WEST CHESTER, PA — West Chester University is once again taking science out of the classroom and into the community, launching a new season of its free Science on Tap talks at Barnaby’s Restaurant in downtown West Chester.
The monthly series, held at 6 p.m. on the second floor of Barnaby’s at 15 South High Street, features WCU faculty sharing research, discoveries, and ideas in an informal setting designed to encourage conversation and public engagement. Audience members are invited to ask questions, spark discussion, and enjoy food and drinks while learning.
The Spring 2026 lineup opens on February 17 with physicist Brandon Mitchell, a professor of physics and engineering, who will present a talk titled Taming Light: How Brightness, Color, and Direction Power the Modern World. Mitchell’s work focuses on photonics and semiconductor systems, and he is a lead researcher in the university’s Center for Nanomaterials.
Mitchell also recently secured the largest grant in WCU history, a $10.26-million federal GEAR UP grant from the U.S. Department of Education. The seven-year initiative supports 1,833 sixth- and seventh-grade students through college completion and anchors the work of the university’s Center for STEM Inclusion, which Mitchell helped establish and now leads. The center connects students from low-income families with educators, industry leaders, government partners, and nonprofit organizations to expand access to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics careers.
The Science on Tap series is modeled after similar programs nationwide that pair scientific talks with a relaxed restaurant atmosphere. At WCU, the program is directed by Christopher Roemmele, an associate professor and assistant chair in the Department of Earth and Space Sciences, who said the goal is to make science approachable and visible beyond campus.
He said the series is intended to promote science literacy, build trust, and highlight the research conducted by university faculty across a wide range of disciplines.
Additional spring presentations include a March 17 talk by Meghan Ramick and Melissa Reed from kinesiology, an April 21 presentation by psychologist Sabina Samipour-Biel, and a May 12 talk by chemist Zach Voras.
All presentations are free and open to the public. Parking is available across the street at the Bicentennial Parking Garage on High Street.
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