Whys and wows

Paul Berry, botany associate professor and director of the UW–Madison Herbarium, displays some unusual fruits in his talk about how plants disperse their seeds by “hitching a ride” on wind, water and animals.

Amid the recreated rain forests, ancient city streets and Egyptian temples of the Milwaukee Public Museum, nearly two dozen people brought another exotic world to life: UW–Madison research.

“Whys and Wows!,” a day of interactive programs sponsored by UW–Madison and the museum, packed the house Tuesday, Feb. 16, with nearly 1,700 Wisconsin school children from 24 school districts. Around nearly every corner, the students found a professor, staff member or student ready to share the excitement of discovery.

The traveling presenters could hardly have been more diverse. African mask-makers shared the floor with Asian dancers, storytellers with snake doctors, and endangered-monkey researchers with exotic fruit collectors.

The rain forest exhibit was a frantic bee-hive of activity all morning, as biotechnology outreach expert Tom Zinnen showed kids how to extract DNA from a plant. Kids carefully mixed wheat germ, water and green-tinted rubbing alcohol until their quarry — a gooey white glop containing the blueprint of life — floated to the surface.

Next, UW–Madison and UW-Fox Valley are teaming Tuesday, March 9, 4-7 p.m. for a stellar evening of presentations at the Barlow Planetarium, 1478 Midway Road in Menasha. The family-oriented presentations will include UW–Madison work on the famous meteorite being studied for evidence of life on Mars. Another presentation will explore some of the great scientists in Wisconsin history, and a third workshop will dazzle visitors with demonstrations of loud and brilliant chemical reactions. The event is part of a UW–Madison series called “On The Road,” which brings UW–Madison experts and leaders to help illustrate the close ties between the university and the state.

Zinnen brought 1,500 DNA extraction kits with him that day, and left with his plastic crates bulging with dirty test tubes.

Deeper into the trees was veterinary science assistant professor Joanne Paul- Murphy and two of her friends, a green iguana and a boa constrictor named “Slim.” Kids gathered around to timidly touch Slim’s scaly skin, and learn all about the strange habits of exotic creatures.

Elaine Prins, a scientist in the Space Science and Engineering Center, showed kids unique computer-generated satellite images of recent fires raging through the forests and grasslands of South America. Literally thousands of fires burn in a single day in the Amazon dry season, which showed up as red points of light in the computer display.

“The interaction was great,” Prins says. “I think they were amazed at how many fires there are in South America, and the extent of the smoke. It kind of gave them a new perspective on that part of the world.”

Anne Lundin, an assistant professor of library science, brought along seven of her graduate students to tell colorful folk tales from different cultures. They included stories of a young woman who played her fiddle with the devil, and a pacifist bull who would rather smell the flowers than fight.

A student examines the gooey results of a DNA-extraction test run by Tom Zinnen, director of the biotechnology outreach program.

“It was a very exciting experience for my students because they are basically neophytes in the field of storytelling,” she says. “They realized that they had to go out there and create an audience. Being young and brave certainly helped.”

The museum partnership was one way UW–Madison celebrated its 150th birthday with the citizens of Milwaukee, during a series of “On The Road” events. Other UW–Madison events in Milwaukee include a gala reception Monday, Feb. 15, at the Milwaukee Art Institute; a visit to the Clarke Square Health Center, 1818 W. National Ave., a neighborhood-based clinic staffed by the Medical School; and visits to schools and civic and business organizations.