Updated May 13, 2018

Download the 2018 event map to plan your day!

MAIN STAGE, ON THE QUAD

10:30 AM | Welcome to TouchTomorrow with Alli Ross and Gompei!
We are happy to welcome Alli Ross, a member of  WPI’s class of 2020, who recently represented WPI on Jeapordy, and everyone’s favorite goat, Gompei to kick-off the festivities with some fun and games!

11:00 AM | Mad Science – FUN-tastic FORCES
Sir Isaac Newton has never been so much fun since an apple hit him on the head!  Newton’s laws of motion are demonstrated using spinning platforms and more!  Thrill as logic is defied with the Mad Science “Bed of Nails.”  Watch as water pressure and the concept of nucleation create a 10 foot soda fountain!

12:30 PM & 1:15 PM | Animal Adventures: Animal Encounter Show
A live experience with exotic animals with adventure guides from Animal Adventures. Hear interesting stories and get up close with animals such a snake, alligator, skunk, chinchilla, ferret, hedgehog, degus, lizard, and tortoise. Stick around for special appearances by the Kinkajou and the Fennec Fox!

2:00 PM | Mad Science – SPIN, POP, BOOM!
This show illustrates several very visual scientific effects.  Witness experiments that demonstrate the effect of centripetal force.  Glass flasks are dropped and “magically” saved by the principle of angular momentum.  Chemical reactions create a Genie-n-a-bottle and an eruption of foam!  Heat and pressure are used to create a rainbow effect in a series of flasks.  We discuss sound & resonance and produce cool sounds in our versions of the Didgeridoo and an awesome Mad Science pipe organ!

RUBIN CAMPUS CENTER, ODEUM STAGE

10:30 AM | Using Artificial Intelligence to Aid Science: Explorations from Mars to Medicine – Thomas Boucher
Learn from the experiences of Thomas Boucher, a computer scientist who worked on NASA’s Curiosity rover team to use lasers and artificial intelligence (AI) to analyze Mars. He is currently using similar AI methods in his research to help create new personalized treatments for cancer.

12:00 PM and 3:00 PM | Cryogenics – Darryl Baynes
Most people have seen the movie Terminator II where the T-1000 terminator becomes frozen in liquid nitrogen.  In this chilling program your students will explore what would happen if the liquid nitrogen fell on them.  As one of ISP’s most popular programs it involves experiments that look at the various industrial uses of liquid nitrogen and other cryogenic techniques.  This program also involves an examination of everyday uses of very cold material, what happens to things in cold environments and there by products such as carbon dioxide.

1:30 PM | What Does a Scientist Look Like? – Loree Griffin Burns 
Drawing on the content of published books, Loree will explore our vision of a scientist. Her goal is to open young minds to the idea that scientists come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes and sexes (they’re not all men with wild Einstein hair!), work in a variety of locations (think outside the laboratory box!), and with a surprising variety of tools (plastic ducks, anyone?). By the end of the hour, students will realize they have all the tools they need to be scientists themselves.

BARTLETT CENTER, PRESENTATION ROOM

12:00 PM, 1:00 PM, and 2:00 PM | WGBH Presentation                                                                                                                                                    
Join WGBH Director of STEM Education Rachel Connolly for an exciting presentation on upcoming space events to explore with your family.  Rachel will cover what is gong on with the Earth’s moon, stars, planets, meteors and NASA events in the coming year.  Take home a Star Map and guide to encourage your family to look up at space!

FULLER LABS, LOWER PERRAULT THEATER

11:00 AM, 12:30 PM, and 2:00 PM | Dream Big: Engineering Our World – narrated by Jeff Bridges  

Dream Big: Engineering Our World will transform how you think about engineering. From the Great Wall of China and the world’s tallest buildings, to underwater robots, solar cars and smart, sustainable cities, Dream Big celebrates the human ingenuity behind engineering marvels big and small, and reveals the heart that drives engineers to create better lives for people around the world.