ESP Biography

It's a bad day if your phone screen cracks, but it's something else entirely if your airplane falls out of the sky. Learn about the science and engineering behind materials failures in history through demonstrations and hands-on experiments. Emphasis on HANDS-ON demonstrations, not a boring lecture! We'll experience first-hand how liquid metals can catastrophically destroy structural materials in applications like space exploration and aerospace. We'll explore how many materials can change dramatically with changes in structure, temperature, and other conditions. You'll walk away from this class with greater knowledge of the atomic structure of materials and a deeper appreciation for the diverse properties of the materials that surround our everyday life.

Origami (折り紙?, from ori meaning "folding", and kami meaning "paper") is the art of paper folding, which is often associated with Japanese culture. In modern usage, the word "origami" is used as an inclusive term for all folding practices, regardless of their culture of origin. The goal is to transform a flat sheet square of paper into a finished sculpture through folding and sculpting techniques. Modern origami practitioners generally discourage the use of cuts, glue, or markings on the paper.

Chemistry is exciting and it happens all around us every day. In this class we will talk about the states of matter, a little about polymers (like plastics), and really anything else that gives us a chance to do cool demos for you all! You may get a chance to make a souvenir to take home, too. You'll just have to come and find out!

Can we unlock the mystery behind Mentos and Soda? Why does it expload? Several Stanford student "professors" each have a different idea about the cause of the newly discovered Mentos reaction. Each professor will recruit a small group of you to join the professor in investigating a hypothesis. You will do experiments to test the hypothesis, then present your findings to the other groups. What will we discover? Wear sunscreen/ hat; we will be outside.

Chemistry is exciting and it happens all around us every day. In this class we will talk about the states of matter, a little about polymers (like plastics), and really anything else that gives us a chance to do cool demos for you all! You may get a chance to make a souvenir to take home, too. You'll just have to come and find out!