Creating a more curious, informed, and collaborative society by hosting free monthly public discussions in science and technology. Topics are diverse and all are welcome.
Events
Our events are held monthly on the last Thursday of every month. They are traditionally an hour long, with around 20 minutes of presentation followed by 40 minutes of discussion. After the hour, we let our presenters off the hook and allow the discussion to continue among the participants.
We use our Facebook Page for organizing and sharing information about events. Please navigate to our Cafe Scientifique Twin Ports Facebook Events page for more information about our events.
Recent/Upcoming Events: What is Restorative Justice? (Feb 4th, 2021 7pm, online meeting)
Zoom Registration Link

An archive of event flyers is below:
May 2019: Bees! – w/ Claire Lande April 2019: World Climate Simulation – Kurker Feb 2019: Science Social and Trivia – Cafe Sci Twin Ports Jan 2019: Where Medicine meets Culture – Henderson Nov 2018: How a lonely Mathematician models really dense crowds – Stewart Oct 2018: Freaky Biology and Zombies – Dahl Sept(ish) 2018: Adam Swanson – Sharing Science Through Art – Adam Swanson Sept 2018: Star Party + Space Trivia Sept 2018: Art Meets Science – Adam Swanson Aug 2018: Maurer-Jones + Hebner -The Fate of Plastics – Maurer-Jones and Hebner July 2018: Taxonomy – Gerald Shepard June 2018: Lake Superior’s Beaches – Saillard + Prihoda May 2018: The Gerry-Mander and Voting Methods – Buckalew + Erdmann April 2018: Minnesota’s Mineral Potential – Hudak Feb 2018: Science Social and Trivia – Cafe Sci Twin Ports Jan 2018: Forecasting Winds and Waves – Christenson August 2017: Matt Etterson with Hawk Ridge Bird Observatory – The Phenomenon of Bird Migration Dec 2017: From Ancient Religion to Modern Cosmology – Norland March 2019: Adaptation in the Anthropocene – Etterson March 2018: Social Side of Science – Williams Nov 2017: Exploring Northwoods Nature Through Science and Your Senses – Stone May 2017: Beau Webber – The Future of Genomic Engineering October 2017: Rachel Portinga How to Lower an Ecological Footprint July 2017: John Pastor – The North Woods: Past, Present, and Future Sept(ish) 2017: Adam Frankiewicz – The Art of Scientific Illustration June 2017: Ryan Hueffmeier – Citizen Science! April 2017: Dale Hoff – Environmental Science and the Imperative of Scientific Communication February 2017: Bob King – The Future of Humans in Space
If you are interested in sharing your science through Cafe Scientifique Twin Ports, send a note to info@cafescitwinports.org and let us know! We are working on developing a variety of ways in which the scientists in our area can connect with their community.
Cafe Scientists
Cafe Scientifique Twin Ports wouldn’t exist without the dedicated scientists, researchers, and discussion leaders who have given their time to lead our events.
January, 2020 (Feb 4th): Emily Gaarder and Ted Lewis from The Center for Restorative Justice and Peacemaking: What is Restorative Justice?
December, 2020: Picture a Scientist, Virtual Screening and Panel discussion – Sponsored by and Co-hosted with Northwoods Women in Science
November, 2020: Dustin Haines, River Talks Series – Should I stay or should I go? The Clash of Wetlands with Lake Levels, Invasives and Humans
October, 2020: Dan Villeneuve, Cafe ScientifiEEK 2 – So many fascinating ways to die: The morbid curiosities of toxicology
September, 2020: Space Trivia – Episode 3, with Starry Skies Lake Superior – Video: https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=2538092846482907
July, 2020: Dan Crist, Data science: The good, the bad, the ugly – Video: https://youtu.be/U_CNQy6AL3Y
June, 2020: Sue Leaf, Author Event: Sue Leaf Presents Minnesota’s Geologist
April, 2020: Richard Buckalew, Basics of Epidemic Modeling (infographic) Video: https://youtu.be/4z0rSZVhSDw
March, 2020: Guido Wallraven, Climate Smart Duluth
February, 2020: 3rd Annual Science Social and Trivia
Dec, 2019: Karl Wagner, Solar Energy: Past and Present
Nov, 2019: Randy Hanson, Regenerative Agriculture & Restorative Food Systems
Oct, 2019: Cafe ScientifEEK – Science + Music Halloween MASH
Sept, 2019: Karin Kraemer, Color and Clay
August, 2019: Amanda Grusz, Discovering Biodiversity with BIG data
July, 2019: Doug Jensen, Aquatic Invasive Species
June, 2019: Gene Kremer, Funga!
May, 2019: Claire Lande, Bees!
April, 2019: Vicki Kurker, The World Climate Simulation
March, 2019: Julie Etterson, Adaptation in the Anthropocene, the resurrection is near!
February, 2019: 2nd Annual Science Social and Trivia
January, 2019: J. Neil Henderson, Where medicine meets culture
November, 2018: Samuel Stewart, How a lonely mathematician models really dense crowds
October, 2018: John Dahl, Freaky Biology and Zombies, Naturally
September (Oct 2nd), 2018: Adam Swanson, Sharing Science Through Art
August, 2018: Melissa Maurer-Jones and Tayler Hebner, The Fate of Plastics in the Environment + The Role of Mentorship in Science
July, 2018: Gerald Shepard, Taxonomy: The ‘caddis’ in the coal mine, invasive ID, and the importance of knowing our aquatic neighbors
June, 2018: LSRI Scientists – Heidi Saillard and Kelsey Prihoda, Lake Superior’s Beaches
May, 2018: Richard Buckalew and Eric Erdmann, The Gerry-Mander, Voting Methods, and Mathematics
April, 2018: George Hudak, Minnesota’s Potential Mineral Future and Opportunities
March, 2018: Katie Williams, The Social Side of Science
February, 2018: First Annual – Science Social and Team Trivia
January, 2018: Carol Christenson, Forecasting Winds and Waves of Lake Superior
December, 2017: Eric Norland, From Ancient Religion to Modern Cosmology
November, 2017: Emily Stone, Exploring Northwoods Nature through Science and Your Senses
October, 2017: Rachel Portinga, How to Lower an Ecological Footprint
September, 2017: Adam M Frankiewicz, The Art of Scientific Illustration (October 5th, combined discussion and art opening)
August, 2017: Matthew Etterson and Hawk Ridge Bird Observatory, The Phenomenon of Bird Migration
July, 2017: John Pastor, The North Woods: Past, Present, and Future
June, 2017: Ryan Hueffmeier, Citizen Science
May, 2017: Beau Webber, The Future of Genomic Engineering
April, 2017: Dale Hoff, Environmental Science and Imperative of Scientific Communication
March, 2017: Heather Wright-Wendel, The Role of Green Infrastructure in Building Resilient Communities
February, 2017 : “Astro” Bob King, The Future of Humans in Space
About
Cafe Scientifique Twin Ports is a volunteer-run community organization based in Duluth, MN and serving the Duluth, MN and Superior, WI communities. Cafe Sci Twin Ports was formed by a small group of individuals who wanted to create greater access to science and the scientists within our community.
- Science is amazing and terrifying and inspiring – Cafe Scientifique Twin Ports seeks to provide a venue where anyone with an interest in science can come to learn and discuss a variety of topics with experts guiding the conversation
- Cafe Scientifique Twin Ports seeks to strengthen the connection between scientists and the communities they serve through open dialogue and sharing of expertise and ideas
If you want to learn more about who we are and we do, feel free to email us at info@cafescitwinports.org or come to one of the events and chat with one of our organization team members. Speaking of team members, below are pictures and names of the volunteers who have given their time and effort to help make Cafe Scientifique Twin Ports happen.
Rebecca Eiden Christy Meredith Jason Wussow Meagan Aliff Joshua Wasniewski Richard Buckalew Trevor Keyler Kleighton Smoniewski Nate Pollesch Maicie Sykes Vicki Kurker Dan Crist
As you can imagine, we are not the first group of science lovers who wanted to do something like this. Besides just sounding fancy and being slightly difficult to say Cafe Scientifique represents the efforts of many similar-minded folks around the world! You can find Cafe Scientifique’s from here to Aukland, all locally run, all doing what they can to share their love of science with the communities they live in.