SIU tent features exhibitions, demonstrations

July 28, 2006

SIU tent features exhibitions, demonstrations

by Sun Min

CARBONDALE, Ill. -- While you're enjoying a hand-dipped corn dog and freshly made funnel cake, come catch the exhibits and demonstrations that will fill the Southern Illinois University tent during the Illinois State Fair in Springfield, Aug. 11-20.

The tent will be open daily from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Exhibitors and demonstrations take place daily 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Representatives from the Carbondale and Edwardsville campuses will be available to answer questions, and hand out brochures and other giveaways.

SIU Carbondale has another in the popular series of Saluki "dawg" fans to keep fair-goers cool. In addition, visitors to the SIU Carbondale tent can enter to win an Apple iPod, Saluki dog statue, autographed Saluki football and basketball.

Visitors can expect the tent to be bustling with activity throughout the fair's 10-day run. From a robotics demonstration by electronic systems technologies instructors to free blood pressure screenings by SIU medical school staff, representatives of the University's various colleges and programs will entertain and enlighten crowds.

On Saturday, Aug. 12, SIUC Day at Campus Town will feature the University's eight colleges, two professional schools (law and medicine), housing, admissions, graduate schools, student health and Morris Library.

SIUC Day at Campus Town offers fun activities for the entire family. Children can climb into a flight simulator thanks to the aviation department. "Dawgzooka," the creation of the electronic systems technologies program, will shoot free Saluki T-shirts into the air and the College of Engineering will display a hovercraft created by students, to name a few.

The schedule of activities in the SIUC tent at the Illinois State Fair in Springfield follows:

Friday, Aug. 11

TRANSPORTATON DAY

Transportation day will feature representatives of SIUC's top-ranked aviation and automotive programs, both part of the College of Applied Sciences and Arts. Aviation department chairman David A. NewMyer will address inquiries and model aircrafts will be on display. The automotive exhibit will include engines and model cars, along with detailed information on the academic program.

Saturday, Aug. 12

SIUC DAY AT CAMPUS TOWN, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.

• Representatives of the University's eight colleges, two professional schools (law and medicine), housing, admissions, graduate schools, student health and Morris Library will be available with plenty of answers as well as brochures.
• The College of Engineering will display a hovercraft created by students.
• Young visitors to Campus Town will be able to climb into a Boeing/Mesa flight simulator designed for children (kindergarten-fourth grade), thanks to the aviation department.
• The automotive technology department will have a cutaway of an engine for viewing.
• Representatives of the linguistics department will have a voice analysis system for use.
• Education students will offer face painting.
• Agriculture students will have a scale-pulling tractor.
• Science students will have fossils on hand.
• The School of Music will provide classical guitar performances for entertainment.
• The College of Mass Communication and Media Arts will have a video "green screen" setup so people can see themselves on television or on the cover of the Daily Egyptian student newspaper.
• Back by popular demand, "Dawgzooka," the creation of the electronic systems technologies program, will shoot free Saluki T-shirts into the air.

Sunday, Aug. 13

ROBOTICS DAY

Martin Hebel, assistant professor of electronic systems technologies, will demonstrate programmable and remote control robots. He will also fire free Saluki T-shirts into the crowd with "Dawgzooka."

Monday, Aug. 14

COLLEGE OF APPLIED SCIENCES AND ARTS RECRUITMENT DAY

Representatives of the College of Applied Sciences and Arts will be on hand to answer questions and distribute literature.

Tuesday, Aug. 15

AGRICULTURE DAY

The College of Agricultural Sciences will have an expert standing by to answer all of your agriculture-related questions. Representatives of the turf management program will have a grass exhibit on which you will be able to "putt for a prize." Also, representatives of the food and nutrition program will tout the virtues of soy products, giving away soy snacks.

Thursday, Aug. 17

WELLNESS DAY FEATURING SIU SCHOOL OF MEDICINE AND PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT PROGRAM

Wellness Day will feature faculty, staff and students from SIU medical school and the physician assistant program. They will offer free blood pressure and pulse screenings. They will discuss nutrition, cholesterol, diabetes and obesity. There will also be patient education materials.

Friday, Aug. 18

BUCKY BALL DAY

Jon D. Davey, architecture professor in the College of Applied Sciences and Arts, will help children build "Bucky Balls," small geodesic structures that they can take home.

Saturday, Aug. 19

EARTH DAY

Get your hands dirty with buckets filled with dirt and earthworms and learn about the value of recycling and composting from the people of Plant and Service Operations.

Sunday, Aug. 20

ALUMNI DAY

Alumni Day allows SIUC's graduates to take a trip down memory lane and meet with fairgoers. It's also a special day because the SIUC tent will get a visit from live Saluki dogs made possible by alumni and volunteers.

Infusing University pride throughout the external environment is among the goals of Southern at 150: Building Excellence Through Commitment, the blueprint the University is following as it approaches its 150th anniversary in 2019.