Updated as of March 5, 2010
Biotech / BioMedical: The science of using living things, and components of living things, to produce goods and services. It involves manipulating and modifying organisms, often at the molecular level, to create new and practical applications for agriculture, medicine and industry.
Amylin Pharmaceuticals
Name 2-3 drugs that were derived from a plant or animal. What is insulin, and what does it do? What is the name of a device used for mixing liquids?
Bio-Rad Laboratories
What is Electrophoresis and how does it work? What charge is DNA? What charge are proteins?
Genentech
What is the difference between a biotech company and a pharmaceutical company? Why is Quality Control an important function in a biotech company? What analytical techniques may be used in Quality Control? Why is it important to monitor the environment inside a biopharmaceutical plant? What is the difference between Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria? What is the difference between a peptide and a protein? How can you separate the two?
Human BioMolecular Research Institute
What is the goal of this research? Why is it important to do this research? How do you plan to accomplish the goal step by step? How long do you think it will take you to finish the research project? How much research funding do you need to complete the project?
San Diego American Association for Laboratory Animal Science
Why are Xenopus tadpoles used in research? What similarities can we assume to humans? What is a limb bud? What stage of limb development can you identify? What phase of human development is similar between humans and Xenopus?
San Diego Mesa College
What is the most obvious purpose and advantage of the Scientific Method? Compare and contrast the Scientific Method and the legal system as they relate to the discovery of truth. Why does a diet soda can float, whereas the regular soda can sink? When an ice skater spins around on one skate, how does he/she change their rate of rotation? What physical principle does the skater rely on? Why does the sky appear blue during the day? Why does the sky appear red at sunrise or sunset?
San Diego Miramar College
What is a gene? How many copies of each gene do you have? What does it mean for a gene to be dominant?
San Diego Workforce Partnership/BIOCOM
What are two things you should avoid when dressing for an interview?
Humans have how many total chromosomes?
What is biotechnology?
UCSD / The Scripps Research Institute
Clean Technology/Energy: Clean Technology applies science and engineering solutions to three critical areas: reducing the consumption of energy and natural resources; reducing waste and harmful emissions; and harnessing renewable energy and materials for sustainable development
AMSOLAR
How do solar panels convert light energy into mechanical energy? Describe the physical process and interactions. How much electric energy does your home consume each month? How many solar panels would be needed to produce this much energy? What are some factors that determine panel efficiency? Solar panels are expensive. What are some ways that homeowners and schools can afford solar panels? Are solar panels a good financial investment?
California Center for Sustainable Energy
What is energy efficiency?
Name three things can you do to save energy at home.
What is a carbon footprint?
Name three things you can do to reduce your carbon footprint.
J. Craig Venter Institute
How is the sediment battery an example of clean technology? How diverse is soil or ocean water? And what new area of research was developed at JCVI? What is a Sediment Microbial Fuel Cell and how does it work? What is a Winogradsky Column? Who invented it, when and why?
Southern California Edison - San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (SCE-SONGS )
Name three ways radiation is used safely in our society. Name three sources of natural radiation. Name three barriers to the release of radioactivity in a nuclear power plant.
The Fuel Cell Store
What is a fuel cell? What is electrolysis? What is the purpose of using an electrolyzer with a fuel cell? What molecule in water is used as the "fuel" for fuel cells?
Conservation/Environmental Science/Agriculture Technology: Focus on current and future conservation of our natural resources; the science and technology of sustaining our wildlife, forests, coastlines and oceans; and technological advances in farming that help better serve the needs of the public while protecting the environment and increasing output.
Birch Aquarium at Scripps http://sio.ucsd.edu/Expeditions/Seaplex/
What is the Great Pacific Garbage Patch? Explain why we see marine debris accumulating in the middle of nowhere? Why isn't it spread out evenly over the ocean? Name three types of plastic and the compound(s) that compose them. Name two ways marine debris is harmful to the ocean environment. Define bioaccumulation and biomagnification. List the times and ways you used plastics from this morning to now. How could you have used plastics less often?
City of San Diego / Sewer Science Program
What is reclaimed water? How can reclaimed water be used to enhance our drinking water supply? What are the main stages of treatment at a water reclamation plant? What role do microorganisms play in the wastewater treatment process? What is chemical oxygen demand (COD)? What problems can occur if polluted water with high COD enters a lake or stream? What is the Beach Safety Bill (AB 411) and when was it signed into law? Define indicator bacteria and explain their role in determining beach water quality under AB 411. Why is the assessment of ocean sediments and benthic communities an important component of any ocean monitoring program? What is Indirect Potable Reuse of water and why may it play a role in the future of the San Diego region? Cleveland National Forest
What is the mission of the Forest Service.
How does the Forest Service use technology.
What is the process for being hired by the Forest Service.
Where are Forest Service Stations located?
County of San Diego Vector Control Program
What is a vector? Why do only female mosquitoes need blood-meals? How many mosquito larvae can one Gambusia eat in a day? Name three vector-borne diseases, other than West Nile Virus. Name three reasons why you might call the Vector Control Program.
PASCO Scientific
Which
dinner plate is radioactive?
Are
your glasses or sunglasses UV protected?
What
is more acidic-soda or juice?
San Diego Coastkeeper
What is a watershed? What are the three types of bacteria that we look for in our water and why? Where does Escherichia coli bacteria (e-coli) come from and why do we not want it in our water? What living organism is used to test our waterways for toxic elements? Whose lives depend on healthy watersheds and these water quality measurements?
San Diego Zoo's Institute for Conservation Research
What are some of the major causes of species extinction? What are some endangered species that live in San Diego County? How are San Diego Zoo scientists helping to save species? What kinds of careers allow you to save endangered species? Think Blue San Diego Region
In a few words of your own, what do you think the slogan “Think Blue San Diego” is asking you to do? What is the difference between the storm drain system and the sanitary sewer system? Name three things you can do to prevent stormwater pollution.
Warner Springs Outdoor Academic Experience
How do magnets create electron flow? How does electricity create magnetism? How do wind generators generate
electricity? How does an alternator generate
electricity for an automobile? How much electricity can be
generated by peddling a bicycle really fast when it is connected to an
alternator? Do electrical generators produce
alternating or direct current? How do worms biodegrade organic
material and is it good for anything? What are worm casting and why are
they so nourishing to plants? What can be made from recycled
bottles and cans?
Water Conservation Garden at Cuyamaca Colleg e
What
is the statewide water savings goal? Landscapes
use what percentage of our water? What
is one of the thirstiest plants in the landscape? How
much lawn should landscapes have? What
are some advantages of a healthy, attractive, low-water use landscape? Xeriscape
means: Geographers
classify San Diego's climate as: Saving
water also saves ______? Saving
water in the landscape also reduces ________? What
percentage of our water is from local resources? Where
does the rest of our water come from? What
is reclaimed or recycled water? What
is greywater?
Engineering / Aerospace / Transportation: Focus on the application of science to practical uses such as the design of structures, machines, and systems.
American Wave Machines, Inc. Most Innovative Product winner)
What differences are there between standing waves and traveling waves? What is transferred in traveling water waves? What is transferred in standing water waves? What types of energy conversions take place in an electric powered wave machine? If the water path in a wave machine is a closed system, where are the energy losses? How can energy use be minimized with a water circulating standing wave? How can a device extract energy from moving water?
What is computer simulation? What is the difference between a simulation and a model? What kind of simulation results would you look for if you were to model an airplane? How can computer simulations affect the design process for a project? Cubic Corporation
What are the 2 main components of an instrumented air combat training system? What technology enables “rangeless training” – allowing pilots to train in any available airspace? What information do the data links communicate?
Ferguson Pape Baldwin Architects
General Atomics Energy/Fusion Education
Where does the energy used by you and your family in your home originate?
How can fusion be used as an energy resource on earth?
GEOCON
What are the names of the earthquake faults near or in San Diego? Why are there always lots of scuba divers at La Jolla Shores (hint – it has to do with faults)? Where would you guess soil liquefaction would happen if we had a big earthquake in San Diego? How would you guess contamination gets into the soil and groundwater? What are the most common soil and groundwater contaminates? Why do we want to get the contaminates out of the soil and groundwater?
Goodrich Aerostructures
How would you safely stop and airplane? How about during bad weather conditions like snow or ice? How does a turbojet engine work? How could you use the engine to stop the airplane? What is efflux and why is it important to the engine?
Lockheed Martin
What is a simulator? Why would you use software to create a software
simulation of something when you could just create it (say a robot)? What are some examples of software simulations? What is a software "bug" and why is it a
problem in a simulator? What is a SLOC?
NAVAIR - Fleet Readiness Center SW
How does static electricity effect airplane communications? How do Navy airplanes try to reduce static electricity? Why would a drone airplane need lights on a sunny day?
Northrop Grumman
How does the shape of an aircraft or ship affect the ability to detect and identify it using RADAR technology? How do the materials used to construct an aircraft or ship affect the ability to detect and identify it using RADAR technology? What are the advantages of using stealth technologies on modern military aircraft and other vehicles and why do these advantages become disadvantages when employed on commercial aircraft and other commercial vehicles?
San Diego Renewable Energy Society
When was the first solar powered car built? What is the World Solar Challenge? What is the Winston Solar Challenge? What was the GM Sunraycer
Convert: 800m to miles (there are 1.609km in one mile) Convert: 0.250mL to gallons (there are 3.785L in one gallon) Convert: 6.25ft to micro meters (there are 2.54cm in one inch) Convert: 80.7kg to pounds (there are 2.205 pounds in one kilogram)
SPAWAR
What do you hear if you are not at the sea shore and you put your ear to a shell?
When can something (a tone) plus something (a similar tone) add up to nothing?
What can you feel but not touch that resides on the other end of the rainbow?
University of California / COSMOS Program
What are the damaging effect of UV rays to human body? What are the differences between UVA, UVB, and UVC? What's the active ingredient in sunscreens and how does it protect us against UV rays? Does sunscreen protect us from UVC? What are the effects of different SPFs labeled on sunscreens?
Helpful links for COSMOS questions:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ultraviolet
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunscreen
Healthcare Technology: Focus on the systems within which health is protected and maintained, including prevention and rehabilitation, emergency medicine, medical devices, and technology for monitoring the health of a patient remotely. Dental technology is also included in this strand.
BioBridge UCSD
What kind of fungus are we working with today at the “Fun with Fungus” booth?
What is a shmoo?
What kind of microscopes are we using to look at the yeast?
Name at least two “everyday” things that are made with yeast.
Name a reason why Saccharomyces cerevisiae is good for scientific research.
CAL FIRE
What does this fire engine have that most others do not?
How do thermal imaging cameras work?
Tell us about your newest rope rescue equipment?
Why is technology so important to firefighters?
What role does technology play in the fire service?
Naviscan, Inc. Most Innovative Product winner)
How does a Positron Emission Tomography (PET) scanner work to detect cancer? Why is FDG (glucose) used to detect cancer? How do cancer cells grow?
Palomar Pomerado Health - Interlink Pathways
Project Heart Beat / SD Medical Services
Why is electricity used to shock a heart in cardiac arrest?
What causes cardiac arrest?
Why does the ambulance carry nitroglycerin on board?
What is CPR and why should a rescuer tilt the head back?
What are some signs that someone is having a stroke and what is a stroke?
Qualcomm, Inc.
What does Qualcomm Incorporated do?
What are 3 ways that Remote Monitoring Devices improve patient care?
What are some ways that you can prevent the onset of chronic diseases such as diabetes and congestive heart failure?
ResMed
What is the definition of apnea? Can you name 3 types of apnea? How is untreated sleep apnea linked to diabetes? Is everyone who snores a sleep apneic? Look up “ JNC 7” , will you find sleep apnea listed here?
High Tech / Computer Technology / Telecommunications: Focus on highly specialized, complex technology, including computer applications and telecommunications.
AT&T
What do the bars represent on your wireless phone? How are calls made on a cellular network What does 3G mean? Why do we benefit from the 3G Network?
California State Parks PORTS Distance Learning Program
What kinds of technology are being used by the PORTS Distance Learning Program to connect parks to K-12 Classrooms?
Why is California State Parks using cutting edge technology to connect students with their natural and cultural history?
What state parks are using distance learning?
Why is important to have parks and open spaces?
COX Communications & Channel 4 San Diego
What are the screen resolutions of 1080i and 720p High Definition Video? What is the data rate of the uncompressed high definition video signal? What are the names of some of the organizations that created the standards that govern all broadcast/cable TV signals? What are the names of the following organizations and what do they do?
SMPTE
MPEG
FCC
ATSC
NTSC
What positions are required to man the TV Truck during a Padres game production?
Hewlett Packard
What is an example of something that uses additive color? Subtractive color? In subtractive color, what is yellow plus magenta? In additive color, what is red plus blue? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Additive_color http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Subtractive_color How does thermal ink jet technology work? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QNIeVR8luOA If a inkjet drop is 10 picoliters, and a paintball has a diameter of 0.68 in, how many inkjet drops are in one paintball? If you were to jet a drop once a second, how long would it take to fill the paintball? (Remember to convert from English to metric 1 in = 2.54 cm, and that the volume of a sphere = 4/3 pi r^3) HP printers use encoder strips and rotary encoders to monitor the position of the paper and print head. Explain how an encoder works.
Time Warner Cable
UCSD Extension Academic Connections
What is a Theremin and how is it played? What is interaction design? Who designed and built the first electric guitar? What are sampling and synthesis? How are they similar? How are they different?
Robotics: Focus on the technology associated with the design, fabrication, theory, and application of robots.
FIRST Robotics
What is the definition and mission of FIRST Robotics?
How can FIRST change the world and who are its heroes?
What are the three FIRST competitions that students can compete in?
How much time are you given to design and fabricate a robot?
San Diego County Fair
List three advantages or benefits of hydroponics Plants grown using hydroponics require how much light compared to traditional growing Since hydroponics does not use soil, how do the plants receive most of their food and energy What do you call the method of raising fish (aquaculture), along with plants (hydroponics)? How does hydroponics relate to current NASA studies for space exploration? Where do I find all the information on how to enter the Fair? You and Your School can participate in the San Diego County Fair Student Showcase in 3 ways. When are the Robotic Contests One Day Contests
Ron Roberts/Pam Slater-Price
