Come experiment with Professor Sepoc, but be warned: It could get messy.

The bumbling scientist admits she's no stranger to a sticky situation, and her experiments often end with a bang. It's the nature of her research, which includes "Playing With Your Food," "Slimy, Sticky, Icky" and "Magic Chemistry."

The professor urges her young assistants to get their hands dirty. And when they find themselves in a bind, sometimes the best solution is a big roll of tape, Sepoc says.

"I like to do things with gases that go pop and boom," explained the soft-spoken professor, peering through her perfectly round spectacles.

Meet Professor Sepoc's alter ego, Jane Snell Copes. The Inver Grove Heights scientist and former college professor has a Ph.D. in inorganic chemistry. Copes' business, "Science Outside the Box," is showing children the real-life magic of science and math. Copes conjured up Professor Sepoc -- her last name spelled backward -- to make it fun.

She performs at schools, camps, libraries, parties, businesses and museums. This month, she's the main attraction at the Winter Wonders science program for children and parents -- a collaboration between Dakota County parks and library systems. Youth programming coordinators say that, while arts and music performers are easy to find, Copes fills an important niche getting children excited about math, science and literacy.

"She's a favorite around here. She has a real following. She provides a lot of good fun and a lot of good information to our kids," said Amy Baum, events coordinator at the Red Balloon Bookshop on Grand Avenue in St. Paul. "She brings a real different kind of twist to books and science."

Recently, Professor Sepoc explored the mysteries of potato-chip science in honor of National Potato Chip Day at the Red Balloon Bookshop. Baum said Professor Sepoc is so clever that teachers come to her science shows and borrow ideas for their own classrooms.

Copes, 63, said she knew she wanted to be a scientist at age 9 when, after much experimentation, she perfected a recipe for mud pies. (The key ingredient? Sawdust.) She knows that the next generation of scientists will need an opportunity to experiment, and her programs give kids that chance.

"Kids get plenty of screen time and kids get plenty of organized sports. They don't get enough time to build things and make mistakes, make messes even. Too many kids are raised in houses with white couches," laments Copes.

Copes says everyday life is full of science and math, and children need to be competent.

"Kids need to learn to sew. Kids need to learn to use hammers. By the time they graduate high school, kids need to know how to change a flat tire and change the oil," Copes said.

The Dakota County Library has hired Professor Sepoc to teach on a variety of subjects, including rocket science, "grossology" and Harry Potter potions.

Librarians say kids love her silly-professor persona and her hands-on experiments, but adults can see she's an excellent teacher, in complete control of the situation.

Copes said safety is as important as having fun.

"They [library staff] think she had a kind, gentle way about her," said Jennifer Verbrugge, youth programing coordinator for the Dakota County Library system. "She is very creative, and her creativity inspires creativity and imagination in kids. Her experiments are easy to replicate at home. The kids can bring the science back home with them."

Copes earned her Ph.D. from Syracuse University, taught at universities and then worked at 3M for years, where she invented a ceramic glue. There, she participated in 3M's Visiting Wizards program. She remembers thrilling children by freezing common items including bananas in a box of liquid nitrogen.

"I finally started to play again," Copes said.

She worked as a science educator at the Science Museum of Minnesota. That's where she learned about showmanship and comedic timing. She lost her position in 2003 because of downsizing.

She started "Science Outside the Box" soon after. She was inspired after reading the Harry Potter books.

"It really showed me I am magic," she said.

Copes is always adding and improving on her programs. Her measure for success is simple.

"If I'm not having fun, I am not going to teach it well," Copes said.

Shannon Prather is a Roseville freelance writer.