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Science Café

Science Cafés help to promote scientific literacy by encouraging relaxed, open conversations among scientists and nonscientists of all ages.

Join us at the museum for snacks/socials at 5:30 p.m., with presentations beginning in the RELC at 6:00 p.m.

The RELC was built, in part, by the Volusia County ECHO Program in 2007 with a generous grant of $325,000. This ECHO-supported facility is used as a classroom, lecture hall, and activity space for our monthly public events (Science Saturdays and Science Cafes) and K-12 school and other tour group programming; it also includes a small exhibit and exploration gallery called The Nature Nook which is open to the public during regular museum hours at no cost to visitors.

To receive email updates about our Fall 2026 and Spring 2027 season programs, we invite you to sign up for our mailing list!

Dates at a Glance

FALL 2026

  • September 17 - Florida Scrub Jay Ecology with Christie Miller, Lyonia Environmental Center
  • October 15 - Citrus Disease Dynamics and Innovative Defenses with Dr. Brendan Mormile, Soilcea
  • November 19 - Conservation of the Florida Wildlife Corridor with Brandon Evans, Conservation Florida

SPRING 2027

  • February 18 - Florida Firefly Ecology with Ellie Shultz, Naturalist & Educator, FDEP and Florida Conservation Corps.
  • March 18 - Food, Place, and Us: The Everyday Stories Behind What We Eat with Dr. Weixuan Lyu, Stetson professor of Environmental Science and Studies.
  • April 8 - Minerals of the Spruce Pine District with Gary Maddox, Owner of Apalachee Minerals and retired Florida Geological Survey geologist.

Fall 2026

Science Cafe

September 17

Florida Scrub Jay Ecology with Christie Miller, Lyonia Environmental Center; 6 p.m. in the RELC adjacent to the museum, 5:30 for snacks/social. More info (reservations encouraged!)  Cultural Credit is available for Stetson undergraduates.

Science Cafe

October 15

Citrus Disease Dynamics and Innovative Defenses with Dr. Brendan Mormile, Soilcea; 6 p.m. in the RELC adjacent to the museum, 5:30 for snacks/social. More info (reservations encouraged!) Cultural Credit is available for Stetson undergraduates.

Science Cafe

November 19

Conservation of the Florida Wildlife Corridor with Brandon Evans, Conservation Florida; 6 p.m. in the RELC adjacent to the museum, 5:30 for snacks/social.  More info (reservations encouraged!) Cultural Credit is available for Stetson undergraduates.

Spring 2027

Sci Cafe

February 18

Florida Firefly Ecology with Ellie Shultz, Naturalist & Educator, FDEP and Florida Conservation Corps; 6 p.m. in the RELC adjacent to the museum, 5:30 for snacks/social. More info (reservations encouraged!) Cultural Credit is available for Stetson undergraduates.

sci cafe

March 18

Food, Place, and Us: The Everyday Stories Behind What We Eat with Dr. Weixuan Lyu, Stetson professor of Environmental Science and Studies; 6 p.m. in the RELC adjacent to the Gillespie Museum, 5:30 for snacks/social. More info (reservations encouraged!) Cultural Credit is available for Stetson undergraduates.

sci cafe

April 8

Minerals of the Spruce Pine District with Gary Maddox, Owner of Apalachee Minerals and retired Florida Geological Survey geologist - Join us for the exhibit opening reception, followed by a presentation by the exhibit’s curator and collector, Mr. Maddox; 5:30 p.m. in the the museum. More info (reservations encouraged!) Cultural Credit is available for Stetson undergraduates.

Archived Videos

Spring 2021 - Armchair Geology - event recordings now available