On May 7, 2022, a team consisting of Neeraj Gupta, Geologist Autumn Haagsma, Program Manager Matt Young, Geologist Amber Conner, Marketing Communications Specialist Joy Frank-Collins, and Subsurface Scientist Stuart Skopec staffed multiple table displays representing the MRCI in the Battelle tent at the Center Of Science and Industry (COSI) Science Festival. Overall, the four-day celebration, billed the “largest STEM event in the Midwest,” drew nearly 30,000 people. On the final day of the festival, nearly 100 exhibitors gathered at the science center and showcased STEM areas of discipline and unique hands-on displays. The MRCI featured multiple demonstrations to communicate the concepts of CCS including:
- Caprock/Reservoir rock bicycle pump permeability display
- Large rock samples to examine with magnifying glasses, spray bottles, and other geological tools
- MRCI-branded Build-Your-Own-Rock-Kits with samples of the rocks used to sequester carbon in the Midwest, along with magnifying glasses and pipettes
The MRCI distributed nearly 250 kits throughout the eight hours of the event and the CCS display was one of the most heavily visited in the tent. There was near-constant engagement with families from across the state and interest in CCS and the MRCI was high. There were prominently displayed QR codes on signage as well as the rock kits that linked to a page on the MRCI website that offered attendees additional information on the MRCI, CCUS, and additional activities and experiments they could do with the rocks in their kits at home.
The Columbus Dispatch (Sunday circulation 140,307) ran an article on the event in their Sunday May 8 edition that specifically mentioned the “carbon capture and storage” display.
