STEAM Expo Days
Explore over one hundred hands-on activities, talks, and demonstrations at the festival's STEAM Expo Weekend on Saturday, April 13 and Sunday, April 14 from 10am - 4pm at the STEM Teaching and Learning Facility on MSU's campus.
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Lithography: How Chemists Make Tiny Computer Chips
Saturday, April 13, 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM at STEM Teaching and Learning Facility Third Floor, West Wing
Appropriate for: Kindergarten and Pre-K, Elementary school age, Middle school age, High school age, 18 years and above
Semiconductor chips are becoming increasingly smaller with greater computation capabilities. Lithography, a chemical/physical process, forms intricate patterns on chips by depositing materials through masks. In our daily lives, a parallel concept is found in screen printing graphic artworks on canvases or t-shirts. Engage in a hands-on activity to grasp lithography fundamentals using affordable materials like cardstock stencils and paint. Additionally, observe micropatterns created on chips in the lab using an optical microscope.
Learn more about Lithography: How Chemists Make Tiny Computer Chips
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Make a Neuron
Saturday, April 13, 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM at STEM Teaching and Learning Facility Room 2130
Appropriate for: Kindergarten and Pre-K, Elementary school age, Middle school age, High school age, 18 years and above
Learn about the different parts of neurons and use craft supplies to make your own to take home.
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MI Diaries: Tell Your Story for Linguistic Analysis
Saturday, April 13, 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM at STEM Teaching and Learning Facility Room 3106 & 3107
Appropriate for: Kindergarten and Pre-K, Elementary school age, Middle school age, High school age, 18 years and above
Since April 2020, MI Diaries has been gathering weekly "audio diaries" from Michigan residents through a mobile app. In partnership with Inquiry Arts, we showcase the process of collecting, sharing, and linguistically analyzing these stories. Visitors will explore word choice and pronunciation variations, and they will have the opportunity to contribute their own stories to the project.
Learn more about MI Diaries: Tell Your Story for Linguistic Analysis
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Mi Water Source! Enviroscape Education Demonstration
Presented at the following times:
Saturday, April 13, 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM at STEM Teaching and Learning Facility Room 2202
Sunday, April 14, 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM at STEM Teaching and Learning Facility Room 2202
Appropriate for: Kindergarten and Pre-K, Elementary school age, Middle school age
Mi Water Source! Enviroscape Education Demonstration strives to heighten awareness about water importance and health protection. Using an interactive 3D model, the program illustrates how daily activities can lead to water pollution and contamination. Emphasizing the impact on drinking water sources like surface water and groundwater, the demonstration guides students on reducing these effects to safeguard both water quality and public health.
Learn more about Mi Water Source! Enviroscape Education Demonstration
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Mindfulness with Neuroscientists
Saturday, April 13, 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM at STEM Teaching and Learning Facility Room 2130
Appropriate for: Kindergarten and Pre-K, Elementary school age, Middle school age, High school age, 18 years and above
Come learn about the importance of mindfulness for our health and do a short, guided meditation with MSU neuroscientists!
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Mirror Tracing
Saturday, April 13, 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM at STEM Teaching and Learning Facility Room 2130
Appropriate for: Kindergarten and Pre-K, Elementary school age, Middle school age, High school age, 18 years and above
Join neuroscientists to try and trace a shape by looking at only your reflection!
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Nature Speaks if You Listen: Using Your 5 Senses to Uncover the Secrets of the Natural World
Presented at the following times:
Saturday, April 13, 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM at STEM Teaching and Learning Facility Room 3202
Sunday, April 14, 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM at STEM Teaching and Learning Facility Room 3202
Appropriate for: Kindergarten and Pre-K, Elementary school age, Middle school age, High school age, 18 years and above
Ever wondered what nature truly sounds, smells, and looks like? Dive into a world of endless possibilities as you rediscover your sense of wonder. Engage your senses of sight, sound, smell, touch, and taste to explore the myriad secrets that nature eagerly shares—if only we take the time to listen.
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Nervous Breakdown
Saturday, April 13, 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM at STEM Teaching and Learning Facility Room 2130
Appropriate for: Kindergarten and Pre-K, Elementary school age, Middle school age, High school age, 18 years and above
Watch how a neurologist evaluates your nervous system.
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Material Science and Medicine: How Optical Fibers Can Inhibit Pain
Sunday, April 14, 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM at STEM Teaching and Learning Facility Room 2202
Appropriate for: Kindergarten and Pre-K, Elementary school age, Middle school age, High school age, 18 years and above
MSU scientists have innovated soft and implantable fibers capable of delivering light to major nerves throughout the body. By genetically manipulating these nerves to respond to light, these fibers can transmit pulses of light to inhibit pain. Notably, the optical fibers exhibit flexibility and can stretch with the body, showcasing a breakthrough in pain management technology.
Learn more about Material Science and Medicine: How Optical Fibers Can Inhibit Pain
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Michigan Bugs and Spiders
Sunday, April 14, 1:00 - 1:45 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
Discover the diversity of insects and spiders in Michigan! Come learn about flying spiders, the latest findings in invasive species research, and how you can get involved.