History

Where it all began…

The idea for the MSU Science Festival first took root in 2011, when Renee Leone attended her first Science Festival hosted by the prestigious University of Cambridge (UK). During this event, world-class scientists presented on the latest innovations in science and technology. The experiences were so inspiring that upon returning to Michigan, Renee wrote up a proposal for a similar Michigan-based science festival and scheduled with Dr. Hiram Fitzgerald, Associate Provost of Outreach and Engagement at Michigan State University (UOE-MSU), to present and discuss the idea.  Dr. Fitzgerald enthusiastically embraced the idea and invited Renee to coordinate the festival on the spot!

Timeline

• 2011- Upon attending University of Cambridge’s (UK) Science Festival, Renee Leone proposed Michigan State University have a similar science festival.

• 2013- The first inaugural MSU Science Festival! Assistant coordinator Blair Zaid joins the festival.

• 2014- Science Festival Detroit expo day begins with the help of Jena Baker-Calloway, Carolyn Walker, and Charles Saadiq, of the MSU Detroit Center. Assistant coordinator Anne Grevstad and Young Mi Choi-DeYoung join the festival. Shannon Schmoll joins and helps expand the Festival’s Statewide Astronomy Night network of participants.

• 2015- Roxanne Truhn, a leader in expanding the Festival’s Nights at the Museums and school programming, and Katherine Hagman, leader of expanding the Festival’s Science Café/Pub Nights and volunteer program, join the Science Festival.

• 2017- 5-year anniversary of the festival. Upon Renee Leone departure, Roxanne Truhn became coordinator of the MSU Science Festival.

• 2018 - Expansion of social media presence, bringing more attendees to the festival.

• Today - The Science Festival is now a multi-day event for life-long learners of all ages: a festival celebrating science and related disciplines of technology, engineering, arts and mathematics (STEAM), all through a variety of presentation topics and formats. The festival now has a statewide presence, inclusive of more than eighty external presenation partners, and fourty venues in fifteen cities across the state. 

Previous Special Presenters

• Brian Malow - Science comedian (2014)

• Dr. Arthur Benjamin - Mathmagically, professor at Harvey Mudd College (2015)

• Dr. Brian Greene - Theoretical physicist, mathmatician, and string theorist, professor at Columbia University (2016)

• Joeseph "PaleoJoe" Kchodl - Paleontologist and public speaker (2017)

• Josh A. Cassada - NASA Astronaut (2018)

• Erika Bergman - National Geographic explorer, submersible pilot (2018)

Special Thanks

Special thanks to the MSU support teams from the National Collaborative for the Study of University Engagement, and the Community Evaluation and Research Collaborative have helped make it possible to develop a gorgeous and functional website, marketing materials that capture the imagination, and an evaluation that allows the festival to grow and improve.

Thank you to all the Festival’s many partners, presenters, sponsors, and volunteers for their dedication to making free science related experiences available to our communities.

These first five years of the Festival have been an extraordinary journey of growth and discovery, and we look forward to finding out what the next five will bring!

May the wonders of science spark your curiosity and inspire your imagination!