Joining the Michigan Science Center's Inaugural Young Professional Advisory Council
I am happy to share that I have joined the Michigan Science Center’s newest initiative, the Young Professional Advisory Council (YPAC). YPAC will work towards encouraging more young adult professional engagement and enthusiasm for the Michigan Science Center in hopes to be the flagship STEM community hub in the Detroit and greater Michigan community.
In joining this organization, I hope to bring a perspective of not only women in STEM but also a sense of non-traditional STEM career pathing. As someone who had a traditional education geared towards communications and writing, I have since found my place in this very male-dominated industry talking about and teaching others about complex engineering and technological innovations. I look forward to bringing others into the fold who don’t find themselves science-oriented but are looking for a new adventure!
The Michigan Science Center (MiSci) is a Smithsonian affiliate that inspires nearly 250,000 curious minds of all ages every year through STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) discovery, innovation and interactive education in Detroit and across Michigan. As a STEM hub, MiSci focuses on developing and introducing expanded education programs, exhibits and initiatives to empower and enrich our children and community. Through our Traveling Science Program and distance learning initiative, ECHO, we are expanding beyond our Detroit-based facility, with a goal of reaching all 83 counties of Michigan. With the Toyota Engineering 4D Theater, live science demonstrations, lab activities and 220+ interactive exhibits, there are dozens of ways to customize your MiSci visit. The Michigan Science Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and does not receive funding from Detroit or the state of Michigan. For more information, please call 313.577.8400 or visit the website, Mi-Sci.org.
Michigan Science Center Creates Young Professionals Advisory Council
Published by Dbusiness, Feb. 3, 2023
The Michigan Science Center (Mi-Sci) has created a Young Professionals Advisory Council (YPAC) to assist in identifying improved methods for reaching younger audiences, ranging from teens to young adults and new professionals.
“I believe that it’s critically important for us to welcome new ideas and be open to creative ways to connect,” says Christian Greer, president and CEO of the Michigan Science Center. “YPAC has been able to quickly plug into our process and generate new program and event concepts for adults looking for cool things to do downtown.”
The members of the Mi-Sci YPAC include:
Ashley M. Williams (Detroit)
Ian Robinson (Franklin)
Jennifer Orletski-Dehne (Royal Oak)
Jose Luis Flores (Detroit)
Katelyn Davis (Wyandotte)
LC Howland (Detroit)
Marjace Miles (Dearborn)
Tom Van Heeke (Ann Arbor)
As one of its first orders of business, Mi-Sci’s YPAC group created a refreshed version of the organization’s “After Dark” programming, which relaunched last October with a Halloween themed After Dark event. These events will happen quarterly at the Science Center and kick off in 2023 with a special “Un-Valentine’s Day” event Feb. 10.
For the Un-Valentine’s Day Event, guests are encouraged to come as if dressed for a “first date” and they will have access to all Mi-Sci’s Museum galleries and theater experiences, including Level Up, a unique hands-on, digital and analog gaming exhibit.
DJ Todd Everett will spin global grooves, there will be a special-edition Taylor Swift laser show, and Lacy’s Mobile Beverage Cart will return stocked with specially crafted cocktails, beer, and wine.
All guests must be 21 or older and present their ID for entry into the event. There also will be a special lecture titled “Why Sales Reps Are More Important Than Ever, Even In The Age Of The Algorithm” by Aarom Ahuvia from the University of Michigan-Dearborn College of Business. Ahuvia is a professor of marketing, and his talk will connect marketing, customer decision making, and the role of social relationships in the decisions we make.
Tickets are available for purchase here.