Host: Baltimore City Community College (map)
Saturday, April 12th, 2025 (8:00AM - 4:00 PM)

The 10th (2025) Conference will be an in-person experience for STEM students, faculty and staff! MCSC looks forward to a safe and energizing in-person Conference at Baltimore City Community College’s main campus.


An initial Conference Program is now available on the Program website page. A finalized Conference program with more sponsors information and floor plan layout will be updated this week.

The 2025 Conference is no longer accepting proposals.

Registration is still open.

  • Dr. Adam Ruben

  • U.S. Federal Government

  • Adam Ruben is a writer, comedian, and molecular biologist.  He has appeared on the Food Network, the Travel Channel, the Weather Channel, Discovery, Netflix, the CW Network, and NPR, most recently appearing on "The UnXplained with William Shatner" on the History Channel and "Inventions That Changed History" on Discovery Plus.  Adam is the author of the books Surviving Your Stupid, Stupid Decision to Go to Grad School and Pinball Wizards: Jackpots, Drains, and the Cult of the Silver Ball.  For 15 years, he has written the monthly humor column "Experimental Error" in the otherwise respectable journal Science and is also a writer for the PBS Kids show "Elinor Wonders Why."

  • So You Want to Be a Scientist

  • Since you're trained by career academics in an academic environment, it can be hard to escape the death grip of academic science.  But not only are there a multitude of terrific non-academic jobs for science trainees, these jobs are often hiding in plain sight.  In this talk, writer, comedian, TV host, and molecular biologist Adam Ruben will explore the world of non-academic science careers, describe his own bizarre career path, and deliver life lessons in large fonts.

  • Dr. John-David (JD) Swanson

  • National Science Foundation

  • Since June 2024, Dr. Swanson has served as the inaugural Section Head for the Innovation Programs Section within the Technology, Innovation, and Partnerships (TIP) Directorate at the National Science Foundation (NSF), where he leads efforts to foster regional and national innovation ecosystems through strategic collaborations and partnerships that advance research and workforce development. Previously, he served as a Program Director in NSF’s Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR), developing initiatives to expand research capacity and build thriving ecosystems in underfunded U.S. states and territories. His efforts have significantly enhanced the nation's STEM enterprise by ensuring all Americans can participate and contribute to the U.S. research enterprise. Dr. Swanson also detailed in NSF’s Directorate for Biological Sciences, creating strategies to connect foundational biological research to use-inspired outcomes. Before joining the public sector, he spent 15 years as a professor, department chair, and class dean at universities in Pennsylvania, Arkansas, and Rhode Island, where he built research infrastructure, mentored students, and conducted research on cellular proliferation in plants and animals with implications for agriculture, cancer, and oceanic algal blooms. Additionally, he has collaborated across industry and government sectors globally. Dr. Swanson holds a Ph.D. in Integrative Biosciences from Penn State, along with advanced degrees in biology and management from the University of Waikato, New Zealand, and a Certificate in Public Leadership from American University.

  • Accelerating Research to Impact

  • The U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) invests in the full spectrum of fundamental research across all areas of science and engineering. With the exciting recent creation of the Directorate for Technology, Innovation and Partnerships (TIP), the NSF is spurring innovation that will rapidly address societal and economic challenges, open opportunities for all Americans and accelerate the creation of critical technologies. Please join us to learn more about how TIP will expand and transform the nation’s research and innovation ecosystem, nurture the future workforce, and grow the nation’s competitiveness and security for decades to come. 

Sponsors of the 10th (2025) Conference - Updated weekly

Gold Sponsors
Baltimore City Community College (host)
Community College of Baltimore County
Frederick Community College
Harford Community College
Howard Community College
University of Maryland Global Campus

Silver Sponsors
Anne Arundel Community College
University of Baltimore

Bronze Sponsors
Allegany College of Maryland
Carroll Community College
Cecil College
Chesapeake College
Hagerstown Community College
Hawkes Learning
Morgan State University - School of Education & Urban Studies
St. Mary’s College of Maryland
Technical Education Solutions
UMBC - Shady Grove
University of Maryland - A. James Clark School of Engineering


Exhibition Area of the Conference
American Association for Laboratory Science - National Capitol Area Branch
Frostburg State University
Hawkes Learning
Hood College
Johns Hopkins University
Morgan State University - School of Education & Urban Studies
St. Mary’s College of Maryland
Stevenson University
Technical Education Solutions
UMBC - Shady Grove
University of Baltimore
University of Maryland - A. James Clark School of Engineering
University of Maryland Global Campus
York College of Pennsylvania