There wasn't much to do on Day 4, so I don't have many photos. We had breakfast at the cafe in Hotel Figueroa's lobby for the first time. To recap, here's a picture of the cafe:
See the long table next to the men in white and below the chandelier? They put many tureens, each containing a certain food item, on the table, buffet style. You walk down the aisle with your plate, collecting servings of the food, and you are charged at the counter (near the men in white) according to the amount you take. My memory is very clear for food, so starting from the back you have the following (all prices in US Dollars):
Later during the day was when finalists who still had not cleared their Display and Safety checks had their last chance to fix up their projects. I rehearsed my presentation a little at my poster during that period. The scary thing was that three judges from CERN came over and interviewed me for the CERN Special Award (which I had applied for) even though judging was supposed to be tomorrow. I think I did pretty well, although you can't really predict from the judges' reactions, since they were told to "reward the best, encourage the rest", and all the judges I had were nice to me. I think it's reasonable to say that ISEF judges were like that in general.
The Excellence in Science and Technology Discussion Panel was in the afternoon. We went back to the big hall where a panel of 6 Nobel Laureates answered questions from a large audience.
One of my favourite responses from the Nobel Laureates (I think it might have been Michael J. Bishop) went something like this: "When someone asks me what use some piece of research can be of, I ask him what the use of a newborn baby is."
See the long table next to the men in white and below the chandelier? They put many tureens, each containing a certain food item, on the table, buffet style. You walk down the aisle with your plate, collecting servings of the food, and you are charged at the counter (near the men in white) according to the amount you take. My memory is very clear for food, so starting from the back you have the following (all prices in US Dollars):
- Trays
- Glasses and orange juice - $0.50 a cup
- (shallow -_-) bowls, milk and cereal (corn flakes, banana flakes, muesli) - $2 a bowl
- Syrup and pancakes - $0.50 each
- Scrambled eggs - $1.50 per serving (as long as you don't pile heaps they call it one serving)
- Bacon and sausages - 3 pieces (of either) for $1.75
- Fried potato flakes - forgot the price
- Steamed rice - $1.50 per serving I think
- Bun - $0.75 each
- Cheese - expensive so I forgot the price
- Butter - free
- Muffins - $1.20 each
Juice, 3 strips of bacon, one pancake buried under the bacon, lots of scrambled eggs + salt + pepper (yum!), lots of potatoes, ketchup, syrup, butter. Tasty!!!
Later during the day was when finalists who still had not cleared their Display and Safety checks had their last chance to fix up their projects. I rehearsed my presentation a little at my poster during that period. The scary thing was that three judges from CERN came over and interviewed me for the CERN Special Award (which I had applied for) even though judging was supposed to be tomorrow. I think I did pretty well, although you can't really predict from the judges' reactions, since they were told to "reward the best, encourage the rest", and all the judges I had were nice to me. I think it's reasonable to say that ISEF judges were like that in general.
The Excellence in Science and Technology Discussion Panel was in the afternoon. We went back to the big hall where a panel of 6 Nobel Laureates answered questions from a large audience.
In no order, the Nobel Laureates are:
- Paul Berg, Chemistry (1980)
- Michael J. Bishop, Physiology or Medicine (1989)
- Martin Chalfie, Chemistry (2008)
- Dudley Hershbach, Chemistry (1986)
- Robert H. Horvitz, Chemistry (2002)
- Douglas Osheroff, Physics (1996)
- Richard Roberts, Physiology or Medicine (1993)
Apparently, one of them was missing, and I don't know who was. Medicine and the highly related Chemistry
were strongly represented, and there was only one Physics Nobel Laureate (he might even have been the missing guy). They should have invited Fields Medalists or Economics Nobel Laureates to represent Mathematics! None of the Nobel Laureates were Asians, too.
Someone asked this question: "If you could dine with three people of your choice, who would they be and why?" Someone sitting close to me muttered, "sounds just like a college essay question." I agree, and I think a better question could have been asked instead of it since their time was very limited.
Me asking a question!
One of my favourite responses from the Nobel Laureates (I think it might have been Michael J. Bishop) went something like this: "When someone asks me what use some piece of research can be of, I ask him what the use of a newborn baby is."
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