November 2025 MN STEM News

💫 MAS Staff: Farewell & Gratitude for Kris Fowler

💫 Donate to Support Science Fair, Science Bowl, and FORSE

💫 We Are Busy Preparing for Our 2026 Events

💫 Science Bowl 2026 Registration Opens

💫 Science Bowls Need Your Support

💫 NSTA Conference in Minneapolis

💫 Recent MN STEM News

💫 Upcoming STEM Events

September 2025 MN STEM News & Events

💫 MAS Staff: Farewell & Gratitude for Kris Fowler

💫 Donate to Support Science Fair, Science Bowl, and FORSE

💫 We Are Busy Preparing for Our 2026 Events

💫 Science Bowl 2026 Registration Opens

💫 Science Bowls Need Your Support

💫 NSTA Conference in Minneapolis

💫 Recent MN STEM News

💫 Upcoming STEM Events

Sincere Thanks to Kris Fowler

We’re saying goodbye and thank you to Kris Fowler, who is retiring this year after managing the Minnesota State Science Bowls and Winchell Undergraduate Research Symposium since 2020. 

Kris brought energy and expertise to the role of Science Bowl Manager, deftly organizing both the Middle School and High School Science Bowls. Her capable management and exhaustive knowledge of these complex competitions never failed to impress her coworkers and event attendees. Prior to joining MAS, Kris volunteered for our Science Bowl events for over a decade, and continued to volunteer for the National Science Bowl competitions in Washington, DC.

As the Science Bowl manager, Kris advanced new aspects of the program that increased opportunities for student participants, such as the popular ‘Lunch with a Scientist’ and exciting tours of laboratories at host institutions. Kris was an integral aspect of fostering the strong sense of community and camaraderie that attendees often comment on at Science Bowl events. The MAS community greatly benefited from her passion and dedication to these unique experiences for motivated STEM students. 

Kris also organized our annual Winchell Undergraduate Research Symposium, which draws students throughout the Upper Midwest to communicate their scientific research. She made connections with educational institutions throughout the state, allowing MAS to reach new audiences by holding the event in locations such as Collegeville, Brooklyn Park, and Winona.  Kris’ work in this role provided opportunities for hundreds of undergraduate students to gain experience communicating their independent research to fellow scientists. Her work enabled undergraduates from diverse STEM fields to connect with and learn from each other. Furthermore, Kris ensured that the symposium provided opportunities for undergraduates to explore STEM careers and graduate school opportunities. 

In addition to her role in Science Bowl and Winchell, Kris’ had a positive impact on many other aspects of MAS. Her expertise in event planning and extensive scientific background has made her a valued sounding board for many of our other STEM programs. Her spreadsheet wizardry has eased State Science Fair data entry and saved the sanity of more than one MAS employee. Her calmness and insight brought so much to everything she was involved with. Her coworkers especially appreciated Kris’ excellent cookies that have graced the table at staff meetings and holiday parties.

We are so thankful for her  and her continued support of MAS and its programs! 

Farewell and Gratitude to Emily Shepard

We are sincerely grateful to Emily Shepard, who wrapped up her time with the Minnesota Academy of Science (MAS) this spring after nearly a decade of service shaping our communications and community.

Emily first joined MAS in 2016 to help with administrative tasks. While a move to Colorado moved her away from MAS, she returned in 2019 to continue her support of our organization. Over time, her role evolved into our Communications Specialist, but she did much more than that.

Emily (right) and Alyse (Volunteer Engagement Manager) at the 2025 Winchell Undergraduate Research Symposium

Over the years, Emily played a big role in how MAS shares its work, impact, and stories. She made outstanding contributions across all MAS programs, with a strong focus on communications, event support, and stakeholder engagement. She ran our social media, MAS website and designed flyers and videos, all while creating consistent messaging that helped people understand who we are and what we do. 

Emily played a key role in promoting and documenting all MAS programs, handling everything from social media campaigns to onsite photography, live streaming, and post-event coverage. When she started, we had very little formal communication in place, Emily built it from the ground up.

Emily at the 2025 State Science and Engineering Fair, photographing students with their awards.

Emily took the lead on MAS’s monthly newsletter, which highlights STEM events and opportunities from across Minnesota. She put care into finding resources that reflected the diversity of our community and made sure there was something for everyone. Her work helped connect students, educators, and families to opportunities they might not have found otherwise. In addition to producing the newsletter, she supported donor and volunteer recognition, collaborated on media design, and contributed to promotional content and stakeholder communications. Her work has helped MAS maintain a professional and inclusive brand while fostering community engagement and celebrating student achievement.

Emily was also a key contributor to our efforts around diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging. She helped develop tools like our inclusive language guide and made sure our communications reflected our values. Through similar research into best practices, she also became MAS’ resident expert on survey design.

Examples of creative feedback Emily used to inspire student participation in MAS surveys.

Emily’s impact is not limited to just the organization but to the people she interacted with as well. At events she was a smiling face who created a welcoming atmosphere for participants, volunteers, and community members alike. She was more than willing to jump in wherever she was needed at events, and did it with a smile. In the office, Emily’s sense of humor boosted spirits during the busier times and reminded all of us to enjoy our work in the moment. Her calmness and caring nature radiated to others, setting the tone for positive collaboration.  

Emily at the 2025 High School Science Bowl, serving pizza to students and attendees.

Emily gave so much to MAS over the years, and while we’re sad to see her go, we’re also so grateful for everything she brought to our organization. Her work has shaped the way MAS communicates, but more importantly, she’s made a lasting impact on the people she worked with.

Thank you, Emily, for your time, your talent, and your heart. We’ll miss you, and we wish you the very best in what comes next.