Free Adult Blood Pressure Checks
2024-04-10 12:00 - 13:00, 2024-04-17 12:00 - 13:00 (America/Chicago) | Community Wellness Collaborative at The Highlander, 2120 N 29th St., Suite 200, Omaha, NE, 68111, United States
The Nebraska Science Festival in collaboration with the UNMC/Nebraska Medicine Community Wellness Collaborative is excited to provide free adult blood pressure checks for the Omaha Community during the month of April. Blood Pressure checks will take place at the Community Wellness Collaborative at The Highlander (2120 N 29th St., Suite 200) on Wednesday, April 10th and 17th, noon to 1 p.m. Healthy snacks (while supplies last) and additional educational materials will be provided to those who stop in and get their blood pressure checked.

Deep Listening Workshop
2024-04-14 12:00 - 13:00 | Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts, 724 S. 12th Street, Omaha, NE, 68102, United States
Deep Listening is a creative and meditative practice created by composer Pauline Oliveros that nurtures a deeper consciousness of sound within the listening body. Join the Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts on April 12 for this event. We’ll collectively tune our ears with guided listening meditations, introduce the breath & voice, run through creative exercises for light movement, and end with an extreme slow walk.
This workshop aims to expand ways of listening to and with the body as well as with a group. No prior experience with sound or music is necessary! Space for this workshop is limited; please RSVP if you plan to attend!

Science Sunday
2024-04-14 13:00 - 14:00 | Omaha RiverFront, 1001 Douglas Street, Omaha, NE, 68102, United States
Join the Nebraska Science Festival for Science Sunday from 1-2pm in April at the Omaha RiverFront. This is a free family friendly hour for you to learn about nature, animals, medicine and more with hands-on science activities (while supplies last).
Science Sunday Activities:

April 7 – Milk the cow & homemade butter

April 14 – Bouncy Balls

April 21 – Seed Bombs

April 28 – Nature Scavenger Hunt

15th annual Richard B. Davis, MD, PhD, History of Medicine Lecture
2024-04-16 12:00 - 13:00 | NE
Jay Baruch, MD, will present the 15th annual Richard B. Davis, MD, PhD, History of Medicine Lecture, hosted by the McGoogan Health Sciences Library.
Dr. Baruch’s lecture, “Humanities as Critical Medicine: The Necessary Practice of Uncertainty, Adaptability and Discovery,” will encompass his more than 30 years as an emergency room physician and the emotions, difficult choices and moral challenges he has experienced. Dr. Baruch is a writer, ER physician, educator and professor of emergency medicine at Alpert Medical School of Brown University, where he serves as the director of the Medical Humanities and Bioethics Scholarly Concentration.
The Davis Lecture will take place on Tuesday, April 16, from noon-1 p.m. The lecture will be a hybrid event located at the UNMC Sorrell Center, room 2014, and via Zoom (registration required). Zoom captioning will be available, along with an American Sign Language interpreter online.
As a practicing ER physician for more than 30 years, Dr. Baruch has learned that caring for patients can feel like swimming in choppy waters teeming with uncertainty, crests of emotions, difficult choices and moral challenges. He discovered how bridging disciplines with skills from his other life as a writer and his humanities and arts-based work have been critical clinical tools in his practice and informed his “accidental” academic career.
The Richard B. Davis, MD, PhD, History of Medicine Lectureship brings national experts to the UNMC campus to discuss the history of medicine in support of special collections at the McGoogan Library, including rare books and works on the history of medicine. The lectureship is supported through an endowed fund given by the late Richard B. Davis (1926-2010), MD, PhD, who was a UNMC faculty member from 1969 to 1994 and professor emeritus of internal medicine at UNMC. Dr. Davis and his wife, Jean, provided support for the lectureship out of his longstanding interest in the history of medicine.

Virtual Science Cafe: "Indigenous Cancer Research Education for Environmental Justice"
2024-04-18 17:30 - 18:30 | NE
Join us on April 18 for a virtual science cafe for the Nebraska Science Festival. Drs. Idoate and Rookwood will be presenting, “Indigenous Cancer Research Education for Environmental Justice.”
This cafe will share how a National Cancer Institute-funded research education program centers Indigenous STEM pedagogy, practices, and resources to advance cancer education through an Environmental Justice framework.
Regina Idoate is an enrolled member of the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma and an Associate Professor of Health Promotion in the College of Public Health at the University of Nebraska Medical Center. She has a PhD in Preventive and Societal Medicine, Master’s degrees in Spanish Language and Culture & Christian Spirituality and a graduate certificate in Maternal and Child Health. Regina loves to collaborate across disciplines, colleges and cultures. She specializes in Indigenous research methods and works in partnership with public schools, non-profit organizations, academic institutions, communities and tribes to promote health and wellness.
Aislinn Rookwood is a mother of two and public health specialist who grew up in between Polson, Montana and Phoenix, Arizona. She is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Health Promotion in the College of Public Health at the University of Nebraska Medical Center. She also serves as the Director of Programs for CityMatCH. In the College of Public Health, she is the program manager for a research pathways program for underrepresented students. Her interests are focused on understanding how to better address children’s environmental exposures across the lifespan through community-engaged research, research workforce development, and primary care.
Zoom Link: https://unmc.zoom.us/j/98063364607?pwd=[REDACTED]
Passcode (if needed): 888400

Resilience: Film Screening & Discussion
2024-04-19 11:30 - 13:30 | BraveBe Child Advocacy Center, 5025 Garland Street, Lincoln, NE, 68504, United States
Adversity in childhood has lifelong effects on health and behavior. Resilience: the Biology of Stress & the Science of Hope chronicles the use of brain science to disrupt cycles of violence, addiction and disease. Learn more about treatment and prevention of childhood toxic stress and what is happening right here in Lincoln. Space is limited, registration is required.

Click the link below to preview the film:
https://kpjrfilms.co/resilience/

Breathe Easy: Respiratory Therapists and the Evolution of a Profession
2024-04-29 18:00 - 21:00 | Film Streams’ Ruth Sokolof Theater, 1340 Mike Fahey St., Omaha, NE, 68102, United States
Respiratory therapists are crucial members of the health care team whose work has only become more recognized since the COVID-19 pandemic. “Breathe Easy: Respiratory Therapists and the Evolution of a Profession,” presented by UNMC’s new Master of Respiratory Care program, features the movie “Breathe,” starring Andrew Garfield, followed by a professional panel on ethics, quality, safety, patient-centered care and audience questions.
Seats are limited. Email cahpevents@unmc.edu to RSVP.

Mobility & Cognition Screening
2025-04-04 11:00 - 13:00 | UNMC’s Engage Wellness Medical Fitness Center, 730 South 38th Avenue, Omaha, NE, 68105, United States
Engage Wellness is offering free mobility and cognition screenings to the public (adults 60 & older) on April 4 from 11am to 1pm.
The screening will take approximately 30min.
No sign up required, just stop by the wellness center.

Growing Medicine with Lakota Made
2025-04-05 11:00 - 13:00 | Kiewit Luminarium, 345 Riverfront Drive, Omaha, NE, 68102, United States
Megan Bull Bear, owner of Lakota Made, will visit the Kiewit Luminarium with an interactive experience exploring practices of growing and tending to medicinal plants. Megan will share traditional Indigenous insights into a variety of plants, their medicinal benefits, and practices of building relationships with the natural world. The discussion will highlight the importance of food sovereignty, urban gardening, and community sustainability. The Luminarium will have a selection of seeds to take home so you can practice what you’ve learned and begin growing your own medicinal garden!

This workshop is open to anyone interested in sustainable living, herbal medicine, and urban gardening – no prior gardening experience is necessary.

This event is included with any daily admission ticket or with a membership.

Science Sunday
2025-04-06 13:00 - 14:00 | Omaha RiverFront, 1001 Douglas Street, Omaha, NE, 68102, United States
Join the Nebraska Science Festival for Science Sunday from 1-2pm in April at the Omaha RiverFront, next to the slides. This is a free family friendly hour for you to learn about nature, astronomy, chemistry, medicine and more with hands-on science activities (while supplies last).
Science Sunday Activities:

April 6 – Tin Foil Watercolor Eggs

April 13 – Seed Bombs

April 27 – Make your own Constellation *we will be down by the Kiewit Luminarium at The RiverFront for ‘Earth Day at The RiverFront’ on this Sunday

Science Sunday
2025-04-13 13:00 - 14:00 | Omaha RiverFront, 1001 Douglas Street, Omaha, NE, 68102, United States
Join the Nebraska Science Festival for Science Sunday from 1-2pm in April at the Omaha RiverFront. This is a free family friendly hour for you to learn about nature, astronomy, chemistry, medicine and more with hands-on science activities (while supplies last).
Science Sunday Activities:

April 6 – Tin Foil Watercolor Eggs

April 13 – Seed Bombs

April 27 – Make your own Constellation

16th annual Richard B. Davis, MD, PhD History of Medicine Lecture
2025-04-16 12:00 - 13:00 | University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC), 42nd and Emile, Omaha, NE, 68198
Discover the true story of the Black Angels at the 16th annual Richard B. Davis, MD, PhD History of Medicine Lecture on April 16, from noon–1 pm, online via Zoom (registration required).
Author Maria Smilios learned about the Black Angels while working as a science book editor at Springer Publishing. As a native New Yorker and lover of history, medicine, and women’s narratives, she became determined to tell their story.
“The Black Angels” is the true story of the Black nurses who, in 1929, wagered their lives by leaving the Jim Crow south and went north to work on an isolated hilltop in Staten Island at Sea View Hospital. The “pest house” was an overcrowded municipal tuberculosis sanatorium where the city sent its poorest residents, considered “uncouth and un-American consumptives” to languish and die.
Interested in attending the lecture? Register to attend via Zoom.

Artificial Womb Technology: Brave New World is Closer Than We Think
2025-04-17 18:30 - 19:30 | UNO, College of Public Affairs and Community Service, 6320 Maverick Plaza, Omaha, NE, 68182, United States
In this public talk, Dr. Laura Johnson Dahlke will discuss the future of human reproduction and present timely information on the scientific development of artificial womb technology and its implications for humanity.
She will further explore the value of pregnancy and childbirth in the 21st century, questioning the notion that mechanical gestation will lead to full gender equality.

Professor Dahlke is the author is Outer Origin: A Discourse on Ectogenesis and the Value of Human Experience. She is passionate about topics relating to pregnancy, childbirth, and reproductive technologies. In her work she synthesizes complex ideas from various disciplines such as medical science, philosophy, literature, and psychology–with clarity and readability.

Skeletons on the Screen: Dr. Katie East
2025-04-18 14:00 - 15:00 | Saddlebrook Branch, 14850 Laurel Ave., Omaha, NE, 68116, United States
Join Dr. Katie East for an entertaining look into forensic anthropology on the screen to learn what forensic anthropologists actually do. Compare television, movies and real life. It may be entertaining when pop culture gets forensic anthropology wrong, but the consequences are more real than you think.
This is a free event for teens aged 13-19.
Registration is required and opens March 15. Call 402-444-5780 to register.

Indigenous Foraging with the Moon Cycle - Featuring Bluebird Cultural Initiative
2025-04-19 11:00 - 13:00 | Kiewit Luminarium, 345 Riverfront Drive, Omaha, NE, 68102, United States
In this workshop, learn about the intimate relationship between Indigenous practices of plant foraging and the cycles of the moon. Sicangu Lakota artist and educator Steve Tamayo will share insight on the many plant medicines Indigenous communities have relied on for generations, how these relationships with plant relatives were impacted by colonization, and how they remain vital still today.

Steve Tamayo is the founder of the nonprofit Bluebird Cultural Initiative. The organization’s mission is to provide meaningful programming to the community that enriches their understanding of the history and cultural traditions of Native American peoples of the Great Plains.

This event is included with any daily admission ticket or with a membership at Kiewit Luminarium.

Skeletons on the Screen: Dr. Katie East
2025-04-19 14:00 - 15:00 | Milton R. Abrahams Branch, 5111 N. 90th St., Omaha, NE, 68134, United States
Join Dr. Katie East for an entertaining look into forensic anthropology on the screen to learn what forensic anthropologists actually do. Compare television, movies and real life. It may be entertaining when pop culture gets forensic anthropology wrong, but the consequences are more real than you think.
This is a free event for teens aged 13-19.

Omaha Science Cafe - "The Teenage Brain Today"
2025-04-22 19:00 - 20:00 | Slowdown, 729 N 14th St., Omaha, NE, 68102, United States
Join Giorgia Picci,Ph.D., the Susan & George Haddix Endowed Chair in Developmental Neuroscience in the Institute for Human Neuroscience at Boys Town National Research Hospital, for the April 22 Omaha Science Cafe as she presents, “The Teenage Brain,” 7pm at the Slowdown.
The teenage brain is built for change. Decades of research have shown that adolescence is one of the most dynamic periods of brain development. This rapid transformation is driven by a mix of biological and social factors, including pubertal hormones, shifting social dynamics, and the push toward independence. This interplay creates a developmental paradox—a window of both great opportunity and heightened vulnerability. In today’s world, added complexities like social media are reshaping the landscape of adolescence. Dr. Picci will unpack these topics and discuss how they may help explain the rising rates of mental health challenges in teens.
Science Cafés address science topics in casual settings like pubs and coffeehouses. The events are open to everyone (21 and older).
Using plain language, an easygoing atmosphere and inclusive conversation, these interactive events are welcoming and comfortable for people with no science background. Each presentation is followed by a question-and-answer period.

Skeletons on the Screen: Dr. Katie East
2025-04-26 14:00 - 15:00 | Willa Cather Branch, 905 S. 44th St., Omaha, NE, 68105, United States

The Sounds of Science: Hearing Music Through Art and Science
2025-04-29 19:00 - 20:00 | Site-1 Brewing, 2566 Farnam Street, Omaha, NE, 68131, United States
Stop out to Site-1 Brewing on April 29 at 7pm to learn about “The Sounds of Science: Hearing Music Through Art and Science.”
Moderated by Dr. Allison Coffin, Associate Professor at Creighton University, panelists Dr. Chris Strecker, Director of the Technology Core and Spatial Hearing and Auditory Neuroscience Lab and Dr. A. Barron Breland, Vice Provost for Faculty and Academic Affairs & Dean of the Graduate School at Creighton University, will lead a discussion on how we perceive sound and hearing from the arts and science perspectives.

Speaker Bios:
Dr. Chris Stecker is the Director of the Technology Core and Spatial Hearing and Auditory Neuroscience Lab. Dr. Stecker has a bachelor’s degree in cognitive science and a doctorate in cognitive psychology. His current research focuses on using behavioral, computational, and neuroimaging (functional MRI) techniques to study how the brain processes spatial information.
Dr. A. Barron Breland is Vice Provost for Faculty and Academic Affairs & Dean of the Graduate School at Creighton University where he previously served as Chair of the Department of Fine & Performing Arts. He holds degrees in Music Theory and Choral Conducting from the University of Georgia and the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music. He has arranged, conducted, and performed broadly and across genres. He is also the Artistic Director of the Heartland Mixed Chorus.
Dr. Allison Coffin is an Associate Professor at Creighton University. Her research examines the cellular mechanisms of hearing loss from diverse toxic insults (noise, ototoxic drugs) and works to develop preventative or restorative therapies. Current research seeks to identify occult hearing (oto) toxins and develop predictive models to determine ototoxic potential early in pre-clinical drug development. She is also the co-founder and President of the Association of Science Communicators, a professional organization that seeks to increase the impact of science in society.

Engage Wellness Seminar
2026-04-08 13:00 - 15:00 | UNMC’s Engage Wellness Medical Fitness Center, 730 South 38th Avenue, Omaha, NE, 68105, United States
Open to the public, stop by UNMC’s Engage Wellness, on April 8 at 1pm, to hear from UNMC Occupational Therapy students.
Learn how meaningful activity can help you stay healthy as you age.
Learn about the importance of relationships and how to create and maintain connections with others.
Finally, explore ways to increase safety during your daily life activities and engagement with others.

Barn Girls NE SciFest Day
2026-04-10 11:00 - 14:00 | Barn Girls Farms, 5306 73rd Street, Ralston, NE, 68127, United States
Step inside a thriving urban farm and explore the fascinating world of microgreens, sustainable agriculture, and innovative growing techniques at this exciting Nebraska Science Festival event at Barn Girls Farms!
During this open house, participants will learn how tiny seeds transform into nutrient-packed microgreens, learn about urban farming, and see firsthand how fresh food can be grown right in the heart of the city.
This interactive experience is perfect for curious minds of all ages. Come grow your knowledge, taste the freshness, and see how science is helping communities cultivate a healthier future — one tiny green at a time!
Lunch will be available to purchase.

Science Sunday
2026-04-12 13:00 - 14:00, 2026-04-19 13:00 - 14:00, 2026-04-26 13:00 - 14:00 | Omaha RiverFront, 1001 Douglas Street, Omaha, NE, 68102, United States
Join the Nebraska Science Festival for Science Sunday from 1-2pm in April at the Omaha RiverFront by the slides. This is a free family friendly hour for you to learn about nature, astronomy, chemistry, medicine and more with hands-on science activities (while supplies last).
Science Sunday Activities:

April 12 – Pi Bracelet Making

April 19 – Constellation Making

April 26 – Seed balls (please note we will be moving to the Lewis & Clark Landing for the Earth Day celebration on this day)

Nerd Nite Omaha
2026-04-14 19:00 - 21:00 | Saro Cider Lounge, 1012 S 10th St., Omaha, NE, 68108, United States
Nerd Nite is grounded in this super nerdy, highly engaging, fun approach to learning. We’re looking forward to more engagement, learning, and connection over the topics our speakers nerd out about!

Join us! Be there and be square.

There are two awesome talks lined up for the April event:

-Presentation #1: War! Huh! What is it good for? ADVANCING MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY by Emily Speck
-Presentation #2: Successful Rain Gardens by Rocky Keehn

Genealogy Quest
2026-04-21 14:00 - 15:00 | City of Kearney Public Library, 2020 1st Avenue, Kearney, NE, 68847, United States
If you love digging into your ancestral past, this is the study hall for you! Use the Kearney Public Library‘s resources to help you in your quest. This class won’t teach you what to do, but volunteers from the Buffalo County Historical Society and library staff will be there to give assistance when needed. So, if you enjoy delving into your ancestry but haven’t been finding time to work on it — come search with us!
This study hall is a partnership between the library and Buffalo County Historical Society, and meets in the Maker Space.

Cold Waters, Failing Systems: Lessons in Hypothermia from the Titanic
2026-04-22 18:00 - 19:00 | Kiewit Luminarium, 345 Riverfront Drive, Omaha, NE, 68102, United States
Join Geoffrey Talmon, MD, professor in the UNMC Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, as he presents, “Cold Waters, Failing Systems: Lessons in Hypothermia from the Titanic,” at 6pm on April 22 in the Field Room of the Kiewit Luminarium in conjunction with their exhibit, “Finding Titanic: The Secret Mission.”
Dr. Talmon also serves as senior associate dean for medical education in the College of Medicine, overseeing the curriculum. In that role, he manages all graduate, undergraduate and external clinical teaching activities.
He also was the first to hold the James Linder Distinguished Residency Director Chair and was the inaugural director of the UNMC Interprofessional Academy of Educators.
Dr. Talmon has more than 110 peer-reviewed publications, along with multiple book chapters and dozens of invited presentations. He co-edited the book, “Mind the Gap: Generational Differences in Medical Education,” which was the first work dedicated to managing intergenerational conflict in medical education.
He is past president of the Nebraska Association of Pathologists and a member of the American Society of Clinical Pathology Board of Certification and National Board of Medical Examiners.
Before the talk, be sure to experience the story of the Titanic like never before at the Kiewit Luminarium, as they host their first ever major traveling exhibition: “Finding Titanic: The Secret Mission.” Uncover hidden history once shrouded in secrecy. See real objects from the Titanic. Explore the breakthrough innovations that made the impossible possible. And relive the emotion of one of history’s most unforgettable discoveries.
The museum is open until 7pm with discounted admission on April 22.

Anatomy of a Moment: Capturing Truth in Court & Medicine
2026-04-25 18:30 - 20:00 | KANEKO, 1111 Jones Street, Omaha, NE, 68102, United States
Before the opening of his upcoming KANEKO exhibition Gestures, join Peter Millett, a Seattle-based sculptor and courtroom illustrator, and Dr. James Vargo, a Children’s Nebraska craniofacial surgeon and medical illustrator, for a compelling, unscripted conversation about the challenges of rendering truth under pressure and recording the human experience.
While one works in operating rooms and the other in high-stakes legal environments, both are tasked with translating fleeting, complex realities into images that inform, persuade, and endure. This program examines how artists capture and reconstruct critical moments, exploring the questions of accuracy, interpretation, and ethics that underlie every creative decision.
Anatomy of a Moment invites audiences to reconsider what it means to “document reality,” and how artists in medicine and law shape our understanding of truth in moments that cannot be replayed.
$15 General Admission
$10 Members and Students
Reserve your spot today.

Omaha Science Cafe - "A true crime history of forensic anthropology: How famous true crime cases led to the development of forensic anthropology"
2026-04-30 19:00 - 20:00 | Vis Major Brewing Company, 3501 Center St., Omaha, NE, 68105, United States
Join Katie East, PhD, D-ABFA, forensic anthropologist, for the April 30 Omaha Science Cafe as she presents, “A true crime history of forensic anthropology: How famous true crime cases led to the development of forensic anthropology,” 7pm at Vis Major Brewing Company.
Thanks to television and true crime, forensic anthropology is more popular, and sensationalized, than ever. What most fans don’t know is that the study of human skeletons is an important scientific tool in criminal investigations that has developed alongside real true crime cases. Join Dr. Katie East to learn about the unexpected origins of this fascinating field through real stories about true crimes that marked pivotal moments in this history of the field.
Dr. Katie East is a forensic anthropologist, university instructor, and science communicator. By day, Katie investigates skeletons as a Board-certified forensic anthropologist, and by night (and weekends), she captivates public audiences with the wonders of science and history.
With over a decade of experience in museums, laboratories, and field settings, Katie brings a wealth of knowledge about anthropology, archaeology, and science to audiences of all ages. For Katie, being a scientist isn’t just about wearing a lab coat—it’s about curiosity, passion, and empathy.
Science Cafés address science topics in casual settings like pubs and coffeehouses. The events are open to everyone.
Using plain language, an easygoing atmosphere and inclusive conversation, these interactive events are welcoming and comfortable for people with no science background. Each presentation is followed by a question-and-answer period.
