2015 Science and Technology Week

STATE Your Future

The College of Applied Science & Technology, along with Illinois State University is proud to host Jennifer Thompson and Ronald Cotton on April 7, 2015, as our keynote speakers.

April 6-10, 2015

Science and Technology Week celebrates advancements in the field of science and technology, as well as the hardworking, dedicated students and professionals who make those advancements possible. Past keynote speakers include:

Tim Gunn – television host and Chief Creative Officer at Liz Claiborne Inc.
Charlie Trotter – chef
Bill Nye – science guy
Brian Greene – theoretical physicist

….and more!

Schedule of Events

• Professional Development Dinner – Monday, April 6, 5:00 p.m., Bone Student Center
• Keynote Speaker – Jennifer Thompson and Ronald Cotton – Tuesday, April 7, 7:00 p.m., Prairie Room, Bone Student Center
• Neon at Night 5K Fun Run – Wednesday, April 8, 8:00 p.m., Student Fitness Center
• Science at Play – Thursday, April 9, 10:00 a.m., Metcalf School Auditorium
• Aya Fujiwara, Child Life Specialist – Thursday, April 9, 1:00 p.m., Turner 205
• The Theory of Perception-Action for All Organisms: What Kind of Science Does it Entail? – Thursday, April 9, 3:30 p.m., Old Main Room, Bone Student Center
• Academy of Achievement – Friday, April 10, 8:30 a.m., Hancock Stadium Club Room

Monday, April 6, 2015 at 5:00 p.m. – Bone Student Center

Professional Development Dinner

Attend this event to learn formal dining skills and conversational practices for interview and work settings, while meeting College of Applied Science and Technology alumni.

• 5:00-6:00 p.m. Mocktail and mingle hour in the Founders’ Suite
• 6:00 p.m. Dinner and presentation in Old Main
• $20 per student
• Registered Student Organizations can purchase a table by contacting Kara Pool Snyder at kepool@ilstu.edu
• Sign up by Friday, March 27 by emailing kepool@ilstu.edu.

Tuesday, April 7, 2015 at 7:00 p.m. – Prairie Room, Bone Student Center

Keynote Address Jennifer Thompson and Ronald Cotton

In 1984, Jennifer Thompson was a 22-year-old college student with a 4.0 GPA and lofty goals for her future. Her path was dramatically altered however, when a man broke into her apartment, put a knife to her throat, and raped her. In that moment, her determination took an entirely different direction, as she focused all attention on memorizing the man’s features. Searching for scars, tattoos, and any unique features that could help her identify him, she was certain that she could put him in prison for life. After a composite sketch, line-up identification, and trial, Jennifer Thompson’s testimony and memory led to a life sentence for Ronald Cotton. Years later, Thompson was asked to provide a DNA sample for further analysis of the case. She agreed to the request, positive that her identification of Cotton would be held up by science. In an instant, both lives changed, when it was revealed that Ronald Cotton was not her rapist, and after spending 11 years in prison as an innocent man, he was released. Devastated that her actions led to the imprisonment of an innocent man, Thompson reached out to Cotton to apologize, and in an act of true generosity, he forgave her. Their unlikely friendship and bond became the basis for the New York Times best-selling book, Picking Cotton.

• This event is free and open to the public.
• A book signing will immediately follow the lecture at ISU’s Barnes and Noble Bookstore, Bone Student Center

Wednesday, April 8, 2015 at 8:00 p.m. – Student Fitness Center

Neon at Night 5K Fun Run

Enjoy a 5K run through Illinois State’s campus at night. This event is co-sponsored by CAST and Campus Recreation.

• Race will start and end at the Student Fitness Center
• Register at Alumni.IllinoisState.edu/neonrun
• $15 for ISU Students, $20 for ISU Faculty/Staff and Community. Beginning March 25, the entry fee will increase to $20 for ISU Students, $25 for ISU Faculty/Staff and Community

Special Olympics Fundraiser

The Parks and Recreation Society, a registered student organization at ISU, is proud to host a fundraiser for Special Olympics in conjunction with SciTech Week and the Neon at Night 5K Fun Run. Want to help? There are three ways you can participate!

• Eat at Potbelly on Main Street in Normal any time between 5-8pm on Wednesday, April 8. Potbelly will be donating 25% of their proceeds to Special Olympics. It’s the perfect place to grab a bite to eat before the race!
• The faculty in Kinesiology and Recreation (PARS’s home department) have agreed to participate in a pie-throwing event! Find the PARS table in McCormick the week of March 30-April 3 or April 6-8. Every donation will go directly to Special Olympics. The pie throwing will occur at 6:30pm on Wednesday, April 8th.
• Find the PARS table at the Neon at Night 5k event and donate on-site.

Thanks for your help supporting this great cause!

Thursday, April 9, 2015 at 10:00 a.m. – Metcalf School Auditorium

Science at Play

Andre Jefferson isn’t just your average pre-teen. After discovering an interest in kinetics, he began constructing stick bombs. He posted a video on YouTube and has since become a bit of a celebrity, being featured on Nickelodeon, CNN’s Anderson Cooper, and TEDx Indy. Watch him build a stick bomb, listen as he explains what drives his interest, and then enjoy as we set off the stick bomb.

• This event is Free but registration is required
• To register, please email kepool@ilstu.edu
• This presentation is in partnership with the Center for Mathematics, Science, and Technology and the Spark Festival

Thursday, April 9, 2015 at 1:00 p.m. – Turner 205

Aya Fujiwara, Child Life Specialist

As 2003 alumni of the ISU Child Life Program, Aya is one of approximately 3 dozen certified child life specialists working in Japan. Aya will discuss her work educating children about the hospital and decreasing the stress associated with healthcare for children and their families.

• Free and open to the public

Thursday, April 9, 2015 at 3:30 p.m. – Old Main, Bone Student Center

The Theory of Perception-Action for All Organisms: What Kind of Science Does it Entail?

Perception-action tasks such as catching a ball or driving a car are sometimes described as highly cognitive, even computational, activities. Contrary to this approach, Dr. Michael Turvey proposes that the key to understanding such abilities is developing a theory of perception-action that applies to all organisms, not just humans. Dr. Turvey’s talk will address the challenges of implementing such a theory given the lack of fit among the disciplines of psychology, biology, and physics.

• Free and open to the public
• This event is in partnership with the College of Arts and Sciences, School of Kinesiology and Recreation, Department of Philosophy and the Department of Psychology.

Friday, April 10, 2015 at 8:30 a.m. – Hancock Stadium Club Room

Academy of Achievement Induction Ceremony

Celebrate CAST alumni during their induction to the Academy of Achievement. The Academy brings together alumni that are “thought leaders” in their fields, who, through their life work, serve as an inspiration to others to pursue similar career paths.

• Coffee hour, 8:30-9:30 a.m.
• Induction ceremony, 9:30 a.m.
• Brunch, 10:30 a.m. (invitation only)

Friday, April 10, 2015 at 2:00 p.m. – State Farm Hall of Business, Caterpillar Auditorium

Mutuality in the Perception of Affordances and the Control of Movement

Dr. Claudia Carello will discuss the fit between perception and action focusing on dynamic touch, a capability central to maneuvering tools, sports implements, and so on. Research shows that these capabilities are dependent on an object’s resistance to being rotated in different directions. Importantly, objects that are more or less “wieldy” in different directions can support different functions, a link that is central to the fit between perception and action.

• This event is in partnership with the College of Arts and Sciences, School of Kinesiology and Recreation, Department of Philosophy and the Department of Psychology.

Contact Kara Pool Snyder at kepool@IllinoisState.edu with any questions or requests for accommodations.