Day 4 - Symposium and Adult Mixer Day ... Tuesday May 15, 2015

Tuesday was going to be a touristy day but plans changed when it was discovered that VIPSs were visiting the projects between 10 am and noon.  Cathy recalled that the chief of Intel had met Ben Gulak during Ben's fair and interest of his Uno began to circulate.  Believing that the right VIP might initiate interest and directions of judges, it was wisely decided that the kids should be at their projects.

So after a hasty breakfast at you know where (ABP, code name for "Au Bon Pain"), we all headed for the Convention Centre.  While waiting for the kids, Cathy was diligently trying to find a date for her new friend Barbie Science Girl.  She accompanied Cathy for this fair in hope of learning the ropes for future fairs.  You will have to ask Cathy what special category she is in.

At the fair, Cathy tried to set Barbie up with any scientist ... it just happened that her first attempt was with a prominent Nobel laureate (1989?), Dr. J. Michael Bishop.  He was on his way to a luncheon at which three of our students (Marshal, Lloyd and Nick) attended.

I could not recall how lunch was served for the rest of us but rest assured that the kids did not go hungry.  Schedule was tight as we rushed back to the Convention Centre to be in time for the 2-4 pm Symposium with a Panel of 8 Nobel laureates.  They answered and discussed questions and topics moderated by a science correspondent.  At the end, they took time to answer specific questions from selected students ... again, Marshal, Lloyd and Nick particpated.

A funny thing ... I swore that one of the Nobel laureates sitting on the panel was perhaps our Peter Olynk's long lost twin, or perhaps, maybe Peter himself, moonlighting as a scientist.  Take a look ... even the name tag says Peter Olynk!

Later on, Peter even took time to talk to a few of our kids.  Here, he's with Nick, Marshal, Chris and JM.

Kiddings aside, as I learned from the kids later, Peter is actually Martin Chalfie, 2008 Nobel Prize winner for Chemistry for his discovery of GFE (is that right, kids?)

No dinner was necessary for the evening as the whole team and chaperones proceeded to an scheduled event where the chaperones/adults were separated from the kids.  The adults were treated to a buffet dinner of chicken, fish, salad and alcoholic beverages (none of us had any??????????) held at the Heinz Field private boxes catering area.  We were royally treated and had an opportunity to see the field where the venerable Pittsburgh Steelers of the NFL and the University of Pittsburgh Panthers play their football..  The kids on the otherhand were cordoned off at some other nearby facility where they were fed and dj'ed to dance.  Several however, were anxious to leave hoping to get back to the hotel to practise more on their presentation for tomorrow.  Just could not relax.  Eventually, we all got back to the hotel, had our usual team meeting at our special team room and were instructed to curfew early (11 pm) and get up early (7:15 am) and ready for the Judgement Day (oh sorry, Judging Day)

And oh yes, I did not learn till later how we were able to travel on the Pittsburgh subway without paying.  When transporting the whole crew to Heinz Field, we all just jumped onto the Pittsburgh subway cars and never once did we see a fare attendant.  Wow, I said socialized transportation.  I later found out that there are "free" zones on the system ... but I am still not sure as to how it works.  Our "Canadian" pride took on visible evidence because we were one of the few teams that were uniformed ... therefore, when our Red entourage traveled about, we got lots of looks of curiosity.