In early May of 2005, a daVinci Days volunteer, (http://www.davinci-days.org/), contacted Prof. Roger Ely wanting to know if he would be interested in putting together an interactive display regarding alternative energy.  Prof. Ely enthusiastically agreed to do it and over the next eight weeks, in discussions with his graduate students, Liz Burrows, Paul Schrader, Sunna Park, and Tyler Radniecki, and with student workers Nathan Brown and Katie Withrow, an idea of doing something with some small, solar-powered, fuel cell cars surfaced and the “Solar Hydrogen Racers!” booth was created.

Mainly designed for children, but with a few attractions aimed more at adults, the booth’s main feature was a “drag strip” on an eight-foot table, with two, side-by-side tracks, each designed to accommodate a small car powered by a solar cell.  After positioning the cars at the starting line and shouting, "On your marks, get set, GO!" Prof. Ely or one of his helpers would hit a switch that turned on two lights simultaneously, one above each car.  The lights would make the cars start to go, and then each “driver” would have to guide his or her light, using an attached wand, to keep it on the car's solar panel.  If they did it well, the cars would really go!  The races were timed with a stop watch, and the fastest times were 1.87 seconds on Saturday and 2.03 seconds on Sunday!

 The booth contained other things to do, as well -- like making hydrogen by electrolyzing water, shining a light on a solar panel and watching the current on a meter, or watching a slide show.  On Sunday one of the cars was set up to use the solar panel to make hydrogen (and oxygen), then use the hydrogen (and oxygen) through the fuel cell to drive the car’s motor.  A lot of people found that to be very cool!