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StoryMad Scientists Club
Mad Scientists Make The Grade
An upstart group, The Mad Scientists Club, has taken the prestigious Most Outstanding Academic Organization award at UF. When you consider that there are over 980 clubs on campus you realize that any club would be honored to win the award. The Mad Scientists have achieved this feat after being formed less than a year ago. When most people think of mad scientists they have a theatrical vision of Dr. Frankenstein or a comic vision like Professor Honeydew and his sidekick Beaker. These Mad Scientists probably would not shy away from such associations — as long as those associations make people excited about science.
Mad Scientists Club is an organization dedicated to fostering curiosity for hands-on science through a quirky medium. They give public forums on things like fossil excavation techniques, the mechanics of Nikola Tesla's inventions, and the history of mad science. These typically accompany experiments that anyone can join in on, often using common household items to produce dramatic results. They've made fluorescent candy to sell at the downtown Farmers' Market to help fund building a Tesla coil completely from scratch. A yearlong project, they used copper wire, PVC pipe, empty beer bottles, and a bucket with saltwater among other things to make this visually exciting device.
The Mad Scientists just want to share their excitement about science with everyone that might feel that science is anything but exciting. They run a non-profit school outreach program called Mad Science 101 contracted through the Alachua County Speakers bureau, where they go to schools and do experiments while teaching the science behind them. They hope to inspire students to pursue Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education. When one of the members dresses up like Nikola Tesla and demonstrates the Jacob's Ladder they built, students in the class realize they have seen that thing in some ancient sci-fi movie they saw with their grandparents. But there it is right in front of them — crackling away.
The Mad Scientists will also show the practical side of science. Want to learn how to make your own soap in case you run out right before your big date? Let the Mad Scientists show you how. If it looks like too much work you can always buy a bar from them. After all, even Mad Scientists need funds to keep their club going.
Want to see just how mad these scientists are? Visit them on Facebook or contact Genevieve Comeau, the president and founder of the group and arrange a demonstration for your group. Be careful — you might end up changing your major so you can become a mad scientist yourself!
"When I understood the task, it was not with a resolve such as men often make. With me it was a sacred vow, a question of life and death. I knew that I would perish if I failed."
– Nikola Tesla
