Public Servants

Ahhh, yes. After sleepless nights and days on end of stressing over project setups and judging preparations, what better way to kick back and relax than to stand at one's booth for four hours taking questions from the general public and the media? It's perhaps fortunate for everyone but the finalists that there's not more room within the exhibition hall; otherwise I'd expect to see an improvised shantytown of jerryrigged tents, hammocks, and lean-tos sprout up this morning as sleep-deprived students take shelter from the public/media onslaught.

But as I said, it's certainly fortunate for us. With students guaranteed to be at their projects during a window of time (10 a.m. to 2 p.m.), we'll be able to ambush, uh, I mean, ask them more in-depth questions, and bring deeper coverage of the real science at this year's Intel ISEF and the personalities behind them. Look out for those updates spread out over the coming hours, days, and weeks.

The public project visitations began at 9 a.m. this morning, and continue until 9 p.m. If you're in the neighborhood, drop by and check out the science and the students, and be prepared to have your mind blown.

Also on the agenda today are more seminars -- one notably goes over the guidelines for the Intel Science Talent Search, a prestigious contest for high school seniors now in its 67th year.

Tonight we'll find out who won the numerous special awards available at this year's Intel ISEF at the Special Awards Organization Ceremony, held at Tingley Coliseum from 7 to 10 p.m. Olivier Baujard, the CTO of ISEF co-sponsor Alcatel-Lucent, will be on-hand to deliver the keynote address.

Stay tuned!

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