Achievement

GLOBES trainee Mia Stephen is founder of the ND-South Bend Science Café, where conversations between scientists and the public take place on current topics in research and technology. Stephen modeled the program after the concept originated by Sigma Xi, the Scientific Research Society. The first café event opened in downtown South Bend in April 2009 with a nanotechnology talk by Greg Crawford, dean of the College of Science. Stephen and GLOBES associate Chris Patrick organize the monthly speakers and moderate the discussion period that follows the talks. Nine events have attracted 20 to 60 people each and generate a healthy exchange between local residents, who are mostly non-scientists, and the scientists and academics from the University. Stephen credits her GLOBES communications training to giving impetus to the idea whose goals are to promote scientific interest and literacy in the South Bend Community while providing an outreach opportunity to ND faculty and graduate students.