The Christmas Lecture

THANK YOU
to all who attended this year's event.




The audience waits for the show to begin.	The UW Band helped Prof. Shakhashiri kick off the show.	A camera from Wisconsin Public Television captures dry ice bubbling in cylinders.

Bucky Badger made an appearance at this year's 49th annual Christmas Lecture.	Santa (played by UW-Madison Professor of Voice Paul Rowe) delighted the crowd.	Dr. Julia Nepper levitated a balloon using a hair dryer.

Prof. Shakhashiri gifted Prof. Mike Leckrone a brass "50" to celebrate his 50th year as leader of the UW Bands.	Prof. Leckrone also did an experiment: his flask is beginning to turn silver!	A beautiful violet flame.

Dr. Rodney Schreiner brought a sample of Indium, element 49.	The Pro Arte Quartet (David Perry, Suzanne Beia, Sally Chisholm, and Parry Karp) performed to everyone's delight.	The grand finale!

	A drawing shared by a 9-year-old who attended this year's show.
	Photos by Eric Baillies

~ 2017 ~


2017 Guests: Isabelle Krier, Renee Frontiera, Jim Maynard, Gery Essenmacher, Rodney Schreiner

Dr. Renee Frontiera (U of Minn.) discusses the Universal Indicator.	Now that's a hot book!	Bucky and the ammonia fountain.

Dr. Rodney Schreiner shows the audience element 48, Cadmium.	Cadmium Selenide glows in black light!	Carbon dioxide gas extinguishes the candle flames.

High school junior Isabelle Krier shows off some beautiful, color-changing liquids.		Isabelle played the opening segment of Tchaikovsky's Violin Concerto 3rd Movement.

Santa gives Bassam Van Gogh's Sunflowers, which was created using cadmium paints.	It was another great year!	These Daisy Girl Scouts from Argyle, led by Jody Moen, enjoyed the show.

	Bassam wears one of Santa's gifts: a Science is Fun bowtie!

~ 2016 ~


The crowd is ready for science!	Bassam and Rodney	Santa presents Bassam with a silver-plated 47 in honor of the 47th annual Christmas Lecture.

2016 Special Guests (L to R): Jim Maynard, Rodney Schreiner (Bassam) Indre Viskontas, Gery Essenmacher.

"The kids grabbed rubber bands as soon as they got home, to experience the warmed- when-stretched phenomenon." ~ Karl Broman, Madison	At right, a thank you holiday message from one of this year's attendees. (Click for larger version)

2015:


Bassoonists Ross Duncan and Juliana Mesa Jaramillo	Bucky brought his own safety goggles.	The grand finale!

Brianne Kieta and Keanna Lansing of Waunakee	Gus, Hadden, Easton and Emme Steffen of Wausau	Coleton Vandervest of Mount Horeb

Rodney and Bassam with Jeff Stobbe, who was in Bassam's class in 1979 and has been attending the Christmas Lecture ever since.	Juliana, Rodney, Bassam and Ross

IMAGES FROM THE 2014 SHOW


"Thank you for a great show!" ~ Taavi, Boden, Ramse, Kayli, Aziah and Avali

The UW Varsity Band helped welcome Professor Shakhashiri to the stage.	Bucky always comes prepared with his safety goggles.	Fog is a science fan favorite!

Elizabeth was a special guest in the Christmas Lecture from 1992-2002.	Celebrating the 45th annual show with a glowing luminol "45."	Lecture demonstrator Jim Maynard with Bassam.

Professor of Music and Director of Bands Mike Leckrone was another special guest.	Santa brought gifts to commemorate the 45th anniversary.	Bassam showed Prof. Leckrone and Santa how to make holiday ornaments.

The Madison Youth Choir	Raia demonstrated the Bernoulli Effect with a balloon and hair dryer.	Santa sang Italian opera!

Bassam's longtime collaborator Rodney Schreiner had fun with foams.	With a crash of thunder and a swirling tornado, Dorothy appeared!	Prof. Clint Sprott, of Wonders of Physics, came to congratulate Bassam.

Everyone came back on stage to celebrate at the end of the show.	Lillian, Jasmine and Oliver Andres, who attend Pittsville Elementary School, enjoyed the show.	The show wrapped up with more great music from the UW Varsity Band.
Photos courtesy of Curt Andres and Dina Boyle

IMAGES FROM THE 2013 SHOW


Bassam kicks off the show by igniting some balloons, always a crowd pleaser.	Lecture demonstrator Jim Maynard performs the N2OCS2 demo in the dark.	"Let me just check the instructions for the next demonstration in this book ..."

The Briggs-Rauscher Reaction features dramatic color changes.	Prof. Marc Fink and Hinano Ishii visit the lab for a musical interlude.	Dr. Rodney Schreiner has collaborated on 43 of the 44 Christmas Lectures.

How did the flame leap up the stairs?	Some young science fans greet Bassam after the show.	Fr. John Silva and students from Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic School, Monona

IMAGES FROM THE 2012 SHOW


Bassam waves hello to the audience at the start of the show.	Spraying metal salts into a flame produces beautiful colors.	Lauren Buchanan tests the conductivity of different liquids.

Santa presents Bassam with a periodic table blanket from the ACS.	What a beautiful Christmas ornament!	Enjoying a round of applause after the show.

Past Christmas Lectures are available on DVD!
Click Here for More Information

For more information contact SciFun@chem.wisc.edu