Every third Friday of the month | Doors open at 7:00pm
Ignite your curiosity—for just $5 general admission!
Join us every third Friday of the month for our new Ignite Your Curiosity Speaker Series Collection, showcasing the groundbreaking work of local scientists and STEAM professionals who are making an impact in Metro Detroit and beyond.
The series is intentionally scheduled during $5 Fridays after 5:00pm, when general admission is just $5—making science more accessible to all.
From hidden histories to groundbreaking environmental science, each fascinating talk invites you to see the world in a new way.
Upcoming Speakers Series:
Friday, September 19, 2025
Urban Soil Contamination by Current-Use Pesticides and Their Transformation Products
Dr. Zhijiang Lu, Assistant professor, Department of Environmental Science and Geology
Wayne State University
Dr. Lu’s Zhijiang Lu Research Group at Wayne State University studies the environmental fate of organic pollutants in natural and engineered environments. This critical research as to how pesticides, plastic additives, pharmaceuticals and other chemicals enter and affect our soils, water, and the ecosystems of which they are a part is both timely and vital. We all rely upon healthy water and soils for our very survival, and the work of Dr. Lu and his team explore the effects of various man-made contaminants world-wide. This research can be used to assess their risks, design treatment processes, and set regulations.
Friday, October 17, 2025
The Insect Epiphany: How Our Six-Legged Allies Shape Human Culture
Dr. Barrett Klein, Professor of Entomology and Animal Behavior
University of Wisconsin, Lacrosse
Dr. Klein investigates mysteries of sleep in societies of insects, creates entomo-art, and is ever on the search for curious connections that bind our lives with our six-legged allies. He is bringing along some of his little friends as he reveals how insects not only are vital to the Earth’s ecosystems, throughout time they have influenced human culture and civilization, from the arts to cuisine and beyond. Dr. Barrett’s book of the same title will be available for purchase and signing at the event. Don’t miss out on this fun and enlightening presentation, informed by Klein’s love of not only Science but Art and culture!
WOMEN IN SCIENCE SPEAKER SERIES:
Thursday, November 13, 2025: 5:00pm to 8:00pm | Underwater Wonder: Exploring Ancient Archaeology Below the Great Lakes
Dr. Ashley Lemke
Archaeologist, author, Explorers Club Fellow, and Associate Professor of Anthropology at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
Enjoy an evening of discovery with Dr. Ashley Lemke!
When you think of underwater archaeology, shipwrecks and catastrophes might come to mind, but this scientific field dives far deeper. Beneath the surface lie ancient landscapes and evidence of the plants, animals, and humans that once called them home for thousands of years.
In this lecture, explore the 9,000 year old submerged sites in the North American Great Lakes that were once coastal lands exposed at the end of the last Ice Age. Learn how these underwater worlds play a role in the global archaeological record and uncover the unique stories they can tell us about the past.
Dr. Ashley Lemke is an anthropologist, archaeologist, and Explorers Club Fellow. She is an Associate Professor at the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee and received her PhD in Anthropology from the University of Michigan. An expert on submerged ancient sites, she has received grants from the National Science Foundation and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Her books include Anthropological Archaeology Underwater and The Architecture of Hunting. She has directed research projects in North America and below its waters, including in the Great Lakes and Atlantic Ocean, and has conducted archaeological research in Europe in Germany, Spain, Romania, and Serbia. Lemke collaborates with Computer Scientists to explore applications of virtual worlds, artificial intelligence, and virtual reality for archaeological research and discovery. She previously taught at the University of Texas at Arlington, where she received the President’s Award for Excellence in Teaching, the Outstanding Teaching Award for Tenure Track Faculty, and was inducted into the Academy of Distinguished Teachers. Lemke is a past chair of the Advisory Council on Underwater Archaeology.
This Women in Science Speaker Series is recommended for ages 12 and up.
Tickets for members are $12 for adults and $7 for children ages 2–12. Tickets for non-members are $15 for adults and $10 for children ages 2–12. Children under 2 are free.
PROGRAM SCHEDULE:
5:00pm: Doors open—explore exhibits, including our newest traveling exhibit Permian Monsters: Life Before the Dinosaurs, and enjoy light refreshments
6:00pm: Speaker Series & Q&A with Dr. Lemke
7:00pm: Continue exploring the Institute’s exhibits
8:00pm: Event concludes
Friday, November 21, 2025
Women Who Rocked Science: How reform women’s domestic science movements transformed Western culture from the 19th century into the 20th century
Dr. Susanne Spencer-Wood, Professor of Archaeology
Oakland University
Dr. Spencer-Wood's presentation focuses on women reformers of the Progressive Era transformed the dominant Western gender ideology limiting women to the domestic sphere of the home by combining it with scientific innovations by women and men that were stereotypically identified with men’s supposedly superior public-sphere rationalism. Then reform women transformed scientific housework into new women’s domestic-public professions and institutions that justified the higher education of women in schools and university programs in nursing, domestic science, scientific cooking and nutrition/dietetics, scientific housekeeping, chemistry of the household, physics of the household, household engineering and Home Economics.
Friday, December 19, 2025
Shipwreck to Sipping Whiskey: Lost Rye Genetically Revived by MSU and Mammoth Distilling
Chad Munger, Founder/CEO of Mammoth Distilling
Mammoth Distilling
Dr. Eric Olsen, ssociate Professor – Plant, Soil & Microbial Science
Michigan State University
In 1878 the Great Lakes cargo schooner James R. Bentley sank in a November storm on Lake Huron. 145 years later, researchers from Michigan State University, in concert with Mammoth Distilling, recovered some of the rye seeds from the wreck, and are reviving the strain through gene sequencing with another heritage rye strain. Join us as Mammoth Distilling founder and CEO Chad Munger recounts this tale that combines, adventure, science and fine spirits together in a uniquely Great Lakes story. Chad will be joined by Dr. Eric Olsen, MSU research scientist whose lab work focuses on developing disease resistant wheat strains.
Friday, January 16, 2026
Blood, Sweat & Tears: Cultural Context of Filipino Arms & Armor from CIS Collections
Cameron Wood, Curator of Collections/Anthropology Educator
Cranbrook Institute of Science
Join us as Cameron Wood showcases seldom seen arms and armor of the Philippines from the Institute’s collection. In the wood, steel and fibers of these arms is a saga of the people of the Philippines, from the Highlands of Luzon to the Sulu Archipelago. How and why were these weapons wielded? What cultural beliefs are reflected in the designs traced on a shield or etched into a sword blade? How does Spanish and American colonialism figure into the story, and how do the martial traditions reflected in these beautiful but lethal items continue today.
February 20, 2026
Eliza Howell Park: Revitalizing a Hiddeon Detroit Gem
Alexus Boone, Outdoor Strategist
Sidewalk Detroit
Mrs. Boone advocates for environmental stewardship and community engagement in public green spaces. At Eliza Howell Park, a 250-acre park on Detroit's west side. Sidewalk Detroit merges public equity, deep community engagement and public art into programming that are tailored to diverse communities and represents who they are. Discover how they have found a way to empower and educate through a reactivation of green spaces with inclusive outdoor programs, eco artist residencies, and environmental stewardship workshops.
March 20, 2026
Seeing what we really want to see, or seeing what is really there - the Michigan Relics
Dr. Richard Stamps, Professior of Archaeology - Emeritus
Oakland University
Join us as we welcome Dr. Richard Stamps, Adjunct Curator of Archaeology here at Cranbrook Institute of Science for his presentation. From the 1890’s to the 1920’s numerous artifacts made of clay, slate, and copper were discovered in Michigan. Key characters involved were Daniel E. Soper, James O. Scotford, and Catholic Father James Savage. They were marked with "the Mystic symbol". It was suggested that perhaps these were the long lost 10 tribes of Israel. For decades, these artifacts fired the imagination of the public. Intense debates discussed the artifacts. - were they genuine or were they fake? Dr. Stamps has personally studied and published on the Michigan relics and is intimately familiar with their story. Father Savage's extensive collection is now housed at the State Museum in Lansing. They represent a timely detail of how pseudoscience can fool those who are engaged to see what they want to see.
April 17, 2026
Taxco, Mexico: The Silver Jewelery Capital's Rich Legacy
Matthew Gross, Owner - MHG Jewelry Studio
Join us for an exciting journey through time and culture as we dive into the fascinating world of Taxco, Mexico! Jewelry designer and storyteller leads this interactive session uncovering the secrets of Taxco’s silver legacy, from its early days of pre-colonial craftsmanship to the Spanish colonial era then to the town’s dramatic transformation in the 20th century. Visionary artist William Spratling brought new life to Taxco’s silver artistry, turning it into a global hub for stunning jewelry design. See how Taxco’s artisans blend modern flair with traditional Mexican motifs, creating unique and breathtaking pieces that continue to influence the world of jewelry today. We’ll celebrate Taxco’s well-deserved title of “Silver Capital of the World” and explore its ongoing impact on the global arts and crafts scene. Come ready to be inspired by the stories, artistry and enduring charm of Taxco as we shine a spotlight on its economic, cultural and artistic significance.
May 15, 2026
The Night Matters: Exploring the Impacts of Light Pollution
Elizabeth Parkinson, Head of Freshwater Forum/NSF Graduation Fellow
Cranbrook Institute of Science/Oakland University
Join us as the Institute’s own Elizabeth Parkinson presents “The Night Matters: Exploring the Impacts of Light Pollution. What happens when our nights are no longer dark? Artificial Light at Night (ALAN) is one of the fastest-growing global pollutants and is impacting much more than just stargazing. ALAN alters nature patterns of behavior and ecosystem dynamics, including insect emergence from aquatic habitats, predator-prey interactions and the movement of nutrients. This talk will cover emerging research on the effects of ALAN on aquatic insects' communities and their predators along with a broader look at the global consequences of night-time lighting and some of the ongoing work being done to monitor and combat these effects.