Christopher Ibeh (pronounce e-bay) Sesquicentennial 2011 David Fairchild 1869-1954 Kansas Sesquicentennial 2011 Born in Nigeria, Africa’s top oil producing He grew up in Manhattan. country. Earned degrees in from Kansas Interested in oil, he earned degrees in State University. chemical and natural gas engineering. Became a plant explorer for the USDA, Became interested in plastics, which are traveling the world looking for useful crops made of oil and gas. to bring back to America. Has been a professor of plastics engineering Introduced alfalfa, , pistachios, technology at Pittsburg State University, dates, avocados, nectarines to the U.S. as Pittsburg, Kansas for 20 years. well the flowering cherry trees that are Working on nanotechnology to develop famous in Washington D.C. plastic nanocomposites that are fire and Photo: National Agriculture Library explosion-proof for the Navy EXTRA COOL: His father-in-law was Alexander Photo credit: CNCMM website to use in building ships.

DAVID FAIRCHILD Graham Bell, the inventor of the telephone. CHRISTOPHER IBEH EXTRA COOL: Ibeh is organizing a Nano- CHEMICAL ENGINEERING technology Entrepreneurship Forum at PSU. Project of the Ad Astra Kansas Initiative U. S. Department of Agriculture www.adastra-ks.org BusinessProject ofName the Ad Astra Kansas Initiative Pittsburg State University www.adastra-ks.org

Olga KOPER current Kansas Sesquicentennial 2011 Brian McClendon current Liked science, even as a child. Went to Hillcrest Elementary, West Jr. High Earned degree from and Lawrence High School. Earned degree in in inorganic chemistry. electrical engineering from KU in 1986. Working at the level of molecules and atoms Formed a company which developed software she helped develop materials to adsorb and to create video games and other 3-D graphics. destroy toxic chemicals, neutralize odors or Co-inventor of the computer search tool now do environmental cleanup. known as Google Earth which uses satellite First Responders use products made from images and other data to let users view 3-D these materials-- like sprays, powders or images of any place on earth. protective clothing-- to keep themselves safe Leads the Geo group at Google which is also when they come in contact with dangerous Courtesy NanoScale Corporation responsible for Google Maps, Streetview, chemical or biological substances. Sketchup, Sky, Moon, Mars and Ocean. Olga KOPER EXTRA COOL: “The periodic table is like a Photo Courtesy Brian McClendon Chemistry EXTRA COOL: You can use Google Earth to zoom in playground in which you can build new compounds NanoScale Corporation, Manhattan BRIAN McCLENDON and find your house and then use Sketchup to make and develop new applications. It’s been fun!” says ENGINEERING a 3D model of it. Koper. SCIENCE in KANSAS ANSAS - Project of the Ad Astra Kansas Initiative 2011 Project of the Ad Astra Kansas Initiative 150 years and counting - 150 Google Earth www.adastra-ks.org www.adastra-ks.org years and counting