It’s time
Campus prepares for Cal Day, April 20, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.

Public Affairs staff Paul Reed and John Hickey unfurl a Cal Day banner from the second floor of Sproul Hall. Jeff Wason photo

17 April 2002 | The cornucopia of events slated for Cal Day 2002 includes tried-and-true favorites — such as rappelling down the face of Wheeler Hall and viewing the two-story-tall T. rex skeleton in Valley Life Sciences — plus first-time offerings for guests of all ages.

Visitors can meet the new Cal football coach, Jeff Tedford, and the team; hear the speech that Professor of Economics George Akerlof gave in Stockholm last December when accepting his Nobel prize; “audition” at the Lawrence Hall of Science to play a dinosaur in an upcoming movie; and take a guided hard hat tour of the historic Hearst Memorial Mining Building, part way through its renovation.

Campus experts will lecture on issues of the day — the implications of the Sept. 11 terrorist attack, U.S. military readiness and the collapse of the Twin Towers, through the eyes of Civil Engineering Professor Hassan Astaneh-Asl.

For kids as well as adults, the chemistry department’s magic show is always a big attraction. “The kids become part of the show, as they have such great reactions to what happens when they are standing up front,” says Professor Angelica Stacy. Its gunpowder races, featuring flaming fuel trails, are always a hit. The audience is known to cheer the explosions and dramatic effects — and to learn a bit about chemical reactions in the process.

Visitors can also hop on a motorized cable car for a 30-minute guided tour on campus history and highlights, or visit Spring Fest, a food and culture celebration at International House.

Cal Day runs from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Click on the link below for more information, or call 642-2294.