Book Fair questions to Laura Angle.
 

Explore the Brightest Ideas in Clean Energy Living 

Discover affordable, innovative approaches to energy

DOE Solar Decathlon Imageefficiency this fall at the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon 2011 in Washington, D.C. The National Mall's West Potomac Park hosts this international competition that challenges collegiate teams from around the world to design, build, and operate houses powered by the sun.


Join us in the solar village, which is open to the public free of charge Sept. 23-Oct. 2. You can also be a part of the excitement by volunteering as a greeter, docent, runner, solar expert, or special event assistant! More opportunities and details are available by clicking here.  

 

2009 Solar Decathlon

"All-team photo from the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon 2009 on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., Thursday, Oct. 8, 2009. (Credit: Stefano Paltera/U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon)"   

The 2nd USASEF - At A Glance

New Sponsors 

 

PBS Kids

PBS Kids partners with parents, teachers and communities to offer children entertainment that is fun, engaging and based on school curriculums. With a 360-degree approach towards learning and reaching children, PBS KIDS leverages the full spectrum of media and technology to build knowledge, critical thinking, imagination and curiosity. The Festival is thrilled to have PBS Kids as a Krypton Level Sponsor. 

 

You Can Do The Rubik's Cube 

Developed in the 1974 by Ern� Rubik, the Rubik's Cube has inspired everything from art and culture to particle physics! Professor Rubik built the cube as a working model to help explain three-dimensional geometry and ended up creating the world's best-selling puzzle. Rubik's Cube returns to the Festival this year as a Platinum Level Sponsor, and hosts the 2nd "You Can Do the Rubik's Cube" competition.

 

U.S. Army RDECOM

The U.S. Army Research, Development and Engineering Command is the Army's technology leader and largest technology developer. RDECOM ensures the dominance of Army capabilities by creating, integrating and delivering technology-enabled solutions to our Soldiers. The Festival is honored to have U.S. Army RDECOM as a Platinum Level Sponsor. 

 

The Mars Society 

The Mars Society is a non-profit organization dedicated to explore and settle the planet Mars. Their robotic probes have revealed that the planet was once a warm and wet planet, suitable for hosting life's origin. The Mars Society is on a quest to discover if life existed on Mars and how the study of Mars can teach us more about our own planet. The Mars Society joins the Festival this year as a Titanium Level  Sponsor.  

 

The Pennsylvania State University 

Home of the Nittany Lions, Penn State University was chartered by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in 1855 and is the only land grant University in the State. Penn State continues to thrive as one of the Nation's most popular Universities with over 90,000 students. The Festival is honored to have Penn State University as a Titanium Level Sponsor. 

 

The University of Florida 

Located in Gainesville, Florida, The University of Florida is the state's oldest and most comprehensive University. UF is one of the Nation's most most academically diverse public universities. The University of Florida joins the Festival as a Titanium Level Sponsor this year. 

  

 

Upcoming Affiliate Festival Events

Celebrate Science Indiana

Indianapolis, Indiana 46205 USA

 

Organized by: 

Science Education Foundation of Indiana, Inc. and Indiana Academy of Science

  

Date: October 8, 2011 09:00 am

 

An interactive day for families to explore the excitement and involvement of science, engineering, technology, and mathematics in everyday life.     

 

iExplore STEM

Coralville, Iowa 52242-5002 USA

 

Organized by:

Iowa Mathematics & Science Education partnership with the Iowa Hygienic Laboratory

 

Start Date: September 18, 2011 10:00 am

 

A festival for the whole family to learn, grow, and explore how STEM is at work in Iowa schools, workplaces, and homes to improve our lives.

 

Louisiana Lagniappe Science and Engineering Festival

Ruston, Louisiana 71272 USA

 

Organized by:

College of Engineering and Science, Louisiana Tech University

 

Start Date: September 21, 2011 10:00 am

 

Come experience a "little something extra" and celebrate science and engineering Louisiana style!  

 

Lower Silesian Science Festival

Wroclaw, Poland, 50-061 Poland

 

Organized by:

13 Universities and high schools in Wroclaw (Poland)

 

Start Date: September 16, 2011 08:00 am

      

Exhibitors Signing up for Festival!

The Festival Finale Expo is officially larger than last year, with over 300 exhibitors signed up to date, and nearly 950 booths reserved! Here are some of the exciting organizations who have signed up to exhibit at the 2nd USA Science & Engineering Finale Expo!

Galludet Univ      FIRST Logo     SF Logo

INL Logo  Roanoke College  Tides Logo

AAPM Logo    BMES Logo FEMA

ACS Logo       Explorer     Rutgers

NABT   VBI   NDIA

MITS    History Maker

sponsorsThank You to our Palladium Sponsors


Academy of Model Aeronautics

American Mathematical Society

Biogen Idec

Children's National Medical Center

Draper Laboratory

Dassault Syst�mes Solidworks Corp. 

Destination DC

FEI Company

Genentech

National Girls Collaborative Project

University of Massachusetts Lowell

  

Thank You to our Titanium Sponsors

Aerospace Corporation

American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association (AARDA)  

American Society of Agronomy

American Society of Civil Engineers

American Society for Microbiology

Atlas Experiment at the Large Hadron Collider 

Big Kid Science

Carnegie Mellon Software Engineering Institute  

Consortium for Ocean Leadership

Crop Science Society of America

Data.Gov

Defense Threat Reduction Agency

DeVry University

The Engineering Place, North Carolina State University 

EurekAlert!  

George Mason University

Georgetown University

George Washington University

Georgia Institute of Technology 

Idaho State University

James Madison University

Johns Hopkins University

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory

Michigan Tech Mind Trekkers

National Museum of Health and Medicine

North Carolina State University

NumbersAlive!

Society of American Military Engineers (SAME)

Soil Science Society of America

The Mars Society

The Pennsylvania State University  

Thirty Meter Telescope

United States Naval Academy
University of Florida 

University of Rochester

VCU School of Engineering

 

In-Kind Sponsors:

American Elements 

Wolfram

  

Visit us online at

http://www.usasciencefestival.org/ 

 

 

Science Spark is a non-profit 501(c)3 organization responsible for creating the USA Science & Engineering Festival and several regional Festivals including the San Diego Science & Engineering Festival, Bay Area Science & Engineering Festival, Boston Science & Engineering Festival, Los Angeles Science & Engineering Festival, Chicago Science & Engineering Festival, Houston Science & Engineering Festival, Miami Science & Engineering Festival and the Philadelphia Science & Engineering Festival.