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Discovering the wonders of science, engineering

Lab cosponsors workshop

Quinn Fatherley, left, of Engineering Stockpile Assurance (ESA-ESA) demonstrates the magic and mystery of an internal combustion automobile engine as Aspen Elementary students, Dustin, far right, Cameron, center and Zoe Tauxe and their mom Katie look on. The Discover "E" event was co-sponsored by the Community Relations (CRO) Office at the Los Alamos High School cafeteria. Fatherley was one of several Laboratory employees who volunteered their time to share their knowledge and experiences with students, teachers and parents as part of National Engineers Week, Feb. 20 through 26. Other event sponsors included the Los Alamos Chapter of the American Society for Metals and ASME International. Inset photo: A computer animation along with handouts of the parts and function of an internal combustion engine were available for participants to view and take home. More than 300 youth and adults participated in the event.

Young Discover "E" participants try their hand at turning pennies from copper into silver colored zinc plated pennies as Jennifer Lillard of Materials Technology: Metallurgy (MST-6) guides them through the process. Lillard explained the processes involved in the activity and provided participants with the raw materials needed to complete the task. The Lab-sponsored Discover "E" event included several other hands on fun science and engineering related activities as well as free pizza and refreshments for all the attendees.

One young participant pulls his freshly plated zinc penny out of a solution of electrically charged vinegar, sugar, epson salt and dissolved zinc used to change the penny from copper colored to silver. To make your own zinc-plated penny, click here (Adobe Acrobat Reader required). Photos by Ed Vigil, Public Affairs

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