Descriptions of Types of Proposals:

Hands-on Activities 
An interactive hands-on activity is an activity where festival goers walk up to you and dive into the science you’re presenting. The set up is similar to a vendor space at a conference, but all of the tables have engaging activities! 

Options:

• Friday March 21, 2025 9am-1pm - Cool Science - 7th and 8th graders for Field Trip Day

• Saturday March 22, 2025 9am-4:00pm - Exploration Stations - All ages audience

**You can request to participate in both days; both options require a full day time commitment

 

Forums/Panels/Talk
A forum is "a place, meeting, or medium where ideas and views on a particular issue can be exchanged" and MSF forums are based around audience interaction with experts. Our forums generally include a panel of experts on a topic who will give an introduction to their work, followed by Q&A with the audience and other panelists. Presenters should assume that the audience has a high school level education. Preference if given to panels that include collaboration between multiple organizations. If you would like assistance finding other scientists/panelists, please note that when you submit the form.

Options:

• These sessions are typically 1 hour in length

• Sessions can take place Saturday, March 22 or Sunday, March 23, 2025

 

Workshops
Workshops are a set period of time where you present a topic and work through it (for example, nature illustration, Minecraft workshop, cheese making). The festival goer often (but not always) ends the workshop with something they can take home. The audience is determined by you and the difficulty of the science and/or the workshop approach.

Options:

• Friday March 21, 2025 9am-1pm - Cool Science - 7th and 8th graders for Field Trip Day

• Saturday March 22, 2025 - General audience on Saturday or Sunday, state your age preference on the form

 

 

Exhibits
In the past, the MSF has included exhibits in multiple capacities - from portraits of Americans Who Tell the Truth, to an interactive exhibit exploring human musculature and anatomy, to Maine Public's panels about climate change throughout Maine. Exhibits can be up for one day or the whole week, and are often hosted at locations Downtown or at the Cross Insurance Center.

​