7-22-99

Contact: Carole Custer, University Marketing, (515) 294-3132
Steve Sullivan, News Service, (515) 294-3720

ISU TO HAVE A HIGH-TECH PRESENCE AT IOWA STATE FAIR

AMES, Iowa -- A solar powered car and a replica of the first electronic digital computer will highlight Iowa State University's main exhibit at the Iowa State Fair, Aug. 12-22. Several other ISU colleges and departments also will have exhibits throughout the fair.

The university's main exhibit, titled "Advancing technology to become the best," will be in the northeast corner of the Varied Industries Building and will feature the ABC (Atanasoff-Berry Computer) replica and PrISUm Phoenix, the Iowa State solar car that last month captured fifth place in a national race. Members of the student organization that built and raced the car will be on hand to answer questions.

Representatives of the admissions office will be available to respond to questions about enrolling and studying at Iowa State, and "College View," an interactive CD, will be running for visitors who want to guide their own tour of Iowa State.

Iowa State employees also will take turns applying removable Cyclone tattoos to the arms, faces and ankles of fairgoers.

Fairgoers can sign up for daily drawings for tickets to a Season at Stephens event and a Cyclone football game, and a Cyclone T-shirt.

Also in the Varied Industries Building will be the Institute for Physical Research and Technology and Ames Laboratory exhibit. Fairgoers can check out an instrumented tap test -- a new system developed by IPRT scientists to improve the way defects in aircraft parts are detected.

WOI Radio and ISU Extension will have an exhibit under the Grandstand, from which "Market Report," "Talk of Iowa" and "Midday" will be broadcast live. On-air personalities will make guest appearances. Check WOI's Website at www.woi.org for a schedule of who will be there when.

Extension staff will conduct surveys on carbon monoxide to determine what the public knows about the deadly gas. Results of the daily surveys will be broadcast on air, posted at the fair and also on the Extension Web page (www.exnet.iastate.edu). Former ISU coach Johnny Orr, who had a close call with carbon monoxide poisoning, will visit the booth to help provide information. In addition, a miniature house will be used to demonstrate how carbon monoxide moves through a dwelling. Prizes, including carbon monoxide alarms, will be given away.

ISU Extension will be all over the fair, through thousands of 4-H displays, presentations and animal and horticulture exhibits. An ISU College of Family and Consumer Sciences display called "4-H Leads to Careers," will feature students from the college who were in 4-H.

At the College of Agriculture's display in the Agriculture Building, fairgoers can learn about the history of Iowa agriculture and the role the college has played. This year's theme for the exhibit is "Iowa Agriculture: A Rich Heritage -- An Exciting Future." Children will be able to create farm scenes using rubber stamps and take an Iowa agriculture quiz. High school students will be able to explore ISU through an interactive CD-ROM. Daily drawings will be held for a college mug; the grand prize will be a year-long family membership to Living History Farms.

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