CSE at the 2025 Minnesota State Fair

Exhibits will showcase the relevance of science, engineering, and mathematics

MINNEAPOLIS / ST. PAUL (08/08/2025) — A variety of College of Science and Engineering exhibits will showcase the relevance of science, engineering, and mathematics to people’s everyday lives at the 2025 Minnesota State Fair. The University of Minnesota Building on Dan Patch Avenue and Underwood Street will feature students and faculty in a wide range of fields. College of Science and Engineering faculty and students will also be featured during STEM Day at the Fair in Dan Patch Park and in the U of M's Driven to Discover research building.

Thursday, Aug. 21

• STEM Day at the Fair
  8 a.m.-5 p.m.
  Dan Patch Park—next to the Grandstand
  
  Visit Dan Patch Park to get an up-close look at intriguing, interactive adventures through dozens of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education providers and business supporters brought to the Fair by SciMathMN, Minnesota’s STEM education advocacy organization. A variety of University of Minnesota science and engineering faculty, staff, and students are involved in STEM Day at the Fair. The University of Minnesota Physics Force will also perform on the stage at 10:15 a.m. and 2:15 p.m.
   
• Minnesota Geological Survey/Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences
  9 a.m-9 p.m.
  U of M Crossroads Exhibit Building—Dan Patch Avenue and Underwood Street
  
  Minnesota Geological Survey will provide information to the public about Minnesota's geology. They will be displaying some of their maps/publications and will have hands-on samples and specimens (rocks/fossils) from across Minnesota.
   
• Physics Force Stage Performance
  10:15 a.m. and 2:15 p.m. Stage Performances
  Dan Patch Park Stage—Dan Patch and Carnes Avenues
  
  Physics Force is a University of Minnesota outreach program committed to generating scientific interest in K-12 students. They go above and beyond to educate and entertain; doing things on a grand scale to bring excitement and wonder to the thousands of students who attend their shows every year.
   
• "Show-and-Tell for Robots: Learning Object Interactions from Humans"
  2:30-9 p.m.
  Driven to Discover Research Building—Cooper and Cosgrove Streets
  
  Research by Department of Computer Science and Engineering Assistant Professor Karthik Desingh and Associate Professor Stephen Guy

Friday, Aug. 22

• Masonic Cancer Center Goldy vs. Cancer Day
  All day.
  U of M Crossroads Exhibit Building and Stage
  
  Various faculty research featured.

Saturday, Aug. 23

• Department of Aerospace Engineering and Mechanics—Minnesota Space Grant Consortium
  9 a.m.-9 p.m.
  U of M Crossroads Exhibit Building—Dan Patch Avenue and Underwood Street
  
  The Minnesota Space Grant Consortium will feature NASA-themed, student-built projects such as stratospheric ballooning payloads and high-power rockets. There also will be hands-on activities for kids!
   

• "Show-and-Tell for Robots: Learning Object Interactions from Humans"
  2:30-9 p.m.
  Driven to Discover Research Building—Cooper and Cosgrove Streets
  
  Research by Department of Computer Science and Engineering Assistant Professor Karthik Desingh and Associate Professor Stephen Guy

Sunday, Aug. 24

• Department of Chemistry: Chemists in the Classroom
  9 a.m.-9 p.m.
  U of M Crossroads Exhibit Building—Dan Patch Avenue and Underwood Street
  
  Chemistry is all around us! Join the University of Minnesota Department of Chemistry to learn how chemists shape the world.
   
• "Show-and-Tell for Robots: Learning Object Interactions from Humans"
  2:30-9 p.m.
  Driven to Discover Research Building—Cooper and Cosgrove Streets
  
  Research by Department of Computer Science and Engineering Assistant Professor Karthik Desingh and Associate Professor Stephen Guy

Monday, Aug. 25

• "Real Families Meet Virtual Reality" 
  9 a.m.-2 p.m.
  Driven to Discover Research Building—Cooper and Cosgrove Streets
  
  Research by Department of Computer Science and Engineering Associate Professor Lana Yarosh—What do families need to know about virtual reality to decide if it is right for them? Children between the ages of 8-17 and their grown-ups are asked to share their curiosities and questions about VR so that scientists can focus on answering the right questions.

Tuesday, Aug. 26

• National Science Foundation Advanced Technologies for the Preservation of Biological Systems (ATP-Bio)
  9 a.m.-9 p.m.
  U of M Crossroads Exhibit Building—Dan Patch Avenue and Underwood Street
  
  NSF ATP-Bio will present “Preserving Living Systems for All," an engaging and educational exihibit spotlighting groundbreaking advancements in cryo- and biopreservation. The exhibit will showcase how ATP-Bio's innovative technologies aim to "stop biological time," enhancing the preservation and transportation of cells, tissues, and organs to revolutionize healthcare, biodiversity conservation, and food sustainability.
   

• Institute for Engineering in Medicine
  9 a.m.-9 p.m.
  U of M Crossroads Exhibit Building—Dan Patch Avenue and Underwood Street

  The Institute for Engineering in Medicine's (IEM) mission is to advance healthcare through research partnerships between faculty in the health sciences, faculty in the College of Science and Engineering, and the biomedical industry. The exhibit will show different ways to bridge the gap between the two while showcasing current projects and research.
  
  "Who Asked the Bot? Teen Friendships in the AI Era" 
  2:30-9 p.m.
  Driven to Discover Building—Cooper and Cosgrove Streets
  
  Research by Department of Computer Science and Engineering Associate Professor Lana Yarosh and Graduate Fellow Seraphina Yong—Calling all teens! Come share your opinion about AI. Help us understand how AI can support real teen friendships and shape better tech for the future!

Wednesday, Aug. 27

• Department of Chemistry Outreach
  9 a.m.-9 p.m.
  U of M Crossroads Exhibit Building—Dan Patch Avenue and Underwood Street
  
  This exhibit will feature a poster presentation discussing how chemistry impacts food, energy, health, materials, and the environment in Minnesota; and a small chemistry demonstration using non-hazardous materials.
   
• "POPROX News: Your Daily Read" 
  9 a.m.-2 p.m.
  Driven to Discover Building—Cooper and Cosgrove Streets
  
  Research by Joseph Konstan, Department of Computer Science and Engineering Professor and Associate Dean for Research, College of Science and Engineering—POPROX News is a free daily personalized newsletter that picks articles that match your preferences. The University of Minnesota and other universities will conduct experiments using POPROX News to learn how to better personalize and present news. Learn more, talk to the POPROX News team, and sign up if interested!

Thursday, Aug. 28

• Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences
  9 a.m.-9 p.m.
  U of M Crossroads Exhibit Building—Dan Patch Avenue and Underwood Street
  
  Students, faculty, and staff from the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, together with the affiliated Continental Drilling Facility, will lead activities demonstrating research in the department with interactive examples of rocks and other earth processes.

• "Understanding Public Perceptions of Novel Biotechnologies"
  2:30-9 p.m.
  Driven to Discover Building-Cooper and Cosgrove Streets
  
  Research by Alptekin Aksan, Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering; and Claudia Schmidt-Dannert, Professor, College of Biological Sciences, Biochemistry Molecular Biology and Biophysics—Have you ever heard of bio-mining? Learn and share your thoughts about a new technology with potential implications for Minnesota.

Friday, Aug. 29

• "Who Asked the Bot? Teen Friendships in the AI Era" 
  2:30-9 p.m.
  Driven to Discover Building—Cooper and Cosgrove Streets
  
  Research by Department of Computer Science and Engineering Associate Professor Lana Yarosh and Graduate Fellow Seraphina Yong—Calling all teens! Come share your opinion about AI. Help us understand how AI can support real teen friendships and shape better tech for the future!

Saturday, Aug. 30

• School of Mathematics Mathematics Center for Educational Programs (MathCEP)
  9 a.m.-9 p.m.
  U of M Crossroads Exhibit Building—Dan Patch Avenue and Underwood Street
  
  Dedicated to educational outreach, MathCEP's mission is to develop materials and programs for mathematics students and instructors at all levels. This exhibit will include small math-related activities (tracing puzzles, tessellation tiles, etc.) for kids and adults!
   

• "POPROX News: Your Daily Read" 
  2:30-9 p.m.
  Driven to Discover Building—Cooper and Cosgrove Streets
  
  Research by Joseph Konstan, Department of Computer Science and Engineering Professor and Associate Dean for Research, College of Science and Engineering—POPROX News is a free daily personalized newsletter that picks articles that match your preferences. The University of Minnesota and other universities will conduct experiments using POPROX News to learn how to better personalize and present news. Learn more, talk to the POPROX News team, and sign up if interested!

  Sunday, Aug. 31

• University of Minnesota Robotics
  9 a.m.-9 p.m.
  U of M Crossroads Exhibit Building—Dan Patch Avenue and Underwood Street
  
  UMN Robotics is the undergraduate robotics student group at the University of Minnesota that focuses on educational outreach. See some of the team's robots, as well as various parts from other projects, and demos showcasing how our robots are made and how they function.
   

• Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering: Where Engineering and Business Meet
  9 a.m.-9 p.m.
  U of M Crossroads Exhibit Building—Dan Patch Avenue and Underwood Street
  
  Learn about undergraduate and graduate programs offered by ISyE, play ISyE-related games, and get some swag! Department representatives will be available to answer questions and encourage booth visitors to try the games to learn about ISyE. 

  Material Advantage at the University of Minnesota
  10 a.m. Stage Performance
  U of M Crossroads Exhibit Building—Dan Patch Avenue and Underwood Street
  
  Learn more about the plastics around you through the creation of everyone's favorite polymer, Slime! Material Advantage is a club dedicated to promoting and advancing materials science and engineering through competitive events; networking and professional development; and community building through our events and activities  such as the TMS Bladesmithing competition and Materials Bowl. 

Monday, Sept. 1

• Minnesota Institute for Astrophysics
  9 a.m.-9 p.m.
  U of M Crossroads Exhibit Building—Dan Patch Avenue and Underwood Street
  
  Minnesota Institute for Astrophysics (MIfA) will present several astronomy-related activities such as demos on gravitational lensing and spectra. See real meteorites from space and learn about the astrophysics program and public events at the University of Minnesota.