The good news is that our Terrific Trio is worn out. The bad news is that I am too!

Our trip to Reno for the Intel International Science & Engineering Fair was uneventful, smooth even. Despite its best efforts, the notoriously destructive luggage handling system at the Denver airport didn't lose our luggage. Jamie Zink of Spirit AeroSystems (corporate sponsor of the Kansas State SEF) had already arrived, had checked us into our hotel and registered at the convention center for us. All we had to do was haul our luggage up to our 17th-floor marbled rooms (with the 42" flat screen in the main area and a 17" flat screen in the bathroom) and get the Trio to their first event: pin trading.

No adults were allowed in this festivity, but reports indicate that SD was immediately popular with his seemingly-magical manipulations of a 3" acrylic sphere. He swirls and swoops it around his hands and arms and makes it look like it's floating in mid-air. There were also rumors of his involvement in a conga line with the kids from the Phillipines . . . but that's what it was all about!

We were all relieved to pass all the inspections this morning and get the exhibit set up. During this process, SF & EN were deluged with questions from passers-by who I noticed (after a while) were mostly young men checking out the young women. Watching this Trio from the middle of nowhere (who are well-traveled by local standards) meet and interact with adolescents from all over the world was an experience I won't forget. They were pleasantly surprised that "these kids are so friendly!" And they are!

The 1500 or so kids who are here have been selected from among millions around the world who entered a science fair. They represent the cream of the crop, the best and the brightest, and you might expect them to be rather full of themselves. So far, that's been the exception rather than the rule. They all share a passion for learning, a curiosity about each other and the desire to get to know people they wouldn't have dreamed of meeting even a year ago.

Tomorrow, there's a panel discussion on "Excellence in Science and Technology." The panel will be moderated by Joe Palca, science correspondent for National Public Radio. Discussants will be Peter Agre (Nobel Prize, Chem, 2003), Jocelyn Bell Burnell (Herschel Medal, Royal Astronomical Society, 1989), Martin Chalfie (Nobel Prize, Chemistry, 2008), Robert F. Curl (Nobel Prize, Chemistry, 1996), David Gross (Nobel Prize, Physics, 2004), Dudley Herschbach (Nobel Prize, Chemistry, 1986), (my hero)Leon M. Lederman, (Nobel Prize, Physics, 1988), Douglas Osheroff (Nobel Prize, Physics, 1996) and Kurt Wuthrich (Nobel Prize, Chemistry, 2002).

Did I mention there'll be Nobel laureates involved? One of the fair volunteers said that some of the 600 judges are also Nobel laureates. (gulp!)

Of course, the Trio is overwhelmed by the sophistication of the other projects they've seen. Many have almost unpronounceable titles, most are professionally printed, and it seems like all are at least graduate-quality research. It's daunting, and I have to remind them that although their idea isn't sophisticated, and they're not trying to cure cancer (or design a neutron generator, or a car that runs on water), their science reasoning is solid. They're reporting all their data - no cherry picking! - they're honest in their conclusion although it contradicts their initial predictions, and they've learned a load of chemistry and statistics along the way. They're freshmen, and just the fact that their project was judged to be worthy to compete here is an honor.

The Trio's win has inspired other students at their high school to start thinking about future projects and how they can get started on them over the summer. Other students are coming in to ask me who they might contact at the hospital or at the university to mentor them on their projects.

The Trio was discussing issues of religion, philosophy, and government at lunch yesterday. A couple of gentlemen sitting next to us were obviously interested in the conversation and remarked that it was good to hear teenagers talking about government. One also was incredulous that these were teenagers who were discussing these subjects. I thoroughly enjoy their conversations, and sometimes manage to ask a question.

That's what it's all about. "Gathering Genius" is the group which is organizing things here in Reno, and it's an appropriate title. And the most important part isn't the "Genius" - it's the "Gathering."

Maybe, more later.

[minor edits 10:36 CDT 5/12]