Dazzling Demos

Appropriate for: Elementary school age, Middle school age, High school age, Over 21 years only

Refik Anadol is a media artist, director, and pioneer in the aesthetics of machine intelligence. He currently resides in Los Angeles, California, where he owns and operates Refik Anadol Studio and RAS LAB, the Studio’s research practice centered around discovering and developing new approaches to data narratives and artificial intelligence.

Anadol’s body of work addresses the challenges, and the possibilities, that ubiquitous computing has imposed on humanity. His artwork explores how the perception and experience of time and space are radically changing with machines dominating our everyday lives. Anadol is intrigued by how the digital age and machine intelligence allow for a new aesthetic language to create enriched environments that offer a dynamic perception of space.

Located within what was once a boiler for the former Shaw Lane Power Plant, this Infinity Room translates real time power consumption date from the on-campus T.B. Simon Power Plant into an immersive art experience by using machine learning algorithms. The rate of movement is controlled by overall power use. The density of the patterning is influenced by the number of different consumers of the power supply, primarily lighting, HVAC, and office equipment.

Learn more about Infinity Room

Appropriate for: Elementary school age, Middle school age, High school age, Over 21 years only

Come explore materials science and enjoy engineering outreach demonstrations!

Learn more about Scanning Electron Microscopy

Appropriate for: Elementary school age, Middle school age, High school age, Over 21 years only

The Michigan State University Solar Racing Team has been hard at work developing their new solar-powered electric vehicle, "Cynisca." Finishing up the first year of the design cycle, the team is excited to show off their prototypes. Come to see their progress so far and talk to the team members about their experiences, the engineering process, and a green, electrified future of mobility!

Learn more about Solar Racing Team Project Showcase

Appropriate for: Kindergarten and Pre-K, Elementary school age, Middle school age

The best kind of science experiment is one that you can do all by yourself. So drop by and learn from YouTuber Tommy Technetium how you can perform several experiments at home with adult help. You can learn how to explore the science of bubbles, butterflies, batteries, and much more!

Learn more about At-Home Science with Tommy Technetium

Appropriate for: Elementary school age, Middle school age, High school age, Over 21 years only

Imagine where we would be without inventions such as the light bulb, microwave oven, or even our favorite toys. Join us as we explore the unexpected and amazing tales of how these everyday modern marvels came to exist and celebrate the scientists and inventors who made them possible.

Learn more about Eureka!

Appropriate for: Elementary school age, Middle school age, High school age, Over 21 years only

We will offer short, 15-minute planetarium shows every 30 minutes. Come see what's up in the night sky.

Learn more about Abrams Planetarium Shows

Appropriate for: Elementary school age, Middle school age, High school age, Over 21 years only

Want to visit the surface of mars, the inside of a crystal cave, or a trail in a tropical rainforest without leaving the room? In this the performance/talk hybrid, Dr. Stephanie E. Vasko will perform a series of pieces which evoke different adventures. The talk portion will focus on the tools she uses, how she collects and manipulates sound, and what inspires her to create these works.

Learn more about Synthesizing and Sampling Sonic Adventures with Stephanie

Appropriate for: Elementary school age, Middle school age, High school age, Over 21 years only

The Facility for Rare Isotope Beams (FRIB) officially opened in May of 2022, which was celebrated by many public events. The most unique was three dance performances at the Wharton Center, put on by two dance companies (Dance Exchange from Baltimore and Happendance from Lansing) with additional cast from local high school students and FRIB scientists. These FRIB-supported shows, made possible thanks to FRIB director Thomas Glasmacher and Wharton executive director Eric Olmscheid, told the story of FRIB research through movement, sound, and video. Each performance was followed by workshops and laboratory tours for the attendees. This presentation will explore and demonstrate the ways this partnership reached new audiences!

Learn more about When Art & Science Collide: How Dance Met Nuclear Science in “Of Equal Place: Isotopes in Motion”

Appropriate for: Kindergarten and Pre-K, Elementary school age, High school age, Over 21 years only

Explore how magnetic fields can reveal the density of unknown objects! Join researchers from the MSU Radiology Department as they demonstrate the use of magnetic levitation devices.

Learn more about Magnetic Levitation

Appropriate for: Elementary school age, Middle school age, High school age, Over 21 years only

It is time to stop using plastic bottles that only serve to pollute our oceans and our planet. This presentation will demonstrate the formation of edible water bottles using simple methods with easily available ingredients such as sodium alginate and calcium lactate.

Learn more about Edible Water Bottles! Economic & Ecofriendly Alternatives to Plastic Bottles

Appropriate for: Elementary school age, Middle school age, High school age

Science Theatre presents Michigan Space University: Astronaut 101.

Our instructor will walk you through how to survive in space by watching two astronauts try to repair their ship and make it home to Earth. They will have to complete several fun and exciting science experiments using liquid nitrogen, a Tesla coil, a flame tube, and more! Each experiment will be explained and there will be plenty of opportunities to ask our astronauts questions. This show is a fun-filled, interactive exploration of scientific principles, perfect for the whole family!

Learn more about Michigan Space University: Astronaut 101

Appropriate for: Middle school age, High school age

Explore robotics and learn the basics of programming! You'll even have a chance to drive a VEX IQ Robot using a remote control.

Learn more about Introduction to Robotics

Appropriate for: Kindergarten and Pre-K, Elementary school age, High school age, Over 21 years only

How are a rocket engine and a birthday candle related? We'll go above and beyond to understand the science that links the physics of candles to what makes rocket engines go, while demonstrating why fire looks and behaves the way that it does. Take a look into the science and engineering of rocket engine design to explain how simple flames are used to generate huge thrust forces to launch mankind into space.

Learn more about Rocket Science 101: Inside a Rocket Engine

Appropriate for: Elementary school age, Middle school age, High school age, Over 21 years only

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, Over 21 years only

Join the MSU Museum and MSU SciComm for their first science art fashion show, themed “Neon,” representing the intersectionality of sustainability and fashion! The Neon fashion show is part of the MSU Museum's First Friday series. First Fridays are nights at the museum for MSU students. Come dressed up in neon clothing and enjoy a show learning about the element Neon. Celebrate science and art coming to life through fashion on the runway while Impact 89FM DJs. Relax with a Science Poetry Slam about Neon during intermission and have fun with neon-themed activities with your friends and family.

Learn more about Neon Fashion Show

Appropriate for: High school age, Over 21 years only

The Falling Tree Collaborative concert series is an ongoing collaboration between scientists and composers with the goal to increase scientific literacy of the public through a novel combination of scientific presentation and musical performance. This concert series is designed to bring the sounds of the proverbial “tree falling in a forest” to new audiences and explores themes of climate change, sustainable food production, and general wonder of our shared natural world with a special focus on systems involving plants. The performance will feature the work of four MSU plant Biologists (Kadeem Gilbert, Krista Isaacs, Phoebe Zarnetske, Berkley Walker) with contemporary music from four Michigan Composers (Libby Meyer, Lisa Coons, Lyn Goeringer, Spencer Arias). This event is free and open to the public as part of the MSU Science Festival.

Learn more about The Falling Tree Collaborative

Appropriate for: Elementary school age, Middle school age, High school age, Over 21 years only

Gather around the campfire at Woldumar Nature Center for a fun evening of s'mores, flashlight hikes, and exciting hands-on activities focused on science in nature. Come hike the trails after dark, dissect owl pellets, learn about how to identify trees, and more! We’ll end the night with a colorful fire presentation around the campfire, so come join us to learn more about the nature that’s right in our backyards! Presented by Woldumar Nature Center and Graduate Women in Science Mid-Michigan.

Learn more about Campfire Science

Appropriate for: Kindergarten and Pre-K, Elementary school age, High school age, Over 21 years only

Milad Tangshir’s film "Star Stuff” takes you on a journey to three remotely located astronomical observatories in the Atacama Desert in Chile, Grand Karoo in South Africa, and La Palma Island in the Atlantic Ocean. These observatories have helped the international scientific community achieve brilliant discoveries about the origins of the universe and life on Earth. Nearby indigenous communities, tiny villages of farmers and fishermen, have a strong connection to these remote places. These communities share the same attention to the sky above them and help us turn our gaze upwards, towards the stars of which we are made.

Learn more about Star Stuff Screening