Beginning at the ÿÈÕ´óÈü’s Administrative Office (Krannert Hall, 1100 W. 42nd Street, Indianapolis, IN 46208). This small-group tour will visit five sites recognized for restoring native habitats, supporting pollinators, and demonstrating innovative ecological stewardship. At each stop, participants will hear directly from naturalists and experts working on these projects.

This event is designed as a pilot for a future series of educational and fundraising tours that highlight conservation and restoration efforts across Indiana. Attendance is limited to 25 participants to ensure a meaningful, guided experience. See the prospectus here.

Anticipated Schedule

• 9:00 AM
  • Tour begins at the ÿÈÕ´óÈü
• Morning Tour Stops
  • Carpenter Nature Preserve
  • Holliday Park
  • Virginia B. Fairbanks Art & Nature Park
• 1:00 PM
  • Lunch at the ÿÈÕ´óÈü
• Afternoon Tour Stops
  • The Nature Conservancy
  • White River State Park
• 4:15 PM
  • Return to IAS and conclusion of tour

This Science with a Twist event will feature a presentation titled Clues from the Past: A first look at the fauna of the Jurassic Mile featuring paleontologists Dr. Joseph Frederickson and Laura Rooney.

Dr. Joseph Frederickson is the Lead Paleontologist and Manager of the Natural Science Collection at The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis. His primary research focuses on the paleoecology of Mesozoic ecosystems, specifically understudied species living at the feet of dinosaurs. He received his BA in Geosciences in 2011 from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, a MSc in Earth Science from Temple University in 2013, and a PhD in Zoology from the University of Oklahoma in 2018. His research has been featured by a variety of national news outlets, including CNN, NPR, and National Geographic.

Laura Rooney is the Curator of Paleontology at the Children’s Museum of Indianapolis. She obtained a Bachelor’s in Biological Anthropology from the City University of New York and a Master’s in Geoscience from East Tennessee State University. She is currently working on her PhD as an external student through Utrecht University in the Netherlands. Through her research she aims to expand our knowledge of the life, behavior, and all other aspects of the biology of Allosaurus – the apex predator of the Jurassic of North America.

Past Science With A Twists:

• Laura Woodward, Useful Nonsense (Mediated mRNA Decay) For Trying Times, March 20th, 2026
• Christopher Schmidt, Diets and Dentitions: A Look Into Dental Anthropology as a Biocultural Science, December 12th, 2025
• Catherine Steding, Genetric Transformation: How the Last 15 Years of Advancement in Genetics have Transformed Clinical Practice, October 17th, 2025
• Coralie Palmer, Mangrove, Seagrass, and Coral Reef Ecosystems, June 27th, 2025
• Saoirse Foley, From Web-Builders to Building a Website, March 21st, 2025
• Jennifer Kowalski, Brains vs. Guts: What Tiny Roundworms Teach Us About The Multi-Tissue Control Of Nervous System Function, December 12th, 2024
• Zach Sylvain, Restoring Transformed Landscapes: More Than Meets The Eye, September 13th, 2024
• Rob Denton, Amphibian Mysteries: Strange Sex, Weird Cells, And DNA Theft, June 14th, 2024
• Erik Ohannesian, March 15th, 2024
• Shazia Afzal, Obesity Is A Disease State, December 14th, 2023
• Samina Akbar, September 29th, 2023

This Science with a Twist event will feature a presentation titled Useful Nonsense (Mediated mRNA Decay) For Trying Times featuring Dr. Lauren Woodward.

Dr. Lauren Woodward is an Assistant Professor of Biology at Taylor University. She studies how a certain class of mRNAs, bearing nonsense mutations, are stabilized as part of various stress responses in bryophytes.

Lab Crawl

In addition, this is your chance to participate in the new Lab Crawl as a free addition to the Science With A Twist ticket. The Lab Crawl will be on March 20th, beginning at 4:00 PM at ÿÈÕ´óÈü’s New Office Space (Krannert Hall, 1100 W. 42nd Street, Indianapolis, IN 46208, in the ÿÈÕ´óÈüInterchurch Center) and from there will visit the labs at IU School of Medicine, Marian University, and Butler University before returning to the Science With A Twist. Please note that there are limited space available for the Lab Crawl, so be sure to purchase early to ensure your seat!

Past Science With A Twists:

• Christopher Schmidt, Diets and Dentitions: A Look Into Dental Anthropology as a Biocultural Science, December 12th, 2025
• Catherine Steding, Genetric Transformation: How the Last 15 Years of Advancement in Genetics have Transformed Clinical Practice, October 17th, 2025
• Coralie Palmer, Mangrove, Seagrass, and Coral Reef Ecosystems, June 27th, 2025
• Saoirse Foley, From Web-Builders to Building a Website, March 21st, 2025
• Jennifer Kowalski, Brains vs. Guts: What Tiny Roundworms Teach Us About The Multi-Tissue Control Of Nervous System Function, December 12th, 2024
• Zach Sylvain, Restoring Transformed Landscapes: More Than Meets The Eye, September 13th, 2024
• Rob Denton, Amphibian Mysteries: Strange Sex, Weird Cells, And DNA Theft, June 14th, 2024
• Erik Ohannesian, March 15th, 2024
• Shazia Afzal, Obesity Is A Disease State, December 14th, 2023
• Samina Akbar, September 29th, 2023

This Science with a Twist event will feature a presentation titled Diets and Dentitions: A Look Into Dental Anthropology as a Biocultural Science featuring Dr. Christopher W. Schmidt.

Christopher W. Schmidt, Ph.D. is Chair and Professor in the Department of Anthropology at the University of Indianapolis. His primary area of research is the study of human teeth in the context of dietary reconstruction. He attended I.P.S. 113, received his B.A. in English from DePauw University in 1990, and his Ph.D. from Purdue University in 1998.

Past Science With A Twists:

• Catherine Steding, Genetric Transformation: How the Last 15 Years of Advancement in Genetics have Transformed Clinical Practice, October 17th, 2025
• Coralie Palmer, Mangrove, Seagrass, and Coral Reef Ecosystems, June 27th, 2025
• Saorise Foley, From Web-Builders to Building a Website, March 21st, 2025
• Jennifer Kowalski, Brains vs. Guts: What Tiny Roundworms Teach Us About The Multi-Tissue Control Of Nervous System Function, December 12th, 2024
• Zach Sylvain, Restoring Transformed Landscapes: More Than Meets The Eye, September 13th, 2024
• Rob Denton, Amphibian Mysteries: Strange Sex, Weird Cells, And DNA Theft, June 14th, 2024
• Erik Ohannesian, March 15th, 2024
• Shazia Afzal, Obesity Is A Disease State, December 14th, 2023
• Samina Akbar, September 29th, 2023