"Physics of superheroes" professor to participate in national "Nifty Fifty" program

Jim Kakalios joins top national scientists in Washington D.C. Oct. 10-24.

Contacts:
Preston Smith, University of Minnesota, smith@umn.edu, (612) 625-0552
Rhonda Zurn, College of Science and Engineering, rzurn@umn.edu, (612) 626-7959

MINNEAPOLIS / ST. PAUL (10/06/2010) —In a massive national effort to ignite a passion for science and engineering in middle and high school students, the USA Science and Engineering Festival will send more than fifty top scientists into Washington D.C. schools Oct. 10-24. Jim Kakalios from the University of Minnesota's College of Science and Engineering will be presenting on "The Physics of Superheroes."

The organizers say that meeting scientists and engineers who love what they do will help students embrace these disciplines and consider careers in them. The Nifty Fifty, as they are called, were carefully chosen from hundreds of applicants for their differing fields, talents, divergent backgrounds and ages, and ability to convey the importance of science to our nation’s future.

The scientists and engineers include high tech entrepreneurs and financiers, policy makers, actors, journalists, educators, researchers, explorers, video game developers, spies, alien hunters, astronauts and brain surgeons.

Jim Kakalios is the Taylor Distinguished Professor in the School of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Minnesota and bestselling author of "The Physics of Superheroes" And “The Amazing Story of Quantum Mechanics.” He has also served as a science consultant on several big budget superhero films.

The university's National Center for Earth-surface Dynamics at the St. Anthony Falls Laboratory will also be displaying an exhibit at the science expo. Called "Earth Sculpting," the display will feature the touch screen application developed with the Science Museum of Minnesota and the Electronic Visualization Laboratory and the University of Illinois at Chicago. It allows visitors to "rain" on a topographic landscape by touching the screen and then exploring the route the water takes to shape Earth's surface.

About the USA Science and Engineering Festival

The first USA Science and Engineering Festival from Oct. 10-24 creates a new model for celebrating science in the nation’s capital. Two weeks of science events across Virginia, Maryland and Washington D.C. include 50 of the area’s top scientists visiting local middle and high schools, brown bag lunches for high school students with Nobel Laureates, science open houses and a Sustainable Dreamhouse contest. A two-day Science Expo on the National Mall will feature more than 400 science and engineering organizations.

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