Explorer Day Workshops & Schedule
SheTech March 1, 2018
Explorer Day Schedule
Register now to get the classes you want. Registration is free. To register select two unique workshops and one TechZone from the three morning time slots, complete the info section, and submit your registration.
We’ll do our best to get you into the workshops you select. Just remember workshop placement in a class is not guaranteed, but no matter which workshop you attend – you will love it. Your workshop schedule will be provided to you at Explorer Day. And remember — grab your friends and get them to come with you.
Our cool workshops are listed below – take a look and choose a few favorites. All workshops are offered during all three session times, but will be hidden from view on the registration form if that section is already filled. So register now to get your top picks.
Bio & Med
Aquariums: Not Just For Fish!
Could you train a dragon, if you had one? Would you know how to even take care of one? Join the Loveland Living Planet Aquarium’s education team for some animal edu-tainment. Don’t expect to see fish, but be prepared for some other scaly, slimy and even furry critters to help us introduce you to the world of animal education. Join us for water quality tests, animal presentations, and even learn to train your classmates! Come explore, discover, and learn with us as we dive into the world of animal care, training, and education.
Sponsor: Loveland Living Planet Aquarium
Engineering Polymers for Medical Devices
Polymers are large molecules made of repeating subunits and make up many materials we use in everyday life. Polymers play a huge role in building life-saving medical devices used in medical procedures. It’s our job as engineers in the medical device field to create products that help people recover from illnesses and life healthy lives. Engineering the materials that make up medical devices is one way to create devices with optimal performance. This workshop will cover materials science and engineering and how engineers use these engineering fundamentals to create all kinds of devices. We will discuss polymers and how they can be engineered to exhibit specific properties, and then students will get to engineer their own polymer slime.
Sponsor: Merit Medical
Forensic Phlebotomy
Learn about phlebotomy and how it can be used in a forensic setting. Experience what it’s like to work as a phlebotomist, including the types of patients and situations you may encounter. Practice drawing blood from synthetic veins with professional phlebotomy equipment.
Sponsor: Women Tech Council
Nothing Fits Better Than a Perfect Pair of Genes
Have you ever wondered why your hair is straight or curly, or what makes your eyes blue or brown? It is your genes! Come and learn about genetics using zebrafish. Conduct an experiment to determine what genes zebrafish adults have by examining their offspring (babies). See the beating heart of a baby zebrafish and learn why zebrafish make excellent models for human development. Unleash your inner scientist!
Sponsor: BioEyes
Scientist for a day!
Here at Nelson Laboratories, we test medical devices. Everything from a band aid to an artificial heart—we test these products to show they are safe for us to use! Come learn about the microorganisms we look for, and a hands-on demonstration of how we test these devices. We will have lab coats for you to wear as you walk through a day at Nelson Laboratories.
Sponsor: Nelson Laboratories
Separation Science: What’s Really in That?
In this workshop we will review the principles behind chromatography – a technique used to separate the different components of a mixture. This method is used in many fields, including chemistry, pharmaceuticals, medicine, and food science. We will do a hands-on activity using chalk chromatography to investigate what goes into markers and food dyes.
Sponsor: Myriad Genetics
Coding
AI Conversation: Learn to Speak AI
Learn how to build a conversation flow for voice assistants.
Sponsor: Vivint
Candy Code
Come to this “sweet” workshop and learn how to encode your name in binary using candy. No programming knowledge required. We’ll make Smarties out of all of you!
Sponsor: Lucid
Computer Science Unplugged
“Computer Science is no more about computers than astronomy is about telescopes” – Michael R. Fellows, Ian Parberry (1993). Are you interested in games, puzzles, and running around? Learn the basic fundamentals of computer science without a computer. Join us and learn concepts without having any prior knowledge of programming. It’s the ideas that count!
Sponsor: Weber University EAST Program
Game Design: Program a Medieval Fireball Launcher
Learn how to program games using the game design software Unity3D and Javascript. Learn how to program: pickups, launching fireballs and creating an upgrade system. You will be able to download the Unity project files created in class to use in your own games.
Sponsor: Spyhop
Girl(code)
You live in a world surrounded by technology; wouldn’t it be great to learn how that technology works and how YOU can tell it what to do?! Join us for a fun and exciting session to learn how easy it is to write your own CODE! This session is HAND-ON, FUN and Exciting. Come learn how much fun it is when girls (code)!
Sponsor: MATC
Learning STEM Experience
Come explore several cool and interactive STEM tech demos including a laser alarm and writing code to display data on an OLED screen.
Sponsor: Because Learning
So, you want to be a hacker?
Computers are machines built by humans. They follow our commands and have zero emotions. But whenever it responds to me typing “Thank You” with “You’re Welcome”, I shiver. Come learn more about computer security, hacking and how to communicate with your computer the way hackers do in our favorite tv shows with: the Command Line. hackers do in our favorite tv shows with: the Command Line.
Sponsor: vSchool
Megamaterials
Can You Hear that Sound?
Sound is fundamental to everyday experience. Acoustics is the study and use of the properties of sound. It spans a wide range of disciplines and applications from studying the ultrasound of dolphins to modeling nonlinear jet engine noise, from studying vibrations of musical instruments to using ultrasound for drug targeting for fighting cancer. We shall explore properties of sound used in string and woodwind musical instruments and in some medical devices.
Sponsor: UVU
Chemistry in Action: We’re All about that Base (and Acid)
We will be discussing careers and applications of chemistry- how is chemistry applied to everyday life, what do chemists do and why choose chemistry? This is followed by a hands-on workshop that examines the acid/base chemistry of some every day materials. We will be delving into the definition and properties of acids and bases. What in our homes is acidic? Basic? And, how does this relate to our homes and our biochemistry?
Sponsor: UVU
Chemistry: The Science of Shampoos and Lotions
How are shampoos and lotions made? Come learn about what goes on behind the scenes in creating and producing your personal care and cosmetic products!
Sponsor: NuSkin
Diamonds are a Girl’s Best Friend: The Chemistry of Diamonds
Come learn about the amazing properties of diamonds, learn how we make diamonds and their many industrial and cosmetic uses. See gem diamonds of fancy pink, blue, green and purple. You may even walk away with your own diamond!
Sponsor: US Synethics
Drip, Drop, Dunk
Do you like playing with water? The students and professors in the BYU Fluids Group sure do, and we want to bring our world to you! Why can some animals run on water but we sink? Why does the water coming out of your shower head look like a smooth stream at first and then become little drops before it hits you in the face? And do you know how to keep an object completely dry, no matter how much water you throw at it? We do! Come and learn our watery secrets and explore some of them for yourself!
Sponsor: Brigham Young University
Engineering Wind Turbines
Wind power is an important resource with remarkable growth in Utah. Learn the basics of this renewable energy source and put your engineering skills to the test to create a model turbine. Test and adjust your model in groups to see whose turbine can generate the most electricity.
Sponsor:The National Energy Foundation
Exploring the wonderful, tasty world of Confectionery Science
Come learn how phase transitions in fat and sugar impact quality and development of popular confectionery items, from candy to chocolate. Come make crystals with us! Taste, feel, and see various confectionery products characteristics and unwrap their secrets using chemistry and physics principles. Learn about polymorphic structures, chocolate bloom, glass transitions, water activity and how sugar crystals and other ingredients play together to produce the vast number of confectionery products that we all love.
Sponsor: Sweet Candy
Powering Our Lives Today: How Natural Gas Works
Want to learn about how we heat our homes, drive vehicles, and even make plastic? In this workshop, we’ll learn about natural gas – what it is and why it’s important. Natural gas is a type of hydrocarbon (or fossil fuel) that was formed from the remains of prehistoric plants and animals over millions of years. We’ll work with you to develop an experiment to learn more about it!
Sponsor: Governor’s Office of Energy Development
Rapid Prototyping
How the Manufacturing Industry is using 3D printers to more efficiently and quickly prototype new products or services. We will go over the basics of 3D modeling, splicing, and how to set up an object to 3D print.
Sponsor: MATC
Robots
3-2-1 Blast Off
Soar to new heights in this rocket propulsion workshop. Learn how a rocket lifting off is an application of Newton’s Laws of Motion. Build your own rockets and see how high and how far you can go. Learn how variables such as fin shape and weight affect how high the rocket will fly.
Sponsor: Orbital ATK
Cardboard Robot Build
Students will use comparative anatomy and engineering skills to build a robotic hand. We will discuss adaptive equipment like 3d prosthetics. We will use simple machines and engineering design to build robotic limbs. This workshop will involve group collaboration and collaborative build challenges.
Sponsor: The Leonardo
Discover Your Future with Electrical Automation & Robotics Technology
Discover EART and what it can do for your future. Find out what is going on in Robotics & Automation. Learn how you can get involved in the expanding industry. Hands on material includes unipolar motor, robotic arms and fun.
Sponsor: UVU
DT Car Bots
You’ll enjoy a hands-on experience learning how to program the DT Car Bots to do a variety of things, including maneuvering through obstacles. By combining the right technology with the right people, Dealertrack DMS helps automotive dealerships achieve more. Come learn how technology can be amazing and fun!
Sponsor: Dealertrack
Intro to Rocket Science
Participate in this awesome hands-on workshop! We will learn about aerodynamics and flight. Build and test a paper rocket using an air compressed rocket launcher! Try for distance and accuracy. This workshop will give you the plans to build your own rocket launcher at home.
Sponsor: The Leonardo
Tech Up!
Adobe Spark: Storytelling for Mobile and Web
Come learn how to use this free online and mobile graphic design app. Easily create beautiful images, videos, and web pages that make you stand out on social.
Sponsor: Adobe
Adobe XD: Rapid Prototyping for User Interfaces
Design. Prototype. Experience. Go from concept to prototype faster using the all-in-one UX/UI solution used by professionals to design websites, mobile apps, and more.
Sponsor: Adobe
Animation Lip Sync
Do you love animation? Would you like to learn how to create a mouth rig for lip syncs? In this session, you will learn how to sync lip movements in the industry standard software Adobe After Effects. Lip sync is an important aspect of animation with many career paths beyond cartoons in the corporate realm, like making animation how-to videos and motion graphics.
Sponsor: Spyhop
Cybersecurity
Silicon Slopes Here We Come! Dr. Shalini Kesar and her undergraduate students (Z. Christensen and J. Porter) will create an interactive experience to teach different aspects of security including safe practices when using the Internet.
Sponsor: SUU
Decisions and Gaming with Qualtrics
All of us have to make choices, and an essential part of decision making is gathering information about the options in front of you. As you’re well aware, technology today provides a LOT of information at our fingertips. How do you know what sources to rely on? How do you process and make a decision from so much data? In this workshop we’ll learn about using surveys to better understand a certain question as well as how to analyze the answers you receive in mass. In the process, you’ll learn how to build a game using Qualtrics!
Sponsor: Qualtrics
Hello My Name is…
They say getting a job is all about who you know. Yes, you still have to know your stuff, but getting to know people in your field will provide more opportunities. Building connections in your industry will not only help you learn more about the path you want to pursue but you will also open doors to your desired future. Come to this workshop to learn how to identify key players in your industry, how to reach out, and how to build a real connection.
Sponsor: Pluralsight
Math+Origami: The Odds are Always in Favor of Fun
Do you like to get “dirty” with Origami and coloring? Then attend this hands-on Oragami workshop and learn how to use math to make an amazing 3-colored dedecahedron origami Buckyball! While you are making your Buckyball, you’ll learn about planar graphs, Hamiltonian circuits, and 3-edge coloring. Impress your friends with your Buckyball and the math behind it!
Sponsor: UVU
Pick Your Place in Technology
Did you know that working in technology is not just coding? You don’t have to be a scientist or mathematician, you just have to be creative with the drive to get things done. Let us show you all the different roles you can play in the tech industry that help bring technology to the masses. From DNA research to predictive forecasting to owning the executive track, you’ll see why we love the tech industry and why we know there is a place for you! This is a fun, interactive session to prepare you for the diversity of roles available to you in technology.
Sponsor: Ancestry
The Latest In Tech Gadgets
Get to play with and demo new technology that is available, affordable and fun. Dr. Alex Lawrence from Weber State University will showcase some of the latest retail gadgets available.
Sponsor: Weber University EAST
Turn Your Cellphone Into a 3D Hologram Projector
Learn about holography and the application of 3D image technology in science, education, and industry. We will talk about potential career paths and the types of companies innovating in this space. Following a short video, each participant will build a 3D projector that they can use with their cellphone to play a “hologram ready” video. Additional DIY projects ideas for doing science using a cellphone will be presented along with a challenge to try and teach these ideas within their community.
Sponsor: Veracity
Using Eye-Tracking Tools to Measure and Improve User Experience Design
When creating websites, we need to try to make it easy for users to find what they are looking for. Eye-tracking tools can be used along with other tools of user experience design to track how users are actually using the website. We can improve the design based on these results.
Sponsor: BYU
What the Internet Knows about You: Your Personal Information and Safety
The amount of information we willingly and unknowingly provide online is amazing. From online marketers to untrusted friends, we need to be aware how easy it is to find out information about ourselves that we think is private. Both a show and tell on what types of data can be found, and a best practices seminar.
Sponsor: UTOS
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Click Here for a printable PDF of the workshop descriptions