The goal of the 3M Visiting Wizards program is to encourage young people to become interested in science and technology by providing interesting educational demonstrations and hands-on experiments on a variety of science topics. Three members of the 3M Visiting Wizards program will present a variety of science demonstrations typically used in classrooms across the Twin Cities (Minneapolis/St. Paul) metro area.  Come see demonstrations related to chemistry, air pressure, sound and music, and the science of the ultracold.  Unlike magicians, 3M Visiting Wizards explain the science behind the demonstrations in a light and entertaining manner.  You will find out that “Science IS Fun”! 

In their quest to test the validity of some of the world’s most daunting myths and rumors, Adam Savage and Jamie Hyneman – hosts of the Discovery Channel’s hit TV series MythBusters – bravely take viewers into uncharted realms of the unexplained. These journeys have included investigating “The Mummy,” viral videos, the physics of shock waves in water, and whether it is really possible to jump out of the way of a bullet.

Don’t miss the opportunity to discover how Adam and Jamie use elements of the scientific method in the show to test the validity of rumors in the world of science, technology, movies, the Internet, history, news stories and other topics!

Have you ever watched a Hollywood action or science fiction movie and asked yourself, "could that really happen?" Well that's what this interactive presentation is about. We are going to use some basic physics to analyze and de-construct some of the most famous cinematic action sequences. For example could a bus really jump a 50 foot gap in the freeway as it does in the movie Speed? What would really happen if the Earth's magnetic field disappeared like it does in The Core? Could a nuclear bomb blow apart an asteroid? Is warp drive possible? What are some of the scientific issues relevant to becoming a Superhero? These are the type of questions we will tackle as we present a variety of clips from Hollywood blockbusters and delve into each scene armed with a few fundamental principles of physics. The results should be informative, educational and often quite humorous.

Aldebaran Robotics is very proud to demonstrate NAO at the Science and Engineering Festival.  NAO is a fully interactive, versatile, fun and permanently evolving humanoid robot able to host educational and entertaining  applications. He has the ability to see, hear, speak, feel and communicate.Using the latest and most innovative technology, NAO is a unique combination of hardware and software designed, developed and built by Aldebaran Robotics

Potato Chip Science was cooked up by award-winning author Allen Kurzweil and his chip-loving son, Max, who was the principal beta-taster for the experiments found in this book. Allen is the author of Leon and the Champion Chip—the second in a series of young-reader novels—in which he first explored the idea of a science curriculum based on the potato chip. He has also written two award-winning novels for adults, A Case of Curiosities and The Grand Complication. Currently a fellow at the John Nicholas Brown Center for the Study of American Civilization at Brown University, Allen lives in Providence, Rhode Island, with his wife and son.

Does a robot see objects the way you see them? Why does food lose its taste when you have a cold? Come stimulate your senses at AAAS Meet the Scientists, and talk to researchers who study how we see, hear, touch, smell and taste. Ask your questions about how we experience the world and what it's like to be a scientist.

Come meet Waleed Abdalati, Chief Scientist, NASA

This presentation is part of the AAAS Meet the Scientist Program. Visit the AAAS booth for further details.

Come meet Rochelle Newman, Associate Professor of Hearing and Speech Sciences, University of Maryland

This presentation is part of the AAAS Meet the Scientist Program. Visit the AAAS booth for further details.

Come meet Charles J. Wysocki, Behavioral Neuroscientist, Monell Chemical Senses Center

This presentation is part of the AAAS Meet the Scientist Program. Visit the AAAS booth for further details.

Come meet Hod Lipson, Associate Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Cornell University

This presentation is part of the AAAS Meet the Scientist Program. Visit the AAAS booth for further details.

Come meet Steven Munger, Professor of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine

This presentation is part of the AAAS Meet the Scientist Program. Visit the AAAS booth for further details.

Come meet Karlin Bark, Postdoctoral Research Associate in Mechanical Engineering, University of Pennsylvania

This presentation is part of the AAAS Meet the Scientist Program. Visit the AAAS booth for further details.

Come meet James Coan, Associate Professor of Psychology, University of Virginia

This presentation is part of the AAAS Meet the Scientist Program. Visit the AAAS booth for further details.

Come meet Justin Halberda, Associate Professor of Psychological and Brain Sciences, John Hopkins University

This presentation is part of the AAAS Meet the Scientist Program. Visit the AAAS booth for further details.

Come meet with Cynthia Moss, Professor of Psychology, University of Maryland

This presentation is part of the AAAS Meet the Scientist Program. Visit the AAAS booth for further details.

Here’s your chance to see the world’s most exciting and fun math contest, cheer on the contestants, and test your wits at the same time. Eight of the area’s sharpest math students will compete in this event sponsored by the American Mathematical Society and one of them could win $3000.

Come meet interesting physicists from all different career paths.  People with physics training can do anything from research to law to policy to Hollywood.  During the hour you will see the excitement that all these physicists have for their chosen careers and learn about how you too can follow in their footsteps.

Come meet scientists from the American Society for Microbiology. Our volunteers will be on hand to talk about their work, their careers, and the studies that brought them there. This is a great chance for young people to interact with students, professors and laboratory researchers from a growing field!

She made world headlines in 2006 as the first female private space explorer, and in doing so earned a place in history as the fourth private explorer to visit space and the first astronaut of Iranian descent.

Don’t miss the chance to meet Anousheh Ansari and learn what it was like as a history-making crew member aboard the Expedition 14 mission during its journey to the International Space Station! Anousheh, an engineer by training, is a role model to young people, women and young girls over the world, and especially enjoys inspiring others about the wonders of space travel. She currently serves as  co-founder and chairman of Prodea Systems, a company that is focusing on unleashing the power of the Internet to consumers worldwide.

His act is so cool, smooth and benign that Forbes magazine calls him the "artful manipulator of awareness." Adding to the reputation of this maestro of the sleight-of-hand is the fact he once picked the pockets of the Secret Service while he entertained a former President!

Be in the audience when Apollo Robbins brings his exciting array of magical skills to the finale Expo, giving us an unforgettable look inside the "Science of Illusion."  His talents as a performer have made him a favorite with such media outlets as ABC, Fox, CBS and Discovery Channel, in addition to making him in demand by an A-List clientele for which he travels the world performing. After witnessing Apollo, you'll definitely view science in a different light!