Talks & Demonstrations

Appropriate for: Kindergarten and Pre-K, Elementary school age, Middle school age, High school age, 18 years and above

Join us as we kick off the 13th annual MSU Science Festival during our STEAM Expo Weekend with musical performances, special demonstrations, and a few other surprises you won't want to miss out on! 

Learn more about Science Festival Opening Celebrations with The Great Lakes Brass Band

Appropriate for: Kindergarten and Pre-K, Elementary school age, Middle school age, High school age, 18 years and above

The scanning electron microscope (SEM) has opened up a whole new way of seeing materials. Instead of being limited to light microscopes, scientists can use sub-atomic electrons to create pictures never before seen. Visit a materials science laboratory and learn about SEMs. Use the scanning electron microscope to view insects, human hair, ceramics, metals, computer chips, glasses, composites, etc. You will also be able to participate in other hands-on demonstrations (involving metals, plastics, ceramics and composites) highlighting materials science and engineering.

Learn more about Life Beneath the Naked Eye

Appropriate for: Kindergarten and Pre-K, Elementary school age, Middle school age, High school age, 18 years and above

Not every cherry on a cherry tree makes it to harvest. Some cherries naturally fall to the ground as the growing season progresses. These fruits, if left to rot, may lead to pests and diseases spreading on the orchard floor, increasing the risk of these issues impacting cherries awaiting harvest in the trees. We used trail cameras in 2024 to identify which wild animals use this rotting fruit as a food source and how often. 24/7 cameras showed many different types of animals foraging for food on orchard floors and suggested the potential benefits they may provide to farmers.

Learn more about Birds and Mammals in Cherry Orchards: Are They Helping Farmers?

Appropriate for: Kindergarten and Pre-K, Elementary school age, Middle school age, High school age, 18 years and above

Despite their versatility, plastics are used in a wasteful manner. We take oil and gas from the earth to make plastic products that are often designed to be used only once, and then we throw them away. Millions of tons of plastic, valued at billions of dollars, are burned, dumped in landfills, or leak into the environment every year. Every year, an astounding 8 million tons of debris spill into the ocean, and the amount is growing. By 2050, there will be more plastic in the ocean than fish (by weight) unless we reconsider how we use it. We'll talk about the recycling of plastics and how can we create a circular economy for them.

Learn more about How to Turn the Tide on Plastics Pollution

Appropriate for: Elementary school age, Middle school age, High school age, 18 years and above

Join Dr. Timothy Warren for an exciting (and tasty) chemistry demonstration! 

Learn more about Liquid Nitrogen Ice Cream!

Appropriate for: Kindergarten and Pre-K, Elementary school age, Middle school age, High school age, 18 years and above

Butterflies are well-loved insects that are common in our gardens and roadsides, but few know the secret lives of butterflies that range from strange to deadly. We will learn what a butterfly actually is and where they fit in the tree of life. We'll go over the basic biology of butterflies and learn how to identify a butterfly from a moth. Then we explore each of the groups of butterflies that live here in Michigan. We'll learn how to identify each group, which ecosystems they call home, and what makes them unique in their own strange yet beautiful way.

Learn more about Butterfly Bonanza: The Ecology and Conservation of Michigan's Well-Loved Insects

Appropriate for: Middle school age, High school age, 18 years and above

What is machine learning? This presentation will introduce fundamental concepts of machine learning, a study that has created a "fourth industrial revolution" in the world. Participants will be guided through the main ideas of machine learning and participate in a machine learning activity. The presentation also will include an overview of the strengths/advantages and challenges of machine learning. 

Learn more about AI School: An Introduction to Machine Learning

Appropriate for: Kindergarten and Pre-K, Elementary school age, Middle school age, High school age, 18 years and above

Scientists use supercomputers to accelerate their research. A question that would take a decade to answer on a personal laptop can be answered much faster on a supercomputer. Join the Institute for Cyber-Enabled Research (ICER) as we take you on a journey with our graphic novel, The Story of Supercomputing, to learn how a scientist uses supercomputers to answer her super-questions. Do not miss our silicon petting zoo, where you will be able to explore parts of computers and supercomputers that you normally would not see. A supercomputing expert will be available to answer your questions!

Learn more about The Story of Supercomputing: A Graphic Novel and Silicon Petting Zoo

Appropriate for: Elementary school age, Middle school age, High school age, 18 years and above

Our presentation highlights the urgent challenges facing endangered migratory species across Asia’s five migratory bird flyways. Featuring critically endangered species like the Yellow-breasted Bunting and Spoon-billed Sandpiper, the presentation explores threats such as overhunting, habitat loss, and climate change in the migratory birds' wintering grounds. With a focus on local actions and global sustainable goals, this presentation aims to raise awareness and inspire collective efforts to protect these avian travelers and preserve biodiversity. 

Learn more about Fading in the Dark: The Silent Decline of Asian Migratory Birds

Appropriate for: Middle school age, High school age, 18 years and above

We invite attendees of the MSU Science Festival to come to our lab to see how we study vocal tract movements in real time using electromagnetic articulography. Using the technology, we can get very precise spatial and temporal information about the movement of the tongue and lips as they are used during human speech production. This allows us to test theories of speech articulations and other theories that people have about their own languages.

Learn more about Studying the Human Vocal Tract in Real Time

Appropriate for: Kindergarten and Pre-K, Elementary school age, Middle school age, High school age, 18 years and above

Make your own edible ice cream aquifer! Learn about aquifers and groundwater and how you can protect water resources. Find out how groundwater in the aquifer can become contaminated by watching what happens when you start adding chocolate syrup, sprinkles, and soda to your ice cream aquifer.

Learn more about Edible Ice Cream Aquifers: What Can You Learn About Groundwater?

Appropriate for: Elementary school age, Middle school age, High school age, 18 years and above

Stars are fascinating to study, but you wouldn’t want to go there and take measurements yourself. MSU’s Facility for Rare Isotope Beams (FRIB) can recreate the stellar environment for more controlled (and safer) research. Discover how our researchers are producing the kinds of nuclei only found in stars and giving them the right energy to duplicate stellar reactions! You'll use several hands-on demonstrations to understand how FRIB smashes nuclei and measures their invisible fragments.

Learn more about Fantastic Nuclei and Where to Find Them

Appropriate for: Kindergarten and Pre-K, Elementary school age, Middle school age, High school age, 18 years and above

The Clapp Family Mastodon is an American mastodon skeleton (~85% complete) that was found in August of 2022, near Kent City, Michigan.  It is named after the landowners, Courtney and Michael Clapp, who generously donated it to the Grand Rapids Public Museum.  This presentation will discuss the discovery, excavation, preservation, and investigation of this unique find and what it can tell us about Michigan’s environment 13,000 years ago during the last Ice Age. 

Learn more about The Clapp Family Mastodon

Appropriate for: Elementary school age, Middle school age, High school age, 18 years and above

Have you ever wondered how much sleep you really need at different ages? In this talk, we’ll explore how sleep patterns change from childhood to adulthood. Whether you’re a busy student, a teenager, or an adult trying to get more zzz's, we’ll uncover how your body and brain need different types of rest at every stage of life. You’ll leave with cool facts, tips, and maybe even a new bedtime routine to help you sleep like a champ!

Learn more about Sleep Through the Ages

Appropriate for: Kindergarten and Pre-K, Elementary school age, Middle school age, High school age, 18 years and above

Have you ever wondered why twins are such an important part of psychological research? The MSU Twin Registry collects important genetic and environmental data on over 30,000 twin pairs and families across Michigan. Dr. Alex Burt’s Genetics and Behavior Lab at Michigan State University uses the twin model and twin participants from the registry to help investigate outcomes for twins through longitudinal studies. In this presentation we will cover the biology behind twinning, how the twin model allows us to pull apart the effects of nature versus nurture, and our research.

Learn more about Seeing Double? The MSU Twin Studies and the Twin Model

Appropriate for: Kindergarten and Pre-K, Elementary school age, Middle school age, High school age, 18 years and above

Join us for an hour-long presentation at the Abrams Planetarium. We will start with a showing of "Out There: The Search for Extrasolar Planets" and explore how our perception of our place in the Universe has changed and how the discoveries of exoplanets we made in the last decades even surpassed the dreams of science fiction authors. This is followed by a presentation from faculty and graduate students from the MSU department of Earth and Environmental Sciences called "Asteroids, Comets, and the History of the Cosmos" where you will learn about how studying our neighborhood helps us understand the universe.

Learn more about Looking at Planets Near and Far

Appropriate for: Middle school age, High school age, 18 years and above

Join us at the Woven Art Yarn Shop for a make and take crochet event where you’ll make stuffed animals of science model organisms and learn about their significance in research on campus and across the globe! Crochet patterns will be provided and kits with materials to make the stuffed animal will be available for purchase. Please note, this is not a learn to crochet event and understanding of basic crochet stitches is required. However, we will have knowledgeable crocheters available to help you!

This event has a limited number of spots (18) available, so please reserve your spot by going to the Woven Art Yarn Shop website and signing up for this event under their "Classes and Ticketed Events" page.

Learn more about Science Crochet-Along

Appropriate for: High school age, 18 years and above

Building on a series of Climate Cafes hosted at MSU over the past few months, we are following up with a workshop on actionable steps to deal with the climate crisis. Join The Graduate School's Office for Wellbeing's Graduate Assistant and climate resilience PhD candidate Clara Graucob in this interactive workshop to strengthen our head-heart-hand connection - moving from climate emotions to actions. If you are feeling stuck, don't know where to start, or feel like nothing you could do would make a difference, this workshop is for you!

What to Expect

• Shift the narrative on the climate crisis
• Learn about individual and systemic action
• Connect with others who are wanting to act on climate change
• Walk away with actionable strategies you can immediately implement

Learn more about Climate Change Action Workshop

Appropriate for: Kindergarten and Pre-K, Elementary school age, Middle school age, High school age, 18 years and above

In this interactive session, our panelists will showcase various innovative ways in which we can communicate complex scientific concepts, particularly in the field of nuclear physics. Four presenters representing diverse backgrounds and career paths will introduce their work at the intersection of art, communication, and science. Their talks explore dance, film, multimedia installations, and the art of public speaking. 

Learn more about The Art of Science Communication

Appropriate for: Middle school age, High school age, 18 years and above

Storytelling can be one exceptionally powerful way for fostering a thriving environment in our scientific community. Join us for an enlightening session in which two awesome physicist-filmmakers, Dr. Ágnes Mócsy and Dr. Manuel Calderón de la Barca Sánchez share their unique perspectives on filmmaking as a venue to share our stories, walking right at the intersections of the sciences and the arts. In conversation with one another and Pablo Giuliani as a guiding panelist, these filmmakers will discuss the creative and human aspects of science, the collaborative potential between art and research, and how documentary filmmaking can dismantle stereotypes surrounding scientists and help engage us all.

Learn more about Science on Screen, Humanity in Focus

Appropriate for: Kindergarten and Pre-K, Elementary school age, Middle school age, High school age, 18 years and above

Where the Light Gets In is a public art installation in which LED tube lights are mounted on 43 trees marked for removal for a future construction project. The lights are positioned such that they appear to be piercing the heart of the tree, like a spear. The name of the piece, “Where the light gets in” comes from a popular lyric from the musician and poet Leonard Cohen: “There’s a crack in everything, that’s where the light gets in,” referring to the way in which traumatic events make us more receptive to the good of the world. The act of piercing the tree with light is a death ritual in which the community is given an opportunity to pay their respects to the trees, mitigating the shock of their imminent removal.

This installation is a collaboration between artists Hailey Becker and Patrick N. Taylor. 

The closing reception will be a choose your own adventure style event. Attendees will be given a number of ways to interact with the art through sound, movement, drawing, and more. Hot beverages, snacks, and supplies will be provided. No experience with art or forestry required! There will be limited seating, so we recommend brining a blanket or camping chair if you would like to sit amongst the installation. 

Learn more about Where the Light Gets In Closing Reception and Workshop

Appropriate for: Middle school age, High school age, 18 years and above

Join us for a special IMAX screening of Secrets of the Universe followed by a Q and A with physicist and film narrator Dr. Manuel Calderón de la Barca Sánchez.

Secrets of the Universe is a sweeping 3D giant-screen adventure that immerses audiences in the greatest mystery of our time—puzzles spanning from the infinitesimal to the infinite—and introduces the brilliant minds seeking to unravel them. Those answers await at the collision points of intellect and imagination, of theory and experiment, of the tiniest particles and most powerful forces in the universe. 

This is an FRIB affiliated event and is also sponsored by the MSU Department of Physics and Astronomy.

Learn more about Secrets of the Universe IMAX Screening