WestFest is made possible thanks to funding from the Ohio State Energy Partners, the volunteer efforts of the WestFest Planning Committee, and the amazing content and contributions from our WestFest Partners. For more information about being a 2024 WestFest partner, please visit our WestFest Partners FAQ Page.
2023 WestFest Exhibiting Partners
Ohio State Exhibitors
Arabidopsis Biological Resource Center
The Arabidopsis Biological Resource Center is one of two global centers focused on the collection, curation, propagation, and preservation of the model plant Arabidopsis Thaliana.
Biomedical Engineering Society
The Buckeye chapter of this nationwide organization is open to all students with educational and career interest in biomedical engineering and real-world opportunities that are hoping to spread awareness of the field.
Buckeye Ah-ha Math Moments, Department of Mathematics
Buckeye Aha! Math Moments is an outreach program through the Ohio State University Department of Mathematics and the Natural and Mathematical Sciences Division striving to expand mathematical outreach and discovery.
Buckeye Language Network Language Pod @ COSI
The Language Sciences Research Lab, located at the Columbus Center of Science and Industry (COSI), is dedicated to the study of language and the dissemination of knowledge about language sciences.
Byrd Polar and Climate Research Center, Polar Rock Repository
The Polar Rock Repository houses over 60,000 rocks from Antarctica and the Southern Ocean, includes samples from the 4 themes of Antarctica: Ice, Fire, Life and Wind and highlights the history of Antarctica from a scientific and exploration lens.
Center for Automotive Research
The Center for Automotive Research (CAR) is the preeminent research center in sustainable and safe mobility and strives to prepare the next generation of automotive leaders on The Ohio State University’s campus.
Center for Electron Microscopy and Analysis (CEMAS)
The Center for Electron Microscopy and Analysis strives to bring together multidisciplinary expertise to drive synergy and challenge what is possible within electron microscopy. Join the CEMAS table to learn about microscopes.
Chadwick Arboretum & Learning Gardens
Chadwick Arboretum & Learning Gardens is a reserve of over 30 acres located within the The Ohio State University campus honoring Land-Grant tradition by providing extensive and diverse plant collections for education, research, and enjoyment.
College of Nursing, Office of Community Outreach and Engagement
The Office of Community Outreach and Engagement supports the College of Nursing in teaching, research, learning, and service activities impacting health by bridging the gap between college and community partners.
Generation Rx, College of Pharmacy
Generation Rx promotes safe medication use and practices across all ages.
Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
The Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at The Ohio State University is a national leader in education and research with vast resources to create hands-on learning experiences for the community.
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
The Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering provides superior educational opportunities for students, conducts groundbreaking research, and trains engineers to solve modern problems.
Department of Entomology
The Department of Entomology utilizes insects as model systems to further the fundamental understanding of a variety of disciplines including molecular biology, physiology, genetics, ecology, and evolution.
Department of Molecular Genetics
The Department of Molecular Genetics is devoted to exploring questions in genetics, molecular biology, cell biology and developmental biology using viruses, fungi, plants, and animals, with strengths in model organisms and genetic systems.
Department of Speech and Hearing Science
The Department of Speech and Hearing Science is a team of scientists in the fields of speech-language pathology, audiology and more—interested in the broad scope of communication.
Dr. Rachelle Adams’ Ant Research Lab
Dr. Rachelle Adams’ Ant Research Lab studies the symbiotic relationships between fungus-gardening ants and parasites as well as cataloging the diversity of ants found in Ohio.
Dr. Rebecca Harmon, Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
The William G. Lowrie Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering creates new knowledge through cutting-edge research that impacts the chemical and biomolecular industry, government, and scientific community.
Extension Sustainability Team
The Ohio State University Extension Sustainability Team is a group of professionals that help develop factsheets, videos, and virtual home tours that aim to help people live a more sustainable lifestyle.
Franklin County Extension, Urban ROOTS Program
The Urban ROOTS Program is a collaborative effort proving eighth grade students from Franklin County with hands-on and immersive learning opportunities that focus on food, agriculture, the environment, and related technologies.
Infectious Diseases Institute Trainee Association (IDI-TA)
The Infectious Diseases Institute Trainee Association is an organization run by trainees in infectious disease research for trainees to support their activities and to provide opportunities for growth within the discipline.
Museum of Biological Diversity
The Museum of Biological Diversity houses 8 natural history collections and 3 labs, many of which have been established since the founding of the Ohio State University in 1870. Laboratories include Acarology, Bioacoustics Studies, and Entomology.
Ohio Sea Grant & Stone Lab
Stone Laboratory, Ohio Sea Grant’s education and outreach facility on Lake Erie, serves scientists from across the region with laboratory resources. They provide science education and guidance on the Lake Erie ecosystem and its impact on local economies.
Ohio State Collegiate 4-H
The Ohio State University Collegiate 4-H is a student-led group dedicated to giving back to the Ohio 4-H program by bringing young adults together to serve today’s 4-H youth through outreach, community events, and educations.
Orton Geological Museum, School of Earth Sciences
The Orton Geological Museum houses fossils, minerals, rocks, and meteorites from around the world, as well as a wide variety of Ohio history exhibits and a full dinosaur skeleton.
OSU iGEM
The iGem organization is a competitive synthetic biology team working on a new project every year to advance synthetic biology while outreaching to the community in hopes of sharing the world of STEM to the younger audience.
OSUWMC Green Team
The Green Team is committed to the sustainability of The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center and university campus by striving for innovations in recycling and composting, and reducing the carbon footprint of the medical campus and surrounding areas.
Paulson Research Group, Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
The Paulson Research Group develops computer-based discovery methods targeting the next generation of science and engineering systems by combining physical knowledge with unique data sources.
Sullivan Lab, Department of Microbiology
Sullivan Lab focuses on the co-evolution of the microbe and virus in environmental populations and works to advance community knowledge and insight of how this evolution impacts their lives.
The Astronomical Society of OSU
The Astronomical Society at The Ohio State University fosters a positive atmosphere for non-astronomy majors by allowing them to learn much about the field that they would not normally experience in introductory courses or through public media.
The Wilma H. Schiermeier Olentangy River Wetland Research Park
The Olentangy River Wetland Research Park works to advance research, knowledge , and stewardship of wetlands, riparian areas, and other native habitats through outreach, research, and education.
Translational Data Analytics Institute
The Translational Data Analytics Institute connects The Ohio State University faculty and students with community partners to create interdisciplinary, data-intensive solutions to challenges.
W8LT The Amateur Radio & RF Club at The Ohio State University
W8LT The Amateur Radio and Radio Frequency club is a student organization at The Ohio State University promoting the use of good engineering practices in radio and create national and international friendships through the radio.
Welding Engineering Program
The Welding Engineering Program within the Department of Materials Science and Engineering was created to educate welding engineers and address the manufaturing challenges of the 21st century.
Community Exhibitors
ENGIE
The Ohio State Energy Partners work with The Ohio State University to reach their energy conservation goals while strengthening academic resources and programming for students and faculty.
ATARA Club STEM Trailer
The All Things Amateur Radio Association’s trailer provides visitors with a hands-on STEM experience that includes a CW oscillator, three Snap Circuit® stations, a working replica of a spark-gap transmitter and a complete amateur station.
Columbus Audubon
Columbus Audubon, one of the largest chapters of the National Audubon Society, promotes the appreciation, understanding and conservation of birds, and other wildlife and their habitats.
GreenSpot Program, Sustainable Columbus
The Columbus GreenSpot Program works toward creating a more sustainable Columbus by inspiring, educating, and recognizing households, businesses, community groups, and neighborhoods that adopt sustainable practices.
Ohio Environmental Protection Agency
Ohio EPA’s scientists sample streams across the state for macroinvertebrates (bugs) to determine the health of our rivers. Join us to see if you can determine the health of our virtual streams.
The Be WISE Initiative
The Be WISE Initiative is a student led nonprofit organization focusing on empowering underserved populations to participate in STEM, engaging and inspiring students with a variety of interactive activities to increase interest in STEM careers.
Youth for STEM Equity
Youth for STEM Equity is a non-profit organization working to proliferate academic opportunities available to individuals, increasing STEM engagement, and reducing racism and discrimination within the field.
Tour Locations
- Arabidopsis Biological Resource Center
- ATARA Club STEM Trailer
- Byrd Polar and Climate Research Center, Polar Rock Repository
- Department of Molecular Genetics
- Department of Speech and Hearing Science
Previous Partners
2022 Partners
Ohio State Exhibitors
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- Arabidopsis Biological Resource Center. For thirty years the mission of the Arabidopsis Biological Resource Center (ABRC) has been to collect, preserve, reproduce, and distribute resources related to the plant Arabidopsis thaliana (Arabidopsis) for use in research and education. Arabidopsis is an important plant model and results from Arabidopsis research inform research and development in other living systems including crop plants, animals, and even humans. Arabidopsis is also used by schools and universities to demonstrate key science concepts and for student research projects.
- Arne Slettlebak Planetarium
- Biological Sciences Greenhouse. The Biological Sciences Greenhouse Facility houses an insectary, two research laboratories, a growth chamber area and a preparation room in addition to 15,120 square feet of teaching and research greenhouse space. The facility primarily serves departments within the College of Arts and Sciences.
- Biomedical Engineering Society Student Organization. As The Ohio State University chapter of the Biomedical Engineering Society (BMES), our mission is to collaborate with the local biomedical community to provide our members with peer mentorship, social, community outreach, and professional development opportunities. We support and welcome any undergraduate students who are interested in the rapidly growing healthcare/medical device field, whether they are pursuing industry, further education, or medical school.
- Buckeye Language Network Language Pod. The Buckeye Language Network Language Pod at the Columbus Center of Science and Industry (COSI) is dedicated to the study of language and the dissemination of knowledge about language sciences. COSI is the only science center in the country that has working research laboratories housed within its walls, allowing visitors firsthand exposure to the research process.
- Byrd Polar and Climate Research Center. The Byrd Center does work in Earth’s ice-covered regions and uses tools to understand our planet’s climate. We will have activities to explore as well as tours of our facility.
- Center for Foodborne Illness Research & Prevention/Food Science & Technology. Our mission is to advance food safety systems that protect public health by preventing foodborne illness. Our vision is a food system that consistently delivers safe, affordable, and nutritious food.
- College of Pharmacy. The mission of Generation Rx is to educate people of all ages about the potential dangers of misusing prescription medications. In doing so, we strive to enhance medication safety for all ages.
- Department of Astronomy
- Department of Biomedical Education & Anatomy. Through the Anatomy Outreach Program, the OSU Division of Anatomy embraces its mission to enhance anatomical knowledge and appreciation of the human body. With anatomy educational outreach we hope to increase student interest in anatomy and STEM through participation and engagement in group discussion and hands-on experiences.
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering.
- Department of Evolution, Ecology and Organismal Biology/Adams Lab. Curious about what those gals marching one by one across the sidewalk might be up to? Ever thought “Gee, I sure do wonder what those ants might smell like”? Join the Adams Mega Ant Lab for answers to all these questions and more as we talk about Ohio’s tiniest movers and shakers: the ants!
- Department of Horticulture and Crop Science. OSU’s Horticulture & Crop Science Department combines hands on science with plants of all types from soybeans to strawberries to flowers to turfgrass. Come grow with us!
- Department of Mathematics. BAMM: Buckeye Aha! Math Moments is the outreach program from the Department of Mathematics at The Ohio State University. The initiative seeks to increase the public awareness, appreciation, and enjoyment of mathematics.
- Department of Microbiology/Sullivan Lab. Children will be immersed in the microscopic world of phages, viruses that infect bacteria, through an interactive stand where they will learn about the importance of phages and get to build their own model phage to take home.
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Zebra Fish Facility. Stop by our booth to learn more about how model organisms, like zebrafish, can teach us about human development and disease.
- Department of Plant Pathology. Plants Get Sick Too! Learn about plant diseases and the work of “plant doctors” to keep our food and trees healthy.
- Infectious Disease Institute. The Infectious Diseases Institute at Ohio State is an interdisciplinary research organization dedicated to combating the effects of microbes on the health of humans, animals, plants and the environment.
- Ohio 4-H STEM. Clovers CODE – Come to the Ohio 4-H mobile design lab and see technology and computer science activities. We help youth content creators rather than content consumers with technology.
- OSU 4-Paws for Ability. Our OSU 4 Paws volunteers provide basic training and socialization to service dogs in training, raise awareness and advocate for the disabled community, and fundraise for our parent organization.
- Orton Geological Museum. The Orton Geological Museum is home to thousands of Earth treasures. We concentrate on the rocks, minerals, and fossils of Ohio, but have specimens from all over the world.
- SACNAS Chapter OSU. The Society for Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science (SACNAS) is a society of scientists dedicated to fostering the success of Chicano/Hispanic and Native American scientists, from college students to professionals, to attain advanced degrees, careers, and positions of leadership in science. Our Ohio State Chapter brings together and supports scientist from across our campus.
- Sustainability Institute. The Sustainability Institute collaborates with academic and operations units across the university to advance sustainability and resilience scholarship and activities. We aim to establish Ohio State as a leader in sustainability research and applications; educate and empower students; accelerate campus sustainability and living lab opportunities; grow resources to support these efforts; and catalyze a culture of sustainability.
- W8LT, Amaterur Radio Club. W8LT is the Amateur Radio station at OSU. It has been in operation since the 1920s.
Community Exhibitors
- Columbus Audubon. We are a non-partisan grassroots organization that promotes conservation. We believe what is good for our treasured birds is good for people too.
- Grange Insurance Audubon Center. The Grange Insurance Audubon Center increases environmental awareness through education programs and events. The Audubon Center also serves as a model for sustainable design thereby promoting the economic, health and aesthetic benefits of green building. Students and visitors alike can learn first-hand the benefits of “going green.” The center also offers volunteering opportunities in addition to educational programs and events.
- ENGIE. Ohio State Energy Partners is helping The Ohio State University reach its energy conservation goals while strengthening academic resources and programming for students and faculty. ENGIE North America and Axium Infrastructure joined forces in 2017 to form Ohio State Energy Partners. The partnership operates the systems that heat, cool and distribute power to the university’s Columbus campus.
- For the Love of Primates. For the Love of Primates is a nonprofit organization that seeks to establish a sanctuary in Central Ohio for primates retired from laboratory research or previously kept as pets. They also actively work to educate the community about primates and the conservation and animal welfare issues they face around the world.
- Franklin Park Conservatory. Inspired by horticulture, Franklin Park Conservatory and Botanical Gardens elevates quality of life and connects the community through educational, cultural and social experiences. The Conservatory offers numerous natural experiences for all ages to enjoy. Generations have been creating memories that last a lifetime since 1993.
- Ohio Academy of Science. The Ohio Academy of Science was founded in 1891 to promote science and science education in Ohio. The Academy conducts numerous pre-college student-programs to encourage STEM education and to provide venues where student-scientists can interact with other students and scientists from across Ohio.
- Rumpke Waste & Recycling. Rumpke Waste and Recycling is committed to delivering exceptional waste and recycling solutions to our customers and communities through a commitment to safety, service, the environment and the growth of our people.
- Solid Waste Authority of Central Ohio. SWACO is your community resource for waste reduction, reuse, recycling, and safe disposal in Franklin County. We are dedicated to helping families, residents, businesses, schools, events, and government partners in our District reduce waste and increase diversion.
Tour Locations
- Arabidopsis Biological Resource Center. For thirty years the mission of the Arabidopsis Biological Resource Center (ABRC) has been to collect, preserve, reproduce, and distribute resources related to the plant Arabidopsis thaliana (Arabidopsis) for use in research and education. Arabidopsis is an important plant model and results from Arabidopsis research inform research and development in other living systems including crop plants, animals, and even humans. Arabidopsis is also used by schools and universities to demonstrate key science concepts and for student research projects.
- Byrd Polar and Climate Research Center. The Byrd Center does work in Earth’s ice-covered regions and uses tools to understand our planet’s climate. We will have activities to explore as well as tours of our facility.
- Center for Automotive Research. The Center for Automotive Research (CAR) is the preeminent research center in sustainable and safe mobility in the United States and an interdisciplinary research center in The Ohio State University College of Engineering. With a concentration on preparing the next generation of automotive leaders, CAR is recognized for interdisciplinary emphasis on systems engineering, advanced and unique experimental facilities, collaboration on advanced product development projects with industry, and a balance of government and privately sponsored research. CAR’s research focuses on energy, safety and the environment and it offers state-of-the-art facilities for students, faculty, research staff and industry partners.
- Office of Research Innovation District. The Innovation District is where people will work to understand and solve the problems that seem insurmountable: from addiction to cancer to climate change. It’s where thinkers and doers from Ohio State, from private industry and from the surrounding communities, will work together to find pragmatic solutions that fuel a more optimistic future and improve people’s lives.
- W8LT, Amateur Radio Club. In operation since the 1920s.
2017-2021 Partners
- Center for Applied Plant Sciences
- Center for Urban and Regional Analysis
- Center for Design and Manufacturing Excellence
- Center for Electron Microscopy and Analysis
- College of Arts and Sciences Alumni Association
- Columbus Audubon
- COSI
- Department of Psychology
- Digital Flagship/Mobile Design Lab
- ElectroScience Laboratory
- Environmental Professionals Network
- Fish Division @ Museum of Biological Diversity
- GreenSpot Columbus
- Global Water Institute
- FLOW – Friends of the Lower Olentangy Watershed
- Initiative for Agricultural Transformation
- Nanotech West Labs
- Ohio Sea Grant/Stone Lab
- Ohio State Energy Partners
- Plant Pathology Graduate Student Association
- Scientific Thinkers STEM Outreach
- STEAM Factory
- Office of Energy & Environment
- Ohio Bioproducts Innovation Center
- Ohio Energy Project
- Ohio Environmental Protection Agency Office of Environmental Education
- Ohio Water Resources Center
- OSU Press
- Smart Columbus
- Society for Ecological Restoration (student group)
- Wetlands Research Park
- Wexner Medical Center Green Team