Dazzling Demos and Talks

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

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.

Preregistration is optional on the MSU Museum's website.

Learn more about Intersection Conversation: Stellar Connections between Art and Science

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!

Learn more about Help Unleash the Hidden Power of Plants

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,

Learn more about Introduction to Robots and Programming

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.

Learn more about Get Hands-On with Tiny Robots

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?

Learn more about Kids Verses Machine Learning

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.

Learn more about How are Bottles Recycled?

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

Per and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are man-made chemicals that have been used for more than five decades. They are in our food packages, clothes, water, cars (even new electric vehicles), food, cleaning products, and so much more. It is nearly impossible to not be exposed to PFAS, which lasts a long time in the environment and in our bodies. And, unfortunately, humans and animals can face health problems like cancer from PFAS. We are going to show how science can be used to remove PFAS from humans and the environment.

Learn more about How Science Tackles 'Zombie' Molecules

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).

Learn more about Lasers, Photons, and Quantum Computers

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