Television personality and science advocate Bill Nye 'The Science Guy' made a stop at the Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum Wednesday to demonstrate a series of experiments and get young people interested in science.

The event was hosted by LLamasoft, Inc., an Ann Arbor-based software company, where Nye was delivering the keynote address at LLamasoft's SummerCon supply chain design conference.

Audience members shouted "Bill, Bill, Bill" from the theme song of his television show as Nye took the stage.

Nye gave a lighthearted demonstration of Faraday's Law of electromagnetism, the shape and movement of smoke through air and the properties and uses of liquid nitrogen.

Nye sought volunteers to come on stage for demonstrations involving electricity, showing how liquid nitrogen can freeze objects in an instant and using his smoke ring machine to blow out a candle.

Nye entertained the group by freezing a marshmallow in liquid nitrogen and inserting it into his mouth, causing vapor to come from his mouth, all the while telling kids the real-world application of the experiments he was conducting.

More than 150 enthused kids were on hand to witness the demonstrations, which LLamasoft CEO Donald Hicks hopes will peak kids' interest in scientific thinking.

"Since Bill was already here, we decided to have him come out for a show for the kids," Hicks said. "It was definitely planned that we could bring him out here, but it is one of those one-time deals.

"We hope that this will get kids thinking about the world and asking why and making discoveries. It doesn't matter if you become a scientist or an engineer; we want people to have a scientific mindset."

Kids were enthralled with a particular experiment, in which Nye was using his smoke ring machine, created by combining the 'garbage can of science' with the 'shower curtain of science', to blow out a candle that was blocked with a red balloon.

Emily Torranch, a 12 year old who attends Beach Middle School in Chelsea, was brought on stage to help Nye with his Faraday Coils Demo. Torranch was brought on stage after Nye noticed her Cornell University shirt, Nye's alma mater, and Torranch's ability to explain Newton's law of universal gravitation.

"It was totally awesome to be on the stage with Bill Nye the Science Guy," Torranch said. "Getting to meet Bill Nye in person was the coolest part of working so close to him.

"I was really interested in science before today, and I have been watching his television show for a long time. I would like to go into chemistry or biology. I want to have less gasoline fumes in the world."

Nye stressed the importance of kids becoming interested in and pursuing careers in science, specifically in engineering.

Mel Drumm, executive director of the Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum, hopes the demonstration will excite kids about what the museum offers and all the possibilities science brings.

"We all witnessed what it means to have kids excited by science," Drumm said. "Kids are often intimidated by science, that it is hard and difficult, but Bill Nye really can show kids that science is something accessible and touchable.

"We look for people all the time to help inspire young people. We need young people in this country to get interested in science, technology and engineering – and what better place than in Ann Arbor."