Volunteer instructor and student at Rutgers University, Christopher Petoukhoff, points a laser at a vial of oil and water as Aidan Pulliam,11, West Deptford, looks on in the experiment of surface interactions: hydrophobicity, hydrophilicity, and principles of self-assembly at the HEROES Academy, a new facility that opened in New Brunswick and works in conjunction with Rutgers for gifted and talented students.