Monday, August 25, 2025

Muskegon Community College will host a public science event on Tuesday, September 16, to launch the John Bartley Science Museum’s 2025–2026 exhibit “Climate & Ecosystems.” The event is free and open to the public. It begins with a lecture at 5:30 p.m. in Room 1300 of the Stevenson Center located at 221 South Quarterline Road in Muskegon. The lecture will be followed by a 6:30 p.m. tour of the interactive museum.

The evening opens with a presentation by Dr. Laura Stroik titled “After the Bridgerian Crash: Mammals and Climate Change in the Middle Eocene.” Dr. Stroik is a paleontologist at Grand Valley State University. She will discuss findings from her National Science Foundation-funded research on how ancient mammals responded to climate warming, based on fossil evidence from the Uinta Basin in Utah.

“We are incredibly honored to host Dr. Stroik here at the museum,” said MCC John Bartley Science Museum Director, Amber Kumpf. “Her research directly informed the development of the museum’s new exhibits, and we are looking forward to celebrating the culmination of several years of collaboration.”

Following the talk, from 6:30 to 7:00 p.m., attendees are invited to explore the museum’s new hands-on displays in Room 1073 of MCC’s main campus. Exhibits include 3D-printed mammal skulls and jaws, fossil replicas, and visual installations focused on Michigan’s ecosystems through time—from coral reefs and glaciers to the current Great Lakes region.

The event concludes with a planetarium show at 7:00 p.m. in MCC’s Carr-Fles Planetarium.

• WHAT:                John Bartley Science Museum Presents: Climate and Ecosystems
• WHERE:            221 S. Quarterline Rd. (Room 1300), Museum (Room 1073)
• WHEN:               Tuesday, September 16. Lecture at 5:30, Museum Tour at 6:30PM
• COST:                 Free and Open to Public

The John Bartley Science Museum and Carr-Fles Planetarium are free and open to public and group visits during the academic year. To schedule a group visit, attendees may sign up at the event or contact Tamera Owens at (231) 777-0289. bartleymuseum@muskegoncc.edu.