I know this a little off the beaten path of my previous posts but I can’t resist. I first read about the “Month at the Museum” contest on PopSci.com and have been so excited about the prospect of spending a month in the museum that I have hardly had time for much else. To apply, I created a video displaying my creativity and enthusiasm for science. I also wrote an essay on why I wanted to spend a month in a 14 acre museum and took my own picture for the application.

I took this self-portrait in my garage with no backdrop. It's not where you take a photo, it's how.

It was a challenge to cram my personality and experience into 60 seconds, 500 words, a 5×7 photo and 7 page application but with a little help from my friends I did it.

If selected, I will be staying at Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago, IL. I will have limited contact with the outside world, aside from tweeting and blogging. The sleeping arrangements are provided in various exhibits around the museum, like the U-505 German submarine or the “Smart Home” or maybe even on the Pioneer Zephyr. According to the contest site, there will also be public appearances and demonstrations with the museum patrons.

The semi-finalists will be notified by August 25 and by September 1, the semi-finalists will fly to Chicago for an interview. Then, three finalists will have their videos posted for public vote. The winner will be announced on October 6, move into the Museum on October 20 and spend the next month exploring the museum both during and after hours reporting their experiences via tweets, blogging, Facebook and other social media.

Check out the photos I obtained from the press release, this is the “home base” for the winner:

As a complete and over-the-top bonus to this unique experience, the winner gets a laptop, camera, and $10,000!

Thanks to Carrie, Brittany, and Anna for reviewing the essay; Rae for lending her awesome public relations and social media expertise; Rylan, Jay and Sam for being references; the Ellison family, Shala, Caleb, Brandon and James for helping me spot errors in the application and offering suggestions; Kitty and Dan for letting me use their cameras and finally, the neighbor kids for making the science demonstrations fun.

Wish me luck! and leave a comment if you think I’d make a good candidate or just want to comment.