Experimenting with liquid nitrogen at UNR Engineering camp

When people hear the word,”Engineering”, they might immediately think of complicated equations and long math problems, but they haven’t actually had an inside look.  The UNR Summer Engineering Camp was the perfect sneak peek for kids, into the career that is engineering.

I discovered that a great way to get  insight into a career is to be taught by people in that field.  That’s why the camp is taught by UNR grad students who are majoring in some form of engineering.  They were happy to provide us with information about their area of expertise.

I knew from the brochure that we would ride Segways and design our own video games, but we did so much more.  For example, we got to build bottle rockets and launch them, dip objects in liquid nitrogen to see what happened (The student teaching that experiment even dipped his finger in the freezing stuff, and cracked it on the table… but we found out it was really just a hot dog in his glove.)

Ashley and Amanda build a bridge out of K'nex!

The Intro to Engineering Camp is for students ages 12 – 14.  We started out building bridges out of  K’nex and it got more exciting every day.   My favorite part was when we vaporized aluminum foil using electricity.  It made a huge bang that was the equivalent of a 12-gauge shotgun!  We did this when we went to the electrical engineering department, where we were taught by a professor who showed us how it worked.  It was so awesome!

Thanks to the UNR Engineering Camp, I was able to learn about things I hadn’t even thought of before:  like the structure of roads and bridges, how aerial photos are taken and turned into maps, and much, much more!  They even showed us how to build a canoe out of concrete and float it down a canal.

Patrick and Evan build a bottle rocket!

I also learned a lot about the UNR campus and the classes students take there!  Next year I’m looking forward to taking another engineering camp.  Thanks a lot UNR!

Editor’s note:  The Intro to Engineering Camp is offered by the UNR College of Engineering.  For information about the camps you can go to their website: http://www.unr.edu/engineering/outreach/camps.html

Local artists are painting old pianos in Reno for display during Artown - Photos by Dave Aiazzi

First London, now Reno.  Local artists are painting old pianos, turning them into original works of art that will be displayed around the city during Artown.  The great thing is, you’re encouraged to play the pianos when you find one.  They’ll start showing up in unlikely places; parks, public spaces and even at local businesses.  Reno city councilman Dave Aiazzi came up with the idea after hearing about a similar project in London.

Nevada artist Leah Chubb works on ceramic additions for her piano

He told me, that in London, the pianos were set up around the city and people who passed by would stop to play them.  Aiazzi, who serves on the board of directors for Artown, hopes people in Reno will do the same.  So far, eight local artists have adopted a piano and have already started to embellish the instruments.  Aiazzi says the pianos will be tuned weekly during Artown.  The pianos were purchased from the Steinway Gallery in Reno and delivered to a vacant warehouse somewhere in the city.  I asked Aiazzi if he’s worried abut the pianos being out in the elements.  He says that’s the beauty of the project, it’s all about public art being accessible to the public.  Besides it doesn’t usually rain much in July.  Can’t wait for for the finished products to hit the street.

An old grand piano is being painted by local artists for display during Reno's Artown festival

UNR Integrated Marketing Communications team won the regional competition, again.

Members of the UNR Marketing Communications team are pumped about their upcoming trip to the national student advertising competition in Orlando.  A few weeks ago they pitched a creative ad for State Farm Insurance and brought home the  regional Student Advertising trophy from San Jose.  It’s something to be proud of because they compete head-to-head with teams from UC Berkeley, San Jose State and University of San Francisco.  The team’s faculty advisor, Bob Felten, is preparing everyone for the national competition.   Student Joelle Lipsman, e-mailed me saying:  ”I can’t wait until we rock it in Orlando!”   She and the other young creatives have been working 40 hour weeks to get ready.  Amber Wilhelm told me they even pulled an all-nighter.  But she says this project is one of the best experiences of her college career.

The team is still raising money to pay for the trip (they’ve already had fundraisers and are putting in their own money..) If you can help, check out this website: http://journalism.unr.edu/alumni/donate/

Ken Whan, manager Caughlin Ranch Starbucks; Cadet David Obenauf, Reno High Jr. ROTC; Ty Cobb; LTC Scott Maryott, ROTC Instructor

When Ken Whan, manager at the Starbucks in Caughlin Ranch decided to send Via instant coffee to a unit of Army soldiers and Navy SEALs in Afghanistan, he thought adding a note in each box of coffee would be a nice touch.  Students at Caughlin Ranch Elementary school agreed and two classes of second graders wrote notes of encouragement to the soldiers.  “Each child wrote a letter to a soldier and drew a lovely picture and attached them to the Via Coffees to help inspire them and thank them for what they do for us,” said Lisa Garcia, a second grade teacher at Caughlin Ranch Elementary school.

The soldiers liked the coffee and the notes so much, they asked for more to share with their fellow soldiers, so Ken and his customers sent more coffee and the students wrote more notes.  “They knew they were doing something nice for someone who was so far away from home,” said Garcia.   “Please be safe…”, “We can’t wait for you to come home..”, “Nevada loves you…” are words the kids wrote.

Friday morning at the Caughlin Ranch Starbucks, Ken thanked the students and  presented their teachers with a an American flag that had been flown in Afghanistan.   The Reno High Jr. ROTC color guard presented the colors during the brief ceremony.  Ty Cobb, who represents the Secretary of the Army in Northern Nevada said a few words and then Ken offered hot chocolate and snacks to all the kids.

Caughlin Ranch elementary students gather at Starbucks to receive an American flag from a Special Forces unit serving in Afghanistan

Ken Whan chose Memorial day weekend to hold the ceremony at his Starbucks to “…honor the troops overseas and veterans, to honor what they’ve given us – and that’s freedom.”  He read a note from the unit that said in part:  “… your cards and hundreds of boxes of Via coffee made their way to the Army forces and Navy SEALs in Afghanistan during the late fall of 2009.  The cards from all the supporters and especially the notes and pictures from the children touched so many.  I wish I could list all the names and say thank you…”  A great story about neighbors working together to send a little cheer.  Looks like it worked.

Flag flown in Afghanistan and presented to Caughlin Ranch Elementary school

The Reno Baroque Ensemble includes top local and national talent/Photo by Jerry Peterson

I’m in awe of people who can play classical music.  It’s an art I enjoy, but have never mastered. Luckily, The Reno Baroque Ensemble has mastered it for us.  The ensemble combines top local talent with nationally acclaimed musicians and vocalists to produce – dare I say it – heavenly music.

Music director Eric Gault says bringing quality baroque music to Reno is one of his passions.  ”We are dedicated to performing baroque music of the great masters:  Vivaldi, Bach, Telemann… but we also like to be adventurous,” he said.  So at the spring concert this weekend, the RBE will perform a baroque piece from Latin America.  ”It just so happens that some of the most beautiful baroque music was written in countries like Bolivia and Venezuela,” Gault said.

Reno Baroque Ensemble Music Director Eric Gault/Photo by Jerry Peterson

As I sat in on a rehearsal last week at a church in NW Reno, it felt as if I’d been transported to San Francisco or New York – the music was that good.  Gault was busy fine-tuning the performance; stopping and starting the ensemble several times to get everything  just right.  The hard work has paid off in attendance.  ”We’ve had increasing numbers and increasing ticket sales with each show,” said Gault.

Gault also takes a little time during the concert to explain the origins of each piece; the culture, and the context in which it was composed. Music like this is usually performed in much larger cities than Reno. So it’s nice to see support for baroque music here in Northern Nevada.

The Ensemble is performing its Spring Concert this Saturday, May 15th, at UNR’s Nightingale Hall at 7 pm.  And again on Sunday, May 16th, at Trinity Episcopal Church at 4 pm.  For tickets, go to http://www.renobaroque.org/

KNPB's Dave Santina, Host Jennifer Burton and Producer Pamela McDonough on location in Sparks

You’ll meet some incredible people, like the mom with two small children whose husband left for work and was killed in a workplace accident that day.  She told us she’s just taking things one day at a time.  She finds support at Solace Tree.  So do her children.

Producer Pamela McDonough worked at CBS News in New York before coming to Northern Nevada.  This is her second project with KNPB.   “I learned from this project that the best thing you can do to help someone who is dealing with a loss is listen… without judging or advising,” said McDonough.  She spent hours sitting in on groups at Solace Tree, watching the process unfold.

Solace Tree offers groups for all ages, young kids, teens and adults, and gives them a place where they can open up about their successes and their set-backs.  Kids have an especially tough time with loss, because often their friends at school don’t understand what they’re going through.  The crew at KNPB captured some inspiring and compelling stories.  Tune in if you can.  I think you’ll be glad you did.

Candace Spiers handles travel arrangements for the Reno Bighorns and the Reno Aces

An exciting game, but the best part was sitting next to Candace Spiers and her husband Ken Fernandes.  Candace handles the travel arrangements for the Reno Bighorns and the Reno Aces.  With the Bighorns in the playoffs, and the Aces starting their season this week, she has her hands full.  I asked her what it was like being a travel agent for a professional basketball team.  “It’s the most fun I’ve had in the travel business in years,” she said.  She often finds herself at the airport, helping the players check in and getting boarding passes.  She loves the job, but says it’s the players that make it special.  “They’re not your typical celebrity types, they’re all so easy going,” she explains.

This Thursday the Reno Aces play their season opener against the Fresno Grizzlies, and Saturday, the Reno Bighorns play their first-ever playoff game when they take on Rio Grande Valley.  The season overlap will have Candace scrambling.  “Let’s just say I’m not going to have a whole lot of sleep, and neither is anyone who works for the Reno Aces or the Bighorns!”

Candace says she’s very proud of the teams and the way they bring people together in Northern Nevada.   And she’s looking forward to Thursday’s  Aces game, and Saturday’s Bighorns game.  An added bonus:  both teams are playing at home.

Soweto Gospel Choir

Any choir that has a million and a half views on YouTube must be something special.  The Soweto Gospel Choir has that and more, and they’re performing in Reno this Friday.  I decided to check them out online before seeing them in person, and they exude some pretty exciting energy.

The group’s repertoire ranges from traditional African gospel songs, to covers of Bob Dylan.

Speaking of choirs, I’ve heard that the RSCVA and Artown are joining forces to host choirs from around the world during the 2011 American International Choral Festival in Reno.  The festival will bring choirs of all ages and nationalities together, giving us the opportunity to see choral music performed in the streets along the downtown River walk.  That’ll be in May of 2011.

The Soweto Gospel Choir concert is part of Artown’s Encore Series, which is what they call the events that happen outside of the usual Artown schedule of July 1-31.  You can catch the choir and a preview of the International Choral Festival on Friday, March 26th at the Grand Sierra Resort in Reno.

Photographs of homeless adults and children on display at the Metro Gallery in downtown Reno - Photo by Michael Okimoto

I had to look twice to confirm that the frames were really backwards on the haunting, yet beautiful photographs at the Faces of St. Vincent’s show in downtown Reno.  Sure enough, photographer Jeff Ross did that on purpose- to get us to think about homeless children and adults in a new way.

As a professional photographer, Ross is used to making people look glamorous.  But his latest project has a different mission.  “We really wanted to put a face on poverty and for people not to turn their back on it,” Ross said when I asked him about the exhibit.  The photographs are in black and white and were taken at St. Vincent’s dining room and other Catholic Community Services programs in Northern Nevada.

Ross said he’d been thinking about all the budget cuts, and how poverty has crept closer to everyone.  “These are the people who are going to feel it first, ” he said.  Indeed most people at the opening of the exhibit at the Metro Gallery at Reno City Hall seemed to study the photographs intently.  I couldn’t take my eyes off them.

Ross wants these glimpses of daily life to allow people see his subjects in a different way.  “I don’t think it’s voyeuristic, I think it’s an opportunity to see who they really are,” he explained.  Ross also believes poverty is catching up to more people.

One of the photographs taken by Jeff Ross for his "Faces of St. Vincent's" photography exhibit in downtown Reno

“Everyone in this room viewing this is maybe one or two steps closer to where those people are.  There’s not much difference between them and us, as our economy worsens and our social safety net gets thinner,” he explained.

If you haven’t seen the Faces of St. Vincent’s show, you can still catch it at Reno city hall until March 26th.  It’s well worth your time, and may cause you to think a little differently about the people you see on the street every day and the places that help them.

As for Catholic Community Services, which runs St. Vincent’s dining room and other programs, they’re seeing more people than ever who need help.   Reverend George Wolf, a retired priest who serves on the board of directors of the agency, says requests have sky-rocketed.  “We have almost doubled this past year in what we are asked to do to feed the poor, to provide them food,” he said.  Catholic Community Services can always use donations and volunteers.  You can reach them at (775) 322-7073 for more information.