Talks & Demonstrations

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: 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: 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: 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