Public Engagement | Facility for Rare Isotope Beams

Making Nuclear Science Accessible

FRIB aims to share the excitement of nuclear science with everyone through innovative and multi-disciplinary collaborations that engage learners of all ages and backgrounds.

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16 February 2026
11:00 EST

Ab Initio Nuclear Theory for Physics Beyond the Standard Model Today, physicists build massive detectors to capture the faintest recoils of nuclei colliding with neutrinos and dark matter (DM). These experiments aim to enable high-precision tests of the Standard Model and to search for physics beyond the Standard Model (BSM). To meaningfully interpret such searches, accurate theoretical predictions of neutrino-nucleus and DM-nucleus cross sections are needed. However, these cross sections carry significant uncertainties, primarily because the nucleus is a complex many-body system composed of protons and neutrons held together by the strong force in a nonperturbative regime. Recent advancements in nuclear theory have made substantial progress in calculating nuclear properties and their responses to external electroweak probes. In particular, the use of chiral effective field theory in combination with modern computational tools, often referred to as the ab initio approach, provides the greatest promise for quantifying and reducing nuclear uncertainties. In this talk, I will first present an overview of nuclear response calculations for neutrino-nucleus and DM-nucleus elastic and inelastic scattering. I will then focus on recent progress in ab initio nuclear calculations that are advancing this frontier and enabling new insights into fundamental physics.

19 February 2026
5:30 EST

Made in Detroit: Carl Craig and Rodney Whitaker in Conversation Pre-register here: https://113145.blackbaudhosting.com/113145/Made-in-Detroit-Carl-Craig-and-Rodney-Whitaker-in-Conversation Join electronic music artist Carl Craig and jazz bassist, composer, and educator Rodney Whitaker for an in-depth conversation on creativity, improvisation, and artistic practice. Both born in Detroit around the same time, Craig and Whitaker bring perspectives shaped by sustained creative inquiry and a shared attention to process. Craig, one of the current MSUFCU Arts Power Up artist-in-residence at Michigan State University, and Whitaker, University Distinguished Professor of Jazz Bass and Director of Jazz Studies at Michigan State University, will explore the creative processes that connect techno and jazz, reflecting on how structure, spontaneity, collaboration, and intuition inform their work across genres.

https://113145.blackbaudhosting.com/113145/Made-in-Detroit-Carl-Craig-and-Rodne…

20 February 2026
5:30 EST

Advanced Studies Gateway concert: Violin and piano recital: I-Fu Wang (violin) and Zhihua Tang (piano) I-Fu Wang (violin) and Zhihua Tang (piano), associate professors in the MSU College of Music, present a chamber music recital featuring Franz Schubert’s “Fantasy for Violin and Piano, D. 934,” and other works exploring the violin–piano repertoire.

https://frib.msu.edu/public-engagement/arts-and-activities-at-frib/advanced-stu…

FRIB tours

Discover what happens at a rare isotope facility by joining an FRIB tour. Interested members of the public and students from public, homeschool, private, and parochial schools can discover the inner workings of FRIB with a guided tour.

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Learning resources & programs

FRIB offers learning resources and hosts programs for K–12 teachers and students from public, homeschool, private, and parochial schools, designed to inspire curiosity and support hands-on learning.

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FRIB seeks to inspire a love for nuclear science by fostering innovative, cross-disciplinary collaborations that connect with learners of all ages and backgrounds.

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Advanced Studies Gateway

The Advanced Studies Gateway is an initiative at FRIB that brings together researchers, innovators, creative thinkers, artists, and performers from all fields and strengthens ties between Michigan State University and the community. Activities include research workshops as well as public talks, concerts, and special events that are free and open to the public.

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MSUFCU Arts Power Up Arts Residency at FRIB

This residency fosters collaboration, exploration, experimentation and innovation on MSU’s campus, culminating in the creation of artworks at the intersection of art, science, and technology.

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Questions?

For more information about public engagement at FRIB, or to inquire about arranging a tour, contact the FRIB Outreach Coordinator.