Catherine LaFrance, 1-866-362-2167 Ext. 13856, clafrance@heraldargus.com

Photo: By Catherine LaFrance Aidan Armstrong, 7, watches PNC physics lab technician Richard Bohan explain how a balloon stays suspended amidst dry ice at PNC’s Activity Fair Thursday. More photos from this shoot

WESTVILLE -- As mystified students and families walked past a plastic pig on top of a plastic bowl, they gasped in amazement as their fingers went right through the image.

“It’s an illusion,” explained Aaron Warren, professor of physics at Purdue North Central.

Warren, along with countless other staff members, were present at an activity fair at PNC, as part of their open house for prospective students.

Warren, along with Richard Bohan, lab technician for the math, statistics and physics department, had a series of fun --and funny -- experiments to help students and their families understand the far-reaching importance of science and math on everyday life.

The illusionary pig was a product of two mirrored bowls on top of each other, with the tiny plastic pig at the bottom of the bowl. The illusion peeked up from a circular hole on the top of the surface, baffling children and adults alike as they walked past and were challenged by Warren and Bohan to grab the plastic toy.

Although physics, and likewise mathematics, are not always popular subjects in college, the applications of both are so far reaching, most people would be surprised how much of both they use on a daily basis, Warren said.

“It’s about showing students how it applies to their lives in the long run,” Warren said.

Purna Das, interim assistant dean of the College of Science and chairman of the math and physics department at PNC, said helping future and current student realize the importance of science needs to be a major priority.

“Students generally shy away from math and science,” Das said. “However, the world today needs more scientists, mathematicians, engineers and technologists.”

Catching students’ attention early could be a key to their success, as the math and physics booth proved Thursday night.

By using hands-on experiments in labs and class sessions, students make the connection between what they are studying and how the world really works -- a study in problem solving, Bohan said.

“You learn to break problems into bite-sized pieces,” he said.

Math, much like physics, Warren said, is fundamental in developing these problem-solving skills, which all people need.

“Statistics is full of problem-solving and real-world application,” he said.