When wish granters visited 7-year-old Juliana, she welcomed them into her science lab, a.k.a. the kitchen of her family’s home. “Science is so much fun!” she told them.

Juliana’s father, Charles, said that his daughter, who was diagnosed with leukemia, has been doing science experiments around the house for as long as he can remember. So he was not surprised when she told wish granters from the Make-A-Wish Foundation that her wish was to be a scientist. Two of the biggest scientific questions on her mind: how do you combine chemicals to make “goop,” and why can sand be found in so many different colors?

During an exciting wish party at the South Florida Science Museum, wish granters revealed that Juliana was about to travel to Boston, where she would be a VIP at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the Museum of Science and the New England Aquarium, among other places. Juliana’s eyes lit up when she received a pair of lab goggles and a lab coat with her name embroidered on it. She felt like a bona fide scientist in her new gear.

Juliana fit right in when she arrived at MIT and met professors Heidi Nepf and Philip Gschwend. With the help of some beakers, drops of colored dye and floating beads, Professor Nepf taught Juliana about patterns of water and sand movement in rivers. Professor Gschwend demonstrated how to make goop from glue and other household items. Juliana watched intently so she would be able to duplicate the experiment at home.

For a truly electrifying experience, Juliana entered an atom smasher, a 25-foot-tall cone where scientists simulate lightning strikes. She sat gleefully as a bucket of dry ice vapor cascaded over her head. She studied how to create a chemical reaction, made “flubber” and gazed at the effects of acid rain through a microscope. And everywhere she went, she received gifts: educational games and scientific kits to take home with her.

Later in her trip, Juliana enjoyed a dinosaur exhibit tour and hands-on experiences with all kinds of marine life at the New England Aquarium. She especially loved petting an octopus named George. There was even time to watch the “Sea Monsters 3D” IMAX movie and ride on a “duck,” a renovated World War II amphibious vehicle, that the guide invited Juliana to steer.

Juliana’s wish created amazing memories, not only for the budding scientist, but for her whole family. “The trip was perfect!” Juliana’s mom, Lenora, said. “It was something that really made an impression on Juliana – something that she will look back on.”

By Kathryn Roethel