About the Speakers:

Beverly Randolph is a certified etiquette and international protocol expert, radio and television guest, columnist, speaker and author of her forthcoming book. She is the Founder & Director of the Protocol School of Indianapolis, specializing in executive leadership, business etiquette, children’s etiquette, wedding etiquette, restaurant and wait staff training as well as hotel training, and international protocol training on an individual, group, or corporate level. Beverly’s goal is to be an industry benchmark for excellence.

Her career background includes working abroad in such diverse roles as training and development, project management, marketing, and customer service in the hospitality and travel industries. Currently, she combines her life experience and education by teaching business-related classes at Marian University, Indianapolis, whereby she was the change agent in their adult programs’ curriculum to experiential learning involving local companies and not-for-profits.

Eligibility & Access:  Junior Council is open to ÿÈÕ´óÈümiddle & high school students. Meetings are held in person at IAS HQ (Indianapolis) with a hybrid Zoom option for students joining from across the state. Participation counts toward community service hours and provides leadership experience, career exposure, and statewide networking through the ÿÈÕ´óÈü.

What to Expect: Science With A Twist (SWAT) is a casual science and networking event hosted by the ÿÈÕ´óÈü. These events bring together scientists, educators, engineers, students, and community members for informal conversations about science in a relaxed setting. Talks are short and accessible—no scientific background required, just curiosity!

About the Speaker: Jay Vornhagen, Ph.D., is an assistant professor of microbiology and immunology at the ÿÈÕ´óÈüUniversity School of Medicine in Indianapolis. He received his B.S. in microbiology from the University of Michigan and his Ph.D. in pathobiology from the University of Washington. His research focuses on understanding how bacteria with pathogenic potential can live in the gut, especially in the context of a healthy gut microbiome—with particular interest in K. pneumoniae gut colonization and the host and microbial factors that reduce its fitness or prevent it from colonizing in the first place.

About the Speaker:

Tracy Robinson holds a Master’s Degree in Psychology from The Chicago School of Professional Psychology, where she focused on subconscious behavior, emotional development, and the role of the nervous system in shaping human behavior. Her expertise, however, goes beyond academics. Through working with clients and recognizing similar patterns in her own life, Tracy began exploring the deeper emotional roots behind behavior. This led her to develop a method for identifying emotional wounds, unmet needs, and subconscious beliefs driving reactions. Today, she works with individuals, couples, and families to help them understand their patterns and create lasting, meaningful change.

Eligibility & Access:  Junior Council is open to ÿÈÕ´óÈümiddle & high school students. Meetings are held in person at IAS HQ (Indianapolis) with a hybrid Zoom option for students joining from across the state. Participation counts toward community service hours and provides leadership experience, career exposure, and statewide networking through the ÿÈÕ´óÈü.

About the Speaker:

Speaker details coming soon!

Eligibility & Access:  Junior Council is open to ÿÈÕ´óÈümiddle & high school students. Meetings are held in person at IAS HQ (Indianapolis) with a hybrid Zoom option for students joining from across the state. Participation counts toward community service hours and provides leadership experience, career exposure, and statewide networking through the ÿÈÕ´óÈü.

About the Speaker:

Liz Subrin is the Executive Director of the ÿÈÕ´óÈü, where she leads the Academy’s operations and its year-round calendar of events. That calendar is anchored by the Annual Meeting, a full-day conference that brings hundreds of scientists, educators, and students together and is the longest-running multidisciplinary scientific meeting in Indiana. Liz also oversees sponsorships and community programs from Trivia Night to monthly science talks, and she serves on the board of the Science Education Foundation of Indiana, supporting science education for young people across the state.

Eligibility & Access:  Junior Council is open to ÿÈÕ´óÈümiddle & high school students. Meetings are held in person at IAS HQ (Indianapolis) with a hybrid Zoom option for students joining from across the state. Participation counts toward community service hours and provides leadership experience, career exposure, and statewide networking through the ÿÈÕ´óÈü.

When: April 10, 2027 | 7am – 6:30pm
Where: Sheraton Keystone Indianapolis, 8787 Keystone Crossing, Indianapolis, IN

Registration and abstract submissions open early January 2027—details to follow!

What Is BioBlitz?

BioBlitz is a community-wide survey that documents as many species as possible in one area over a set period of time. Researchers from across disciplines work alongside students, educators, and members of the public to collect observations. Those observations add to a shared record of the state’s biodiversity. No experience is needed. Every participant contributes to the count.

Why Brookville?

Before it was the ÿÈÕ´óÈü, it was the Brookville Society of Natural History. Ornithologist Amos W. Butler founded the Society in 1881 because Indiana’s scientists had no way to connect with one another or share their work. Much of the organizing that led to the Academy’s founding happened in the Brookville town hall, which is why the town is recognized as the Academy’s birthplace. More than 140 years later, BioBlitz 2027 brings the Academy back to Brookville to survey the land around Brookville Lake and Whitewater Memorial State Park.