ESP Biography

What is slime, and why is it slimy? In this hands-on, interactive class, we'll teach you everything you need to know about the science of slime--from non-Newtonian fluid dynamics to cross-linking chemistry. Join us! We'll make sure you leave the class with some insta-worthy slime!

How do batteries work? Let's look inside to see what materials they use and how that lets them power our devices such as smartphones, laptops, cars, and scooters. We'll talk about the limits and future of batteries as well as how they're made. We'll build simple batteries in class out of different materials.

What makes food power you? In this class, we'll look at the chemistry behind our digestive system and how chemical reactions work to get the energy our bodies need from food. We'll also explore lots of cool chemical properties of food, like pH. Plus, there will be plenty of samples for students to eat!

Learn the basics of photography using chemicals! Today, almost every phone has a camera, and every camera today uses electronic technology. But did you know digital cameras only started becoming popular 20 years ago? Before then, photography was done with chemistry. In this class, we'll talk about some of the processes used and then you can make your own chemical photograph using the cyanotype process, which is the origin of the term "blueprint."

Have you ever wondered what soap is, or how it's made? In this class, we'll explore the chemistry of soaps: its history, production, composition, and importance. Then you'll get to cook up your own small batch of soap to bring home!

Ever wanted to solve problems in chemistry that aren't just multiplying some ratios over and over? Ever wondered how scientists can look at a solution or a drug and say, "this definitely contains this really complicated molecule"? Ever sat through chemistry class and wondered, "When will this actually be useful? Can't a computer do this already?" In this class, you'll get to explore a topic that covers all of these questions and solve some puzzles at the same time. We'll cover some basics of organic chemistry, followed by an exploration of spectroscopy, a technique that allows scientists to decode the structures of elaborate molecules. You'll find that, once you combine data from different spectroscopic techniques, you'll be able to do this too! They're logic puzzles -- just like sudokus and crosswords, except easier, just as fun, and extremely useful. At the end, we'll discuss how spectroscopy and organic chemistry are intertwined and how the latter is a lot like the former, revolving around puzzles as well. This will be a class with plenty of puzzle handouts; we'll solve problems together, and you'll have some to take home if you really want to do more!