Dazzling Demos and Talks
Dazzling demonstrations and inspiring talks from experts all across the STEAM disciplines
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Inside the MSU Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory: Disease Detectives at Work
Saturday, April 6, 1:00 - 3:00 PM at MSU Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory Room 101 4125 Beaumont Rd Lansing, MI 48910
Appropriate for: Elementary school age, Middle school age, High school age, 18 years and above
Animals can't tell you when they're sick or point to where it hurts. Come learn how veterinarians and laboratory technologists help to diagnose disease. At the MSU Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, we have unique expertise in safeguarding the health of companion animals, livestock, wildlife, and people. Test your knowledge with a chance to investigate and diagnose cases! Explore self-directed, interactive activities. Please note that this does not include tours of the facility.
Learn more about Inside the MSU Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory: Disease Detectives at Work
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Intersection Conversation: Stellar Connections between Art and Science
Thursday, April 11, 5:30 - 6:30 PM at Facility for Rare Isotope Beams Auditorium
Pre-register at https://113145.blackbaudhosting.com/113145/Stellar-Connections-Between-Art-and-Science
Requires pre-registration
Appropriate for: Middle school age, High school age, 18 years and above
Join us for an exciting discussion between Abel Korinsky, the inaugural MSUFCU Arts Power Up Artist-in-Residence, and Hendrik Schatz, MSU University Distinguished Professor of Nuclear Astrophysics and scientist at FRIB. They'll explore the fascinating intersection of artistic expression and scientific discovery.
The MSUFCU Arts Power Up Arts Residency at FRIB program is generously supported by an endowed gift from the Michigan State University Federal Credit Union.Learn more about Intersection Conversation: Stellar Connections between Art and Science
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Chemistry in Action
Saturday, April 13, 10:00 - 10:45 AM at STEM Teaching and Learning Facility Room 1130
Appropriate for: Kindergarten and Pre-K, Elementary school age, Middle school age, High school age, 18 years and above
Experience fan favorite chemistry demonstrations like Sparty's toothpaste, fun with liquid nitrogen, and Sparty's science ice cream.
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Experiment with the Principles of Supercomputing Through an Educational Videogame
Presented at the following times:
Saturday, April 13, 10:00 - 10:30 AM at STEM Teaching and Learning Facility Room 3201
Saturday, April 13, 11:00 - 11:30 AM at STEM Teaching and Learning Facility Room 3201
Saturday, April 13, 12:00 - 12:30 PM at STEM Teaching and Learning Facility Room 3201
Saturday, April 13, 1:00 - 1:30 PM at STEM Teaching and Learning Facility Room 3201
Saturday, April 13, 2:00 - 2:30 PM at STEM Teaching and Learning Facility Room 3201
Saturday, April 13, 3:00 - 3:30 PM at STEM Teaching and Learning Facility Room 3201
Appropriate for: Elementary school age, Middle school age, High school age, 18 years and above
Why is the supercomputer at MSU so great? The secret is parallel processing, which allows MSU's supercomputer to perform multiple tasks simultaneously, while a typical laptop can only perform a small number of tasks concurrently. Discover more about parallel processing with this engaging, interactive, and hands-on "Raspberry Pi Supercomputer" demonstration. Try your hand at our instructive game on a simulated supercomputer to see how much you can increase performance with parallel processing!
Learn more about Experiment with the Principles of Supercomputing Through an Educational Videogame
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Help Unleash the Hidden Power of Plants
Presented at the following times:
Saturday, April 13, 10:00 - 10:30 AM at STEM Teaching and Learning Facility Room 1201
Saturday, April 13, 11:00 - 11:30 AM at STEM Teaching and Learning Facility Room 1201
Saturday, April 13, 12:00 - 12:30 PM at STEM Teaching and Learning Facility Room 1201
Sunday, April 14, 10:00 - 10:30 AM at STEM Teaching and Learning Facility Room 1201
Sunday, April 14, 11:00 - 11:30 AM at STEM Teaching and Learning Facility Room 1201
Sunday, April 14, 12:00 - 12:30 PM at STEM Teaching and Learning Facility Room 1201
Appropriate for: Kindergarten and Pre-K, Elementary school age, Middle school age, High school age, 18 years and above
Plants, unable to move, adapt to challenges by altering their internal environment. They create plastoglobules, clusters of waxy molecules, using a protein called fibrillin to rearrange lipids. Our computer simulations explore this process. In this demo, you'll gain insights into simulation techniques and even guide one yourself!
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Creating Winter Magic: Crystalized Icicle Ornaments
Saturday, April 13, 11:00 - 11:30 AM at STEM Teaching and Learning Facility Workshop Stage
Appropriate for: Kindergarten and Pre-K, Elementary school age, Middle school age, High school age, 18 years and above
Creating borax crystals is a captivating and visually stunning science experiment that combines art and chemistry in a mesmerizing display of crystal growth. This process allows you to grow your own dazzling, geometric crystal formations using just hot water, Borax, and pipe cleaners.
Learn more about Creating Winter Magic: Crystalized Icicle Ornaments
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From Seaside to Bedside: Learn About Light-Emitting Marine Organisms and Insects
Saturday, April 13, 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM at MSU Museum Science on a Sphere Gallery
Appropriate for: Elementary school age, Middle school age, High school age, Over 21 years only, 18 years and above
Bioluminescence is the naturally occurring ability of various animals to produce light. This glowing phenomenon can be observed in fireflies, as well as several deep-sea creatures. The goal of the program is to explain and demonstrate how these unique, light emitting abilities evolved in nature over millions of years. It will also showcase how these bioluminescent mechanisms are now being used by scientists for biomedical research.
Learn more about From Seaside to Bedside: Learn About Light-Emitting Marine Organisms and Insects
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Introduction to Robots and Programming
Presented at the following times:
Saturday, April 13, 11:00 - 11:30 AM at STEM Teaching and Learning Facility Room 2201
Sunday, April 14, 12:00 - 12:30 PM at STEM Teaching and Learning Facility Room 2201
Appropriate for: Kindergarten and Pre-K, Elementary school age, Middle school age
Robots have so many uses. We will explore some of these applications. We will then learn the basics of programming robots by using the VEXcode VR (vr.vex/com). We will program a virtual robot to make basic moves. We will end with a chance to drive VEX IQ Robots,
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Fire, Water, and Ice: Michigan's Geological Story
Saturday, April 13, 11:30 AM - 12:45 PM at STEM Teaching and Learning Facility Room 1130
Appropriate for: Elementary school age, Middle school age, High school age, 18 years and above
Dr. Brandt will lead us on a tour through Michigan’s geologic history, from its fiery beginnings marked by volcanoes in the Upper Peninsula, through eons of inundation by a shallow, tropical sea, to the shaping of our modern landscape by glaciers during the last ice age. Learn what a Petoskey stone tells us about Michigan’s ancient environment, the easiest way to tell a mammoth from a mastodon, and why you are unlikely to find a dinosaur in Michigan.
Learn more about Fire, Water, and Ice: Michigan's Geological Story
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Edible Ice Cream Aquifers: Learn About Groundwater and How to Protect It
Presented at the following times:
Saturday, April 13, 12:00 - 12:30 PM at STEM Teaching and Learning Facility Workshop Stage
Saturday, April 13, 1:00 - 1:30 PM at STEM Teaching and Learning Facility Workshop Stage
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: Learn About Groundwater and How to Protect It
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Get Hands-On with Tiny Robots
Presented at the following times:
Saturday, April 13, 1:00 - 1:30 PM at STEM Teaching and Learning Facility Room 2201
Saturday, April 13, 2:00 - 2:30 PM at STEM Teaching and Learning Facility Room 2201
Saturday, April 13, 3:00 - 3:30 PM at STEM Teaching and Learning Facility Room 2201
Appropriate for: Kindergarten and Pre-K, Elementary school age, Middle school age, High school age, 18 years and above
Explore the future of medicine with micro/nanoscale robots! Join us as we observe these tiny wonders through microscopes and provide an interactive experience using a magnetic system. Students will have the opportunity to control microrobots, offering a hands-on glimpse into the potential revolution in medical technology.
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Kids Verses Machine Learning
Saturday, April 13, 1:00 - 1:30 PM at STEM Teaching and Learning Facility Room 1201
Appropriate for: Elementary school age, Middle school age
The fundamentals of machine learning, its operation, and its potential for failure are covered in this interactive program. Participants will face off against a machine learning program to execute simple decision-making tasks. Participants will go head-to-head with the machine learning program to group objects and identify written numbers. We will answer the age-old question: Are you smarter than a computer?
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How are Bottles Recycled?
Saturday, April 13, 2:30 - 3:15 PM at STEM Teaching and Learning Facility Room 1130
Appropriate for: Kindergarten and Pre-K, Elementary school age, Middle school age, High school age, 18 years and above
In 2016, the U.S. generated more plastic trash than any other country. It amounts to 46.3 million tons, according to a 2020 study published in Science Advances. That’s 287 pounds per person in a single year. But only a fraction of plastic is actually recycled. According to the most recent data estimates available from the Environmental Protection Agency, just 8.7 percent of the plastic that was discarded in the U.S. in 2018 was recycled. Since plastic is non-biodegradable and most of it is sent to landfills, it ends up in rivers and oceans and ultimately in the food chain, creating micro and nano plastics. Fish and other sea creatures suffer, and the effects of swallowing plastics are passed on to humans. Therefore, recycling is very important, and an important part includes the separation of plastic.
A presentation will be given to inculcate the idea of different plastics and their recycling. To depict an important aspect of recycling, different plastic materials will be taken and subjected to separation by a simple density-based method. This will be applied to recycle bottles.
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Frostology
Sunday, April 14, 10:00 - 10:45 AM at STEM Teaching and Learning Facility Room 1130
Appropriate for: Kindergarten and Pre-K, Elementary school age, Middle school age, High school age, 18 years and above
Investigate how temperature relates to the movement of atoms and molecules in this exciting presentation. Utilizing liquid nitrogen (LN2), we’ll see some "cool" effects on solids, liquids and gases!
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Lasers, Photons, and Quantum Computers
Sunday, April 14, 10:00 AM - 12:30 PM at STEM Teaching and Learning Facility Room 2201
Appropriate for: Kindergarten and Pre-K, Elementary school age, Middle school age, High school age, 18 years and above
Explore the world of quantum computing with the QuOD Lab! Join us for hands-on demonstrations featuring lasers, optical fibers, and polarization. Witness how these technologies tackle complex problems like the traveling salesperson dilemma. All ages can engage in activities showcasing the transmission of information through laser light, optical fiber guidance, and interactive water-stream demonstrations. Discover the manipulation of light through optical polarizers and grasp the basics of quantum computing, including superposition and the use of photons as quantum bits (qubits).
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Learn the Basics of Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine
Presented at the following times:
Sunday, April 14, 11:00 - 11:45 AM at STEM Teaching and Learning Facility Workshop Stage
Sunday, April 14, 1:00 - 1:45 PM at STEM Teaching and Learning Facility Workshop Stage
Appropriate for: Elementary school age, Middle school age, High school age, 18 years and above
Dr. J'Aimee Lippert, DO, an associate professor at Michigan State University, will provide first-hand knowledge of what it means to be a Doctor of Osteopathy. This hands-on learning experience will allow audience members to practice a core facet of osteopathic medicine, Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine (OMM). Audience members will learn the basic skill of OMM and the ability to practice on each other! You don't want to miss this exciting opportunity!
Learn more about Learn the Basics of Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine
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Curious About Careers with WKAR
Sunday, April 14, 12:00 - 12:30 PM at STEM Teaching and Learning Facility Workshop Stage
Appropriate for: Elementary school age, Middle school age, High school age, 18 years and above
Are you curious about careers in SCIENCE? Join the hosts of the award-winning WKAR series Curious About Careers, as they share insight into their adventures with women who work in STEM-related fields! Genesis, Janellyn, Callan, Aikem, and Olivia present video and talk about their experiences exploring a variety of careers based in science, technology, engineering, and math, including a professional welder, martial arts master, power plant director, and others! Carol Yancho, senior producer at WKAR Public Media, is the emcee for this fun presentation. Recommended for ages 9-16.
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Can You Hear Me Now? How Parkinson’s Disease Affects Speech and What We Can Do About It
Presented at the following times:
Sunday, April 14, 1:00 - 1:30 PM at STEM Teaching and Learning Facility Room 2201
Sunday, April 14, 2:00 - 2:30 PM at STEM Teaching and Learning Facility Room 2201
Sunday, April 14, 3:00 - 3:30 PM at STEM Teaching and Learning Facility Room 2201
Appropriate for: Elementary school age, Middle school age, High school age, 18 years and above
The second most prevalent neurodegenerative illness in the world is Parkinson's disease. Two well-known symptoms of this disease are tremors and balance issues. Patients experience speech problems at some stage during the illness. Another typical symptom is a subdued speaking voice, makes it challenging to communicate effectively. We will evaluate, manage, and study speech issues related to Parkinson's disease and other neurological conditions and discover local resources that are offered right here in Michigan!
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“King Corn” Film Screening
Thursday, April 18, 5:00 - 7:00 PM at MSU Museum
Pre-register at https://113145.blackbaudhosting.com/113145/King-Corn-Film-Screening
Requires pre-registration
Appropriate for: High school age, 18 years and above
King Corn is a documentary that follows two best friends who move from the east coast to the heartland to learn where their food comes from. With the help of friendly neighbors, genetically modified seeds, and powerful herbicides, they plant and grow a bumper crop of America's most-productive, most-subsidized grain on one acre of Iowa soil. But when they try to follow their pile of corn into the food system, what they find raises troubling questions about how we eat and farm. Following the film, MSU Extension crop educator Monica Jean will lead a discussion on corn cultivation in Michigan.
This program is presented as part of the Food Fight! exhibition by the MSU Museum CoLab Studio.
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Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge And The Teachings Of Plants
Saturday, April 20, 6:00 - 8:00 PM at https://www.youtube.com/live/K5mswSSAxuI?feature=shared
Appropriate for: Elementary school age, Middle school age, High school age, 18 years and above
Join featured speaker Dr. Robin Wall Kimmerer and learn how to cultivate a reciprocal relationship with the living world. Listeners are invited to consider what we might learn if we understood plants as our teachers, from both a scientific and an indigenous perspective.
Robin Wall Kimmerer is a mother, scientist, decorated professor, and enrolled member of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation. She is the author of Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants, which has earned Kimmerer wide acclaim. Her first book, Gathering Moss: A Natural and Cultural History of Mosses, was awarded the John Burroughs Medal for outstanding nature writing, and her other work has appeared in Orion, Whole Terrain, and numerous scientific journals. In 2022, Braiding Sweetgrass was adapted for young adults by Monique Gray Smith. This new edition reinforces how wider ecological understanding stems from listening to the earth’s oldest teachers: the plants around us.
Robin tours widely and has been featured on NPR’s On Being with Krista Tippett and in 2015 addressed the general assembly of the United Nations on the topic of “Healing Our Relationship with Nature.” Kimmerer is a SUNY Distinguished Teaching Professor of Environmental Biology, and the founder and director of the Center for Native Peoples and the Environment, whose mission is to create programs which draw on the wisdom of both indigenous and scientific knowledge for our shared goals of sustainability. In 2022 she was named a MacArthur Fellow.
As a writer and a scientist, her interests in restoration include not only restoration of ecological communities, but restoration of our relationships to land. She holds a BS in Botany from SUNY ESF, an MS and PhD in Botany from the University of Wisconsin and is the author of numerous scientific papers on plant ecology, bryophyte ecology, traditional knowledge and restoration ecology. As a writer and a scientist, her interests in restoration include not only restoration of ecological communities, but restoration of our relationships to land. She lives on an old farm in upstate New York, tending gardens both cultivated and wild.
Livestream video of the event
The livestream will start on April 20, 2024 at 6:00 PM EST.