Like its namesake, the consummate Renaissance man Leonardo da Vinci, Corvallis' annual mid-summer celebration embodies the synthesis of art, science and technology.

This weekend's da Vinci Days will focus on innovation and discovery of all kinds, ranging from kinetic sculpture races to wave energy demonstrations to film screenings.

Hans Queisser, a German physicist with close ties to Corvallis, looks forward to serving as this year's keynote speaker.

"This is the best example of American community spirit," Queisser said. "It's volunteers working together, uniting the community, educating children, utilizing the knowledge of the elders, having fun and learning all at the same time. It's remarkable."

Queisser will give da Vinci Days' keynote address on Saturday night. His talk, "Harmony and Order: Art and the Sciences," will examine the interplay between arts and science.

He'll also discuss contemporary science as a form of art, using the example of an integrated silicon chip to illustrate principles of modern art.

Queisser's ties to the mid-valley date back to 1952. During his summer break as an exchange student at the University of Kansas, Queisser hitchhiked across the country. He earned pocket money by picking strawberries in Lebanon and freezing peas in Milton-Freewater.

Oregon has since continued to play an important role in his life. While serving as director of the Wacker Corp. in Germany, Queisser advocated strongly that Oregon be selected over an East Coast state as the site for a new silicon crystal growing factory. The result? Wacker Siltronic in Portland.

Queisser is a former member of the research and development advisory board for Hewlett-Packard Co. at its Palo Alto, Calif., headquarters. His son, Andrew Queisser, works for HP in Corvallis.

Daughter-in-law Sue Queisser helps coordinate da Vinci Days, and suggested he get involved.

"I'm very happy to be here," he said. "I find it very gratifying."

Queisser believes that physicists in general are attracted to art and music. He spent time in Venice, Italy, studying similarities between the production of Murano glass by local artisans and the creation of silicon chips in Silicon Valley.

Queisser has worked alongside and taught several Nobel Prize winners. He also authored the book "Conquest of the Microchip."