Tag Archives: STEAM

Swiftie Science!

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ARE YOU READY FOR IT? As you might recall from our recent sneak peek, we joined forces with our friends at Science Outreach at Princeton University and the Department of Chemistry to host a fantastic celebration of science and the lyrics, visuals, and overall awesomeness of Taylor Swift! The crowds were enchanted, bejeweled, and the alchemy exceeded our wildest dreams! How did we mastermind this event? Dear reader, it was a wonderland!

The event was divided into two parts: 1) hands-on activity tables; and 2) an auditorium show. Part one featured five hands-on demonstration tables that uniquely represented a Swift song. This part of the event was led by the amazing Paryn Wallace, Associate Director of Science Outreach, and a talented team of Princeton University undergraduate and graduate student volunteers from Science Outreach at Princeton University.

Front row, left to right: Davis Hobley, Adrija Kundu, Meghana Bhupait, Paryn Wallace, Maddie Bland. Back row: Back row, left to right: Amalia Nevarez, Mell Aguiar, Aryan Gupta, Kennedy Casey, Zaighum Nagra, Jeffrey Asiedu-Brako, Emma Petzold, Ash Reddy

At the “Shake it Off” table, kids could learn about non-Newtonian fluids by examining the curious properties of oobleck as it danced on top of speakers blasting Swift’s music. Nearby was the “Clean” table, where budding scientists could determine the pH levels of various water samples (tap, bottled, rain, etc.) using litmus paper. At the “Blank Space” table, kids learned about chemical reactions as they revealed lemon juice invisible ink messages with a heat source.

One of my favorite tables, however, was “All Too Well.” This classic song is all about memories, so the table featured Nitinol wire. Because of its unique atomic structure, Nitinol wire can “remember” its original shape during temperature changes. It’s pretty astounding to watch. The final hands-on table was “Mastermind,” where we literally brought Taylor’s song lyrics to life as chain reactions of “dominos cascaded in a line.”

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Once the tables were thoroughly explored, it was time for part two, the auditorium show (which was, ironically, held in the Taylor auditorium inside the Frick Chemistry Building)! The show was led by the extraordinary Angie Miller, Lecture Demonstrator in Princeton University’s Department of Chemistry.

Angie had the task of pairing Swiftie concepts with principals of science, so in preparation for the show, Katie and I steered Angie to what we believe to be Taylor’s most science-y music video, “ME!” Here, Taylor cavorts with cats, clouds, rainbow prisms, and colorful foam.

So Angie talked extensively about the scientific method while bursting hydrogen balloons, making nitrogen clouds, and testing audience predictions of marshmallow cat behaviors in vacuum chambers. Angie invited the young scientists to gaze at line spectra of various gases, created colored fireballs with metal salts and a Bunsen burner, and…in a grand finale…played the “ME!” video for the crowd on the big screen while coordinating larger versions of the previous demos, capping everything off with a six beaker rainbow deluxe version of elephant toothpaste!

Peppered throughout the show were audience trivia questions for friendship bracelet prizes. Before the marshmallow cat demo, for example, I asked the audience if someone could name Taylor’s three cats. They sure could! First names AND last names (though I was secretly waiting to hear someone shout “Dibbles!”).

The auditorium show’s crescendo was the “ME!” video, but we had one more fantastic surprise in store for the crowds that day…a cameo appearance by Taylor!

Well, that’s not ACTUALLY Taylor Swift. It’s Princeton University sophomore Margo Mattes! A Politics major and massive Swiftie, Margo gamely volunteered to play Tay and take photos with the kids. She was so utterly fantastic, we can’t thank her enough for giving her time and exuberance to this event!

As the happy crowd exited the building, we handed out friendship bracelet kits made out of UV beads. These plain beads react with sunlight and change to rainbow colors. Just a little extra TS science to take home!

I can’t even begin to express my gratitude and appreciation to everyone who made this event possible. Thank you to the students from Science Outreach at Princeton for your ideas, boundless energy, and time. Margo Mattes, thank you for bringing your sweet brilliance and enthusiasm as Miss Americana. And a massive shout out to event masterminds Paryn Wallace and Angie Miller. You were so game to try this, and Katie and I absolutely loved working with you!

From left to right: Paryn Wallace, Dana Sheridan, Katie Zondlo, Angie Miller

Event images courtesy of Daniel Wang 

Sneak Peek: Swiftie Science

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We’ve been dropping Easter eggs both big and small, but now we’re going to finally come out and say it: Katie and I are major Swifties. And we’re so excited to announce a major Taylor Swift event coming up this weekend!

Along with our friends at Science Outreach at Princeton University and the Department of Chemistry, we’re celebrating everything science and everything Taylor as we pair her lyrics and visuals with scientific principles and dynamic demos. Nice!

Which brings me to this lovely marshmallow cat.

During one part of the event, we’ll be demonstrating the effects vacuum pressure on marshmallows. But we couldn’t resist a Tay tie in by transforming the mallow into a cat! Katie spotted the original recipe here at The Decorated Cookie. And yes, Katie and her family did see the Eras Tour, night 3 in New Jersey:

Pssst! For you eagle-eyed Swifties, did you also spot a very special house in this post?

R is for Rhino Reader

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Grab a book, cuddle up, and let the reading begin! This is Rey the Rhino Reader, an original robotics project designed and programmed by Princeton University graduate Aneekah Uddin. Rey was part of a larger “Art & Robotics” exhibit on campus last spring.

As you can see from the set up below, Rey wears a camera on his head, which is in turn connected to a laptop. When you place a book in front of Rey’s nose, the program will scan the page and read the book aloud to you! Flip the page, and the story continues at your pace.

While the concept appears very simple, it turns out that programming a robot to read can get rather…complicated. I caught up with Aneekah to ask about her inspirations for this adorable project.

Hi Aneekah! Tell us a little about yourself!

Hi! I was born and raised in Montclair, NJ, and I recently graduated from Princeton (Class of 2024) with a degree in Computer Science and Theater. I love exploring new places, performing arts, and crafting—particularly metalworking and upcycling clothes. One of my favorite childhood book series was Cam Jansen!

How did this project begin?

In my final semester at Princeton, I participated in an Independent Work Seminar titled “Reimagining Robotics Through Art,” taught by Professor Radhika Nagpal. At the beginning of the semester, we explored how the origins of robotics have been influenced by colonialist and patriarchal frameworks, as highlighted by Professor Ruha Benjamin in her book “Race After Technology.” Inspired by these discussions, Professor Nagpal encouraged us to reimagine a future of robotics that challenges these frameworks by centering arts and creativity. As an actress, scriptwriter, and dancer, storytelling is fundamental to my understanding of art. For my project, I aimed to create something both functional and subversive of colonialist and patriarchal norms, while celebrating my love for storytelling. This led to the creation of Rhino Reader!

Tell us a little bit about your philosophy on early literacy for kids!

Eighty-two percent of students eligible for free or reduced lunches do not read at or above proficient levels by fourth grade. I was among the fortunate 18 percent who did, thanks largely to my upbringing. My mother instilled in me the importance of reading from an early age. She read to me daily and, as I grew older, helped me practice reading, sounding out words, and tackling more challenging books. Her dedication was instrumental in my development of English skills and my eventual acceptance into a leading university. However, not every child has the privilege of having a parent who can read, who has time to spend, or who has access to resources. Studies have shown that this kind of support can significantly transform a child’s trajectory. All children should have access to the opportunities and resources they need to develop strong literacy skills from a young age.

What was the most difficult or unexpected part of this venture?

Reading children’s books is challenging! It’s even more difficult for a robot because there’s often no clear “order” to the text. Words can be arranged across pages in unconventional shapes, various fonts, and conflicting orientations. Distinguishing between line breaks and sentence endings isn’t always straightforward, and there’s the added complexity of onomatopoeia. For a robot, learning to read a children’s book is a significantly harder task than understanding a legal contract or research paper.

If you were a kid again, what book would you like the rhino to read to you and why?

Elephant and Piggy! These Mo Willems books are among my favorites, and I spent countless hours reading them to my younger siblings, who are five and six years younger than me. They hold a special place in my heart.