Science Cafés

Science Cafés

Science Cafés are an opportunity for audiences to discuss current research topics with experts in an informal setting. Science Café events rotate between Conor O'Neill's in Ann Arbor and Corner Brewery in Ypsilanti. Each lecture runs from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Seating is limited, so arrive early to secure your spot.

Upcoming Events

The Fungal Frontier | Wednesday, November 18 | 6 p.m.
Conor O'Neill's | 318 S. Main St., Ann Arbor

Sponsored by Sigma Xi

Fungi are familiar to most of us. Mushrooms pop up in our yards after a rainstorm. Yeast brew our beer. Maybe you’ve foraged for morels or picked up a sourdough hobby. If you think you know fungi, though, think again! Just this summer a team of U-M researchers discovered an entire world of fungi thriving nearly a third of a mile underground, including 13 new species that have never been described before.

Fungi have conquered some truly unexpected environments, from freshwater ecosystems to deep in the Earth's crust. Join Ecology & Evolutionary Biology PhD Candidate Quinn Moon and Dr. Tim James, Ecology & Evolutionary Biology Professor and Curator of Fungi at the U-M Herbarium as we venture into the fungal frontier. Discover how these remarkable organisms survive and thrive, and consider what fungi can teach us about the limits of life on Earth.

Hors d’oeuvres will be served at 5:30 p.m., and the program begins at 6 p.m. Seating is limited, so please come early.

From Proofs to Privacy – How AI is Changing Computer Science and Security | Thursday, January 21 | 6 p.m.
Corner Brewery | 720 Norris St., Ypsilanti

Artificial intelligence (AI) is all around us, influencing the way we work, communicate, and make decisions. These technologies are raising new questions about digital privacy and data security. At the same time, AI is changing the field of computer science itself by helping researchers gain efficiencies and explore new mathematical hypotheses.

Join Dr. Mahdi Cheraghchi from the U-M Department of Computer Science and Engineering and Dr. Florian Schaub from the U-M School of Information to learn about two different but connected perspectives on this rapidly evolving field.

Dr. Cheraghchi will explore how AI is becoming an increasingly important tool for theoretical computer science, including its emerging role in mathematical discovery, while Dr. Schaub will examine what happens when increasingly capable AI systems enter our everyday lives–with a focus on privacy, human behavior, and AI governance.

Come curious, bring your questions, and join us for a conversation about the principles that shape what computers could do and the societal questions that shape what they should do.

The program begins at 6 p.m. Seating is limited, so please come early.

Old Birds, New Science | Wednesday, March 24 | 6 p.m.
Conor O'Neill's | 318 S. Main St., Ann Arbor 

Sponsored by Dr. Michael Hagan

Museum collections hold stories about the past, present, and future of life on Earth. By pairing historical specimens with cutting-edge technology, scientists can uncover evolutionary shifts and environmental changes across decades and centuries—revealing patterns that would otherwise be impossible to see and offering clues to what lies ahead.

Join Dr. Ben Winger, U-M Associate Professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and Curator of Birds at the U-M Museum of Zoology, for a look at how bird specimens help scientists reconstruct the past and understand how species respond to a changing climate.

Hors d’oeuvres will be served at 5:30 p.m., and the program begins at 6 p.m. Seating is limited, so please come early.

Topic TBA | Thursday, April 22
Corner Brewery | 720 Norris St., Ypsilanti
Presenter TBA

Science Café Podcast

Take Science Café on the go! Recordings of select previous lectures are available as podcast episodes on all major audio streaming services.