Science makes a ‘splash’

By SCOTT POWELLLedger Staff Writer

Middle school girls experience the sensation of dry ice Saturday while learning about “Mad Science” from Radical Russell Unthank at “Science Splash.”

Patty Hamilton has an interesting way of describing how she uses her chemistry degree at USC’s Environmental Health and Safety Office.

When she isn’t pursuing hobbies like flying, Hamilton works to keep research labs safe at the University of South Carolina.

“Our scientists work with a lot of dangerous chemicals and equipment in their labs,” Hamilton said. “My job is to keep them from blowing themselves up.”

For five years, Hamilton relieved any job-related stress by leaving work to spend four hours building an experimental plane. She gradually molded the pieces of metal into an RV6 plane which flies up to 180 miles per hour.

She compared the process of building an airplane to eating an elephant.

“How do you eat an elephant? You start with the tail,” Hamilton told an audience at Saturday’s “Science Splash” event at SCETV telecommunications building in Columbia. “An airplane is the same way. You don’t really build a whole airplane at once. You build parts of an airplane from pieces of metal and gradually it starts to resemble an airplane.”

The scary thing was flying the plane for the first time once it was completed.

Hamilton, who earned her private pilot license in 1993, recalls shaking so badly while taxiing away from the airport that her feet barely touched the rudders. She climbed as high as 5,000 feet before steadying her emotions and successfully landing the plane.

Hamilton has since flown her plane as far as OshKosh, Wis., and plans to fly it to Oregon. In January, she hopes to start building her own 4-passenger experimental plane.

“This has been a major accomplishment of my life,” Hamilton said. “Flying is an awesome experience. It allows me to leave my problems on the ground.”

Hamilton was among several guest speakers at “Science Splash,” a daylong event designed to educate and inspire middle school girls to stay involved in science-related careers. The event was open to girls statewide and drew more than 2,000 people.

There were “Mad Science” demonstrations where girls could create their own slime and observe dry ice in its vapor and liquid form. Girls learned how to measure water quality, how bridges are built, and the characteristics of South Carolina rivers.

“Science Splash” ended a 3-year TECH Team program started by SCETV through a grant from the National Science Foundation. Girls learned about interviewing, video production, editing, Web site design, and web animation while involved in various science projects.

SCETV has received a 2-year grant from the National Science Foundation to create 150 new Tech Teams in South Carolina, North Carolina and Georgia, communications director Rob Schaller said. Selected teachers will establish an all-girl Tech Team at their school and work towards completing a project for a possible television broadcast.

SCETV will begin implementing the grant in September of 2005.