Millennium Café is coming back this fall—mark your calendar for September 2026!
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Scientific discovery creates the greatest impact when it reaches beyond the laboratory. The Penn State Center for Science and the Schools (CSATS) partners with researchers to design and implement education and broader impacts programs that connect cutting-edge research with K-12 classrooms. By equipping educators with authentic scientific knowledge and research-informed teaching tools, CSATS strengthens the STEM workforce pipeline and helps translate university research into lasting societal benefit.
Kathleen Mitchell | College of Education
Much research has explored the impact of different teaching methods (e.g., traditional lecture vs. active learning). But what about interpersonal dynamics? Things instructors do or say in class; do they impact student success? Let's talk about it!
Nate Brown | Mathematics
Evolving regulations and consumer expectations are driving the food packaging industry to adopt new can coating chemistries, but evaluating how these coatings interact with food ingredients remains slow, empirical, and limited in mechanistic insight. We combined optical profilometry (microscopy) with unsupervised AI to automatically detect and classify coating defects across 1,000+ unlabeled images, linking defect types to the food ingredients that drive them and showing that image-derived features can predict results from conventional analytical techniques -- building predictive tools as a step toward rational design for next-generation food contact coatings.
Stiphany Tieu | Materials Science & Engineering
Modern technologies, from electric vehicles to wind turbines, depend on rare earth elements and other critical minerals that are extremely difficult to separate due to their nearly identical chemical properties. In this talk, I will show how we can reprogram cellulose, nature’s most abundant biopolymer, at the nanoscale to selectively capture specific rare earth elements and precious metals from complex mixtures by precisely engineering its chemistry and structure. This new class of bio-derived separation platform is sustainable, highly selective, and scalable, offering a transformative pathway for critical mineral recovery and circular manufacturing.
Amir Sheikhi | Chemical Engineering
Effective industry outreach is built on preparation, credibility, and relationship‑building over time. Drawing on lessons from years in both academia and industry, this presentation offers practical guidance on making strong first impressions, engaging companies strategically, and starting collaborations that can grow into long‑term partnerships. Attendees will leave with actionable tips they can apply immediately to strengthen industry connections and expand the impact of their research.
Dave Fecko | MRI Industry Collaborations Director