STEM Works and Kasey Schuster
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
The Leonardo is launching its STEM Works program with a public appearance at the swanky award ceremony for the Governor's Medal for Science and Technology on Jan. 5. This collection of interactive, hands-on exhibits gives young people and adults a glimpse into the world of biotechnology. As part of the STEM Works initiatives, The Leonardo is producing several short bios of biotech industry folks. Kasey Schuster is the first of these, so here's your sneak preview at one part of STEM Works!
As Utah’s biotechnology resource coordinator, Kasey works with students and teachers at high schools with biotech programs to provide them with the equipment and information they need. Kasey traces his interest in the field to middle school when he decided to take honors science so he could learn dissection. As a member of Utah Valley University's first graduating class of biotechnology students, Kasey balanced school work with lab jobs at Salt Lake Community College and the Jordan Applied Technology Center. Since then, he has helped open two labs at Itineris Early College High School and five others at SLCC.
But he's not all lab work. Kasey has a black belt from the United Studios of Self Defense and a Gold Palm Eagle from the Boy Scouts of America. Outside of work Kasey enjoys camping, riding ATVs, international traveling, scuba diving, and volunteering for Habitat for Humanity.
We hope you enjoyed meeting Kasey, and stay tuned for more information about our STEM Works programs. You can also email Mary Anter for information about free, public events near you soon. (Hint: we already have some of them posted on our online calendar!)
Become a fan of The Leonardo on Facebook or follow us on Twitter!
Become a fan of The Leonardo on Facebook or follow us on Twitter!
EVE
Friday, December 18, 2009
Blog entry by Ambrea Kuhn, The Leonardo's Intern
Highlights include a battle of the tribute bands, with echoes of The Beatles, Nirvana, and KISS. And "eBay It Forward" allows folks to re-gift items to charity. The gifts, along with the story of why the item was important to you, will be collected at the Gateway, and proceeds will be donated to Family Promise, a program that assists homeless families.
EVE organizers have mapped out alternate transportation to the festival, spots to stay the night, and multiple ways to buy tickets. And Salt Lake City will still ring in 2010 the old-fashioned way -- with a giant fireworks display at Gallivan Center. See you there!
Become a fan of The Leonardo on Facebook or follow us on Twitter!
EVE organizers have mapped out alternate transportation to the festival, spots to stay the night, and multiple ways to buy tickets. And Salt Lake City will still ring in 2010 the old-fashioned way -- with a giant fireworks display at Gallivan Center. See you there!
Become a fan of The Leonardo on Facebook or follow us on Twitter!
Cashing in on Green (Energy)!
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Blog entry by Ambrea Kuhn, The Leonardo's Fall 2009 Intern
Bob Barson, executive director at the Center for Active Sensing and Imaging at Utah State University, showed us how CASI uses new technologies to improve wind energies, including pinpointing the best spots for new wind turbines. Nathan Furr, from the business management department at Brigham Young University, discussed the importance of an entrepreneurial spirit in energy innovation. Kent Udell from the University of Utah talked about using heat banking to store our currently bitter cold weather to air condition buildings on hot summer days (and storing heat from those 105-degree days to comfort us in this 9-degree weather!).
A 10-minute presentation from each speaker sprinkled with questions from the audience and some friendly moderation from the Salt Lake Tribune's Kirsten Stewart made for a successful and lively evening where audience members got to participate in the discussion about what will make Utah a better innovation center in green energy. Stay tuned for details about our next Leonardo After Hours, which will be March 9.
Labels: energy, events, Leo, sustainability, technology, USTAR, video
American Fork Junior High
Monday, December 7, 2009
Blog entry by Ian McClintick from The Leo on Wheels staff
Martin Hansen discovered Hansen Cave in 1887 as he was tracking a cougar up Timpanogos Mountain. In the fall of 1921, George Heber Hansen and Wayne E. Hansen were hunting deer when they spotted a hole in the ground. The two returned a few days later with their grandfather, Martin Hansen. Martin Hansen, who's credited with actually discovering Timpanogos Cave, was also the first person to enter Middle Cave.
When Middle Cave and Timpanogos Cave were discovered government protection was in place, which has helped keep them in fairly good condition. Hansen Cave, however, is not a protected site and has been a target of vandalism over the years. Like the vast majority of caves, the caves in American Fork formed in Carbonate (i.e. Limestone, Dolomite). Over millions of years, carbonic acid, a weak acid, formed by water and carbon dioxide reacting with each other, slowly dissolves the carbonate, creating the caves.
A. ǝuoʇsʍolɟ B. sǝʇıʇɔılǝɥ C. uoɔɐq-ǝʌɐɔ
The carbonate dissolves in water. As the water flows through the cave the carbonate precipitates, or condenses back into a solid. The carbonate deposits form the unique structures we see in caves. Among the structures in the American Fork Caves are cave bacon, helictites, and flowstone. The pictures seen above are not from the American Fork cave but they are still very similar. See if you can name the structures correctly just by their pictures.
Labels: education, Leo, locals, The Leo on Wheels
Building Renovations: Phase 1
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Blog entry by Ambrea Kuhn, The Leonardo's Fall 2009 Intern
The Leonardo building renovations are well underway! Last week I was able to check out the progress that has already been made. The renovations started in October with asbestos removal.
Worker exiting sectioned off area.
Loading the huge truck with bags of asbestos.
Our favorite part of the renovations is the bright orange carpet is gone!
Here's a short video detailing what will be upgraded .
After the asbestos removal is finished seismic upgrades will begin. Next, they'll upgrade some of the building's systems and other general improvements. After that, The Leonardo will move in to install our exhibits. All of that will wrap up just in time for opening day-- April, 15 2011, which also happens to be Leonardo da Vinci's 557th birthday.
Labels: Leo, renovation, sustainability, video
The Leo Social Network