LISI The Science Behind It - Seminar Series
Fall 2024
A Night At the Library - Sherlock Holmes Escape Room
Saturday, October 19, 2024 | 6–7:15 p.m. and 7:30–8:45 p.m.
Registration: $45/team
Woodstock Public Library
Join us for an unforgettable “Night at the Library," a Sherlock Holmes-themed escape room event that promises to challenge and delight area residents. Step into the world of the legendary detective and test your wits with a series of intriguing puzzles and mysteries. This interactive adventure is designed for ages 12 through adult making it the perfect evening for families, friends, and mystery enthusiasts.
- Age: Middle school through adult
- Teams: Two to six participants per team
- Supervision: At least one adult supervisor (age 18 or older) is required per team
- What to Bring: Your keen mind and team spirit!
Event Highlights:
- Sherlock Holmes Mystery: Dive into a captivating storyline inspired by the famous detective. Use your problem-solving skills to unravel clues and solve the mystery before time runs out.
- Team Competition: Form a team of two to six participants and work together to unlock the clues and reveal the mystery. Compete against seven other teams for the fastest time and the ultimate bragging rights.
- Fabulous Prizes: The winning team will be awarded great prizes, adding to the excitement and thrill of the evening.
You must be 18 or older to register your team. Only eight teams may register per group time slot. So, don’t wait, sign up now!
Don't miss this unique opportunity to experience a night of mystery and adventure at the Woodstock Public Library. Gather your team, put on your thinking caps, and join us for a night you won't forget!
Sponsored by: Woodstock Public Library, Liebman Institute for Science Innovation, and McHenry County College
Introduction to AI for Autonomous Driving
Friday, October 11, 2024 | 6–8:30 p.m.
Registration: $25/person
Seating is limited to 24 attendees
Liebman Institute for Science Innovation (LISI) presents an exhilarating seminar that puts you in the driver's seat of the future with an in-depth exploration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Autonomous Vehicles (AVs). Fasten your seatbelt and join us on the fast track to mastering AI fundamentals and the core components of AV technology, including perception (object classification, object tracking, sensor fusion), prediction, and planning (imitation learning, reinforcement learning). Accelerate your knowledge through hands-on experience with an interactive group activity, where participants will race to build the best AI driver. Don't miss this opportunity to drive innovation forward with LISI!
Presenter Bios
Jeremy Morton is a software engineer at Waymo where he works on machine learning for planning. He graduated from Prairie Ridge High School and earned his B.S. in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC). He then completed his M.S. and PhD from Stanford University as a part of the Stanford Intelligent Systems Laboratory.
Jay Prombo is a Software Engineer at Waymo working on planning for multi-point turns. He has a B.S. in Computer Science from UIUC. He was a Test Engineer, Software Engineer, and Site Reliability Engineer at Google before working on sensor processing accelerators and AV behavior at Waymo.
Spring 2024
Molecular Mixology: Dilution 101
Friday, March 15, 2024 | 6–9 p.m.
Registration: $65/person I $120/couple
Chicago’s own Machine: Engineered Dining & Drink brings its expertise to McHenry County College’s campus for its very first offsite workshop. Join expert mixologist and Beverage Director, Aneka Saxon, in a totally immersive, scientific approach to making the perfect cocktail. Learn how to dilute mixed drinks to obtain maximum flavor and enjoyment. Begin Dilution 101 by making the perfect Old Fashioned, considering surface area, proof, and ice melt rate. Next, delve into sweetness perception and ice size to create the most flavorful Mai Tai. Use flavored ice and progressive dilution to achieve the peak flavor of a Red Sun. Finally, advance from classic cocktails to your own innovative original using your new knowledge and techniques. Let Aneka teach you to wield the power of chemistry so your drinks truly pack a punch.
Winetasting: Flavors and Red Blends
Friday, April 5, 2024 | 6-9 p.m.
Registration: $50/person | $80/couple
Join restaurateur, wine connoisseur, and sommelier Andy Andresky for a night to remember. Immerse yourself in the heady aromas and taste sensations of three reds and a white. Learn the chemistry behind flavor–the sometimes bold, sometimes nuanced effects of tannins, pH, fermentation, aging, and grape varietals. (Can wine really taste like bacon or Band-AidsTM? What causes mouthfeel? Which chemicals make wine velvety, silky, and grippy?) Test and challenge your senses with the aromas, overtones, weight, texture, and structure of Andy’s hand-picked wines. Then, daringly blend your own unique vintage to bring to the Connoisseur’s Table for judging. This experience includes epicurean delights to further enhance and ignite taste buds and olfactory receptors.
Winetasting: Chards and Charcuterie
Friday, May 17, 2024 | 6–9 p.m.
Registration: $50/person | $80/couple
Experience Chardonnays - a uniquely American white wine with amazingly different aromas and flavors that come from: our native soils; indigenous (wild) yeasts; malolactic fermentation; and barrel, stainless steel, or cement aging. Andy Andresky, restaurateur, wine connoisseur, and sommelier, will guide you through the different chardonnay regions in a hands-on workshop that challenges your senses, teaching you to detect and analyze the rich overtones and subtle undertones of some high-quality chards, including a special 1992 chard straight from Andy’s own cellar!
Crystal Lake’s Fork It Foods will help bring out the best in your favorite chard. They will instruct you on the best pairings of meats, cheeses, fruits, nuts, olives, and more, and lead you through the construction of your own customized "grazing platter" to enhance your chard's impact and create an explosion of flavor. Once you’ve developed an expert’s nose and taste, share your masterpiece with the rest of the group and enjoy delectable desserts provided by MCC’s Culinary Management program.
If you need an accommodation or a sign language interpreter, contact the Access and Disability Services department at (815) 455-8766 or disabilityservices@mchenry.edu.