Chemistry at the Next Big Idea Festival
International Year of Chemistry volunteers participated in the Next Big Idea festival on September 16th and 17th, 2011, at Ashley Pond in Los Alamos. Friday featured hands-on experiments for young people in the Los Alamos Community Center. For the experiment, the children made batteries using coins, paper, and mild electrolytes. On Saturday an International Year of Chemistry booth hosted hundreds of visitors from 11:00 to 3:00. The booth featured molecular models, a display of information about Marie Curie, and various other educational and entertaining displays.
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| Loan Le and Leon Lopez (right) use a back-pack portable Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy instrument to demonstrate remote detection of elements using a laser beam. | Donivan Porterfield at the American Chemical Society booth shows children how to make silly putty using school glue, borax, and water. | Jurgen Schmidt explains the nature of hydrogen bonding in water while Gabriel Avilucea and Magen Coleman describe the importance of Marie Curie to the history of chemistry. |
Thanks to the Chemistry Division staff who volunteered. Laura Wolfsberg and Aaron Anderson championed Friday's activities in conjunction with staff from the Bradbury Museum. Volunteers on Saturday were Jurgen Schmidt, Evelyn Bond, Laura Smilowitz, Loan Lee, Leon Lopez, Gabriel Avilucea, Magen Coleman, and Josh Smith. Donivan Porterfield staffed the American Chemical Society booth.