CSEF Logo

 

Colorado State Science Fair, Inc.
Tours

2008 Tour Offerings

The Colorado Science and Engineering Fair is happy to offer a wide range of tours and presentations for finalist and their teachers and parents to participate in on Friday, April 11th. Due to the limited number of tour spots available, finalists will only be allowed to pre-order 3 tickets per tour. The following are the tours that are currently available (Please note that the tour code needed on the registration form is under the description and bulleted.). A copy of this information can be printed from Adobe Acrobat by clicking on the "2008 Tour Offerings" heading above. Registration instructions can be found at the bottom of this page. To avoid scheduling conflicts, do not sign up for more than one morning tour/presentation and one afternoon tour/presentation.

CSU Anatomy/Physiology Lab Facilities

Get a close-up view of a human heart, liver, lung and other such internal organs. Mark Frasier, lab instructor for gross anatomy labs at CSU, will introduce participants to the study of anatomy through a general tour of the lab facility and a demonstration using isolated human organs will be included for all tours. Viewing of the thoracic and abdominal regions of a cadaver will only be available during the morning tour, which is limited to adults and Senior Division Finalists. The cost for this tour is $1.00 per person and is limited to 30 people per tour.

National Center for Genetic Resources Preservation

The National Center for Genetic Resources Preservation conserves genetic resources of crops and animals important to US agriculture and landscapes. In addition to being a seed bank, NCGRP is a repository for animal genetic resources in the form of semen and plant genetic resources in the form of graftable buds or in vitro plantlets. This tour includes a look at the plant genetic resources preservation program, the plant germplasm preservation research unit and the national animal germplasm program. The cost for this tour is $1.00 per person and is limited to 15 people per tour. Please note that these tours may be canceled at the last moment if the national security alert is higher than Yellow.

CSU College of Engineering

Discover the excitement and creativity of an engineering career by visiting with engineering students at Colorado State University. CSU engineering students will demonstrate a multitude of projects that they have designed and created. Discover what it takes to compete at a national level in engineering. Participants will have a chance to see the walking machine, steel bridge, concrete canoe, human powered vehicle, formula SAE car, 3-D computer simulations and much more. The cost for this tour is $1.00 per person and is limited to 40 people.

CSU Department of Physics

Come and learn about some exciting programs in the Physics Department! We will meet and work with the Little Shop of Physics - a science outreach program that visits nearly 50 schools each year, and over 15,000 kids! We will then tour a research lab where new techniques for cooling atoms to near absolute zero are being discovered. Lastly, we will visit a particular physics research lab aiding in the research for nature's most elusive particle the neutrino! The cost for this tour is $1.00 per person and is limited to 10 people.

 

So You Want to be a Forensic Scientist

The presentation will include a discussion of what Forensic Scientists do including the Forensic Science Disciplines. A wide variety of actual case presentations will be presented that will be shown to spark the interest of future Forensic Scientists. The cost for this presentation is $1.00 per person and is limited to 30 people.

Anatomy in Clay

Come join us for this 1 hour workshop and discover how teaching students hands-on to build body systems in clay can improve their understanding of anatomy, develop their critical thinking skills, and produce higher test scores. Learn results of recent university research which contasts creative kinesthetic teaching with traditional lectures, labs, note-taking, and memorizations. Enjoy the experience of using mankind's newest technology and oldest resource- the human hand and clay. "The mind cannot foret what the hands have learned".The cost for this presentation is $1.00 per person and is limited to 16 people.

CSU Geologic History of the Front Range

One of the principle objectives of many geologic studies is the reconstruction of the geologic history of areas that contain economic resources. The Colorado Front Range Area contains rocks ranging in age from Precambrian (1.7 billion years ago) to Holocene (10,000 years ago) and valuable resources are contained within them. These resources include diamonds, building and landscape stones, ingredients for the production of Portland cement, oil and natural gas, coal, groundwater, and sand and gravel. Join Dr. Frank Ethridge, Professor Emeritus in Geology at Colorado State University in learning how geologists reconstruct the past, using maps, rocks, fossils, and slides. The cost for this tour is $1.00 per person and is limited to 20 people.

What secrets can be revealed when we apply the power of resolution? Participants will learn how the transmission electron microscope and the scanning electron microscope work; plus they will get an up-close glimpse of the microscopic world around us and within us. The cost for this tour is $1.00 per person and is limited to 12 people.

 

Center for Science, Mathematics& Technology Education - Energy and the Environment

Our way of life and high standard of living is dependent of the ways in which we produce and consume energy. In the US we get more than 85% of our energy from the combustion of fossil fuels. Coal is used to produce 60% of our nation's electrical power; natural gas accounts for about 25% of our energy use and we use about 10 million barrels of oil every day. The burning of hydrocarbons has some severe environmental consequences, including the formation of carbon dioxide, waste heat, soot, nitrogen oxides and sulfur oxides. These air pollutants lead to global warming, acid deposition, and degraded air and water environments. In this presentation, we will carry out a series of hands-on experiments to explore the chemistry, biology, geology and natural science aspects of fossil fuel combustions presented by Dr. Stephen Thompson. The cost for this presentation is $1.00 per person and is limited to 25 people.

CSU Entomology

The vast majority of Earth's different kinds of organisms are insects and their relatives, the arthropods. Generally, humans do not like living with most of these little creatures, but cannot live without them. These tiny organisms keep the green plants going, are the ultimate garbage disposals, and serve as food for at least 40% of all other animals. Yet, these same insects and arthropods can cause more misery and harm to humans than anything else including wars, famines, and natural disasters. Participants should come prepared to "Look, Listen and Touch" living insects such as hissing cockroaches, tarantulas, giant millipedes and other arthropods. The cost for this presentation is $1.00 per person and is limited to 30 people.

When in Rome...With Greenhouses

The University Greenhouse was completed in spring of 2000. It is a 32,000 square foot state-of-the-art facility that features total contaminate floors for recycling of water and nutrients, in floor radiant heating, polycarbonate glazing, computer coordinated environmental controls, shade cloth/heat retention blankets, redundant back-up utilities and rolling metal benches. This tour will help you explore this facility and give an overview of greenhouse history, the evolution to present technology, and a look into the future. The cost for this tour is $1.00 per person and is limited to 30 people.

National Renewable Energy Laboratory

Senior Division: Students will get an introduction to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, as well as current areas of research in transportation fuels. Students will learn about the process of transesterification, which is the reaction the produces biodiesel. Students will also go through the steps of making their own biodiesel. The cost for this presentation is $1.00 per person and is limited to 25 people.

Junior Division: Students will get an introduction to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, as well as current areas of research in transportation fuels. Students will learn about the process of fermentation, which is the process that produces ethanol. Students will also go through the steps to make their own ethanol. The cost for this presentation is $1.00 per person and is limited to 25 people.

CSU Department of Chemistry


Junior Division Finalists - Grab your chemistry kit and your super sleuth savvy, we are off to Las Vegas where Britney Spears has had her stage costumes stolen just prior to her latest show. Using basic chemistry concepts, participants will test each of the pieces of evidence that were found at the "crime scene" to determine which suspect (Martha Stewart, Kobe Bryant, Winona Ryder, Kid Rock, Keanu Reeves, or Al Pacino) committed the crime. By solving the mystery, participants will learn three different methods to test whether a substance is an acid or a base, the properties of powders and gases that allow them to be individually identified and ink chromatography. The cost for this presentation is $1.00 per person and is limited to 24 people.

Senior Division Finalists - The Super Science Show offered by the CSU Chem Club combines fun and learning in a series of interesting activities. Participants will be able to set off fireworks in a dish, make color changes occur with only their own breath, pour a rainbow out of a pitcher, make crystals instantly, make a chemical reaction that glows in the dark, freeze racquetballs, bananas, flowers, hot dogs balloons and marshmallows with liquid nitrogen, change the color of their writing, and some other fabulous hands on chemistry experiments. The cost for this presentation is $1.00 per person and is limited to 24 people.

CSU Department of Civil Engineering

Explore the Department of Civil Engineering on a student-guided tour. Participants will visit laboratories where students and faculty work together, learning about and researching the infrastructure that people use every day - the roads we drive on; the houses and buildings we live and work in; the streams, rivers, and lakes that we play in and that supply us with our most valuable natural resources; and the structures that take that water and bring it into our houses. This tour will give participants a feel for the spaces and resources that Civil Engineering students use on a day-to-day basis and a chance to talk with current students about their experiences studying Civil Engineering at Colorado State University. This tour is limited to Senior Division Finalists only. The cost for this tour is $1.00 per person and is limited to 15 people.

CSU Rhizosphere Biology

The rhizosphere is a densely populated area in which plant roots co-exist and interact with other plants, microbes, invertebrates and the soil. These interactions are biologically relevant and largely controlled by chemical and biochemical processes. For example, plant roots, long thought to be passive organs designed to anchor the plant and absorb water and nutrients, are now known to be actively involved in controlling their environment. Through the secretion of various chemicals, known as root exudates, they repel pathogens, attract beneficial microbes, and even poison the soil for other plants. The newly established Center for Rhizosphere Biology is focused on these exudates in order to develop new antibiotics, anti-cancer drugs, and biofriendly pesticides and to enhance our understanding of the little-known interactions between plants, bacteria and microbes beneath the soil. Participants will get a chance to learn about Rhizosphere Biology and the types of research that is going on in this are and, view the types of instruments and methods used for plant growth, collection of root secreting phytochemicals and analysis. The cost for this tour is $1.00 per person and is limited to 15 people per tour.

CSU Introduction to Veterinary Medicine

This presentation introduces the Professional Veterinary Medicine Program (i.e. the Veterinary School) at Colorado State University. It starts out with an introduction to careers available in veterinary medicine and moves on to the criteria for admission to the program in veterinary medicine. This is followed by a presentation on some things that a veterinarian might see in a practice. Finally, participants will tour the facilities involved in teaching the first year students in the Professional Veterinary Medicine Program. The cost for this tour is $1.00 per person and is limited to 35 people per tour.

Science and Engineering in Medical Device Technology

Many advances in medicine and medical treatments are based on fundamental scientific research, encompassing physics, chemistry, and biology. Many doctors are involved in the development and innovation or invention of medical devices, along with their responsibilities as physicians. Scientists and Engineers in our company routinely work with doctors to identify improvements to existing technologies and improve patient care. The cost for this presentation is $1.00 per person and is limited to 30 people per tour.

CSU Department of Microbiology, Immunology & Pathology
Medical Mysteries

Are you interested in learning about how microbiologists determine the identity of the bacteria that cause disease? If so, join the "Medical Mystery Tour" in the department of microbiology. Senior Microbiology students at Colorado State University will lead participants through 3 case studies where they will perform hands-on tests to determine the identity of the bacteria responsible for each of the patient's diseases. The cost for this tour is $1.00 per person and is limited to 18 people per tour.

Tour Registration

All tours will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis. You may pre-order your choice of tour(s) by faxing the registration form to 970-491-2005. Pre-ordering will begin on March 17th and continue until April 1st. I regret that we do not have the staff nor the time to contact you when we receive your registrations. If you have a concern, please send an e-mail and we can then look into it. After April 1st, you may register at the CSEF Tour Booth (Room 213/215 Lory Student Center) on Thursday, April 10th, between 8:30 and 11:00 AM. A minimum of 10 guests is required for a tour to operate. Finalists will only be allowed to pre-order 3 tickets per tour.

Pick-Up and Payment

Payment is expected at the time of pick-up of the tour tickets. Pre-ordered tickets can be picked up at the CSEF Tour Booth (213/215 Lory Student Center) on Thursday, April 10th between 8:30 and 11:00 AM. Tickets not picked up by this time will be opened for re-sale at the CSEF Headquarters booth (outside of the main ballrooms) from 12 Noon to 2 PM on Thursday, April 10th.

***To pickup tour tickets, you must have the student Finalist's project number.***

Standby Lists

If a tour sells out, a registered Finalist may obtain a numbered standby ticket on Thursday, April 10th at the CSEF Tour Booth. Note that a standby ticket does not guarantee the participant a spot on the tour; standby tickets will be used only in the event that someone registered for the tour does not show up. Payment for the standby ticket will not be collected until the person holding the standby ticket is allowed to join the tour by the tour guide.

Cancellation and Refunds

No refunds will be made for tour tickets unless a tour is canceled. If you have purchased a ticket and cannot go on that tour, then you may sell the ticket to another registered party.

Tour Departures

All tours will depart from (presentations will begin in) the designated room at the time indicated on the ticket. It is suggested that you arrive at the meeting room 15 minutes before the departure/begin time. Standby ticket holders will be allowed to join the tour if regular ticket holders are not accounted for 3 minutes before departure/begin times.

Copyright Colorado State Science Fair, Inc. All rights reserved.
Last modified 3/3/08