From October 17 to October 24, Florida State University opens its laboratories, studios and classrooms to the public through its fourth annual Discovery Days program. The week-long series is completely free and offers more than forty events, ranging from community health screenings to high-stakes technology competitions, artistic performances, and family-friendly science activities. Visitors can wander through a health expo at the Gadsden County Courthouse, watch cyber-security teams battle for a $100,000 prize, or enjoy a concert that blends music therapy with live performance. The agenda demonstrates how research, entrepreneurship and the arts intersect to shape the future of Florida’s Capital Region.
Among the headline attractions are a partnership with Tampa-based ReliaQuest for the Quest for What’s Next AI and cyber-security challenge, a series of AWS workshops designed for faculty and students, and a Saturday-morning physics-and-art session that lets K-12 learners explore the science of bubbles. Each event is positioned to showcase the university’s capacity to translate ideas into real-world impact, whether through innovative startups, public-health outreach, or creative collaborations that improve workplace wellbeing.
Ignite Tallahassee open house and innovation expo
On Wednesday, October 21, the IGNITE Tallahassee facility invites the community inside its 1729 West Paul Dirac Drive campus for an Open House + Innovation Expo. The three-hour window (9 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.) offers a front-row seat to the resources, mentorship networks, and investor connections that fuel the region’s deep-technology ventures. Registration is free, and a complimentary breakfast precedes the day’s programming.
IGNITE’s showcase begins with a state-wide update from its leadership, followed by a Startup Spotlight that highlights resident companies such as Piersica, Phusion AI, SafePath App, Feel With Me, SeraphFlora and SCOFile. Undergraduate participants from the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering take part in the iCREATE Innovation Experience, delivering rapid elevator pitches, joining a panel discussion, and receiving the TiE Tampa Bay ARTISAN Student Pitch Award. A venture-capital and angel-investor panel then dissects how Florida-based startups secure financing, offering practical insights for aspiring entrepreneurs.
The afternoon culminates in the Innovation Expo where demo stations feature prototypes, product demos, and live interactions with founders and ecosystem sponsors. Lunch follows, and the day’s momentum continues into the evening with the Discovery Challenge—a “Shark Tank”-style competition where FSU spin-offs vie for up to $100,000 in cash prizes. The event underscores IGNITE’s mission to turn early-stage research into market-ready solutions.
In Their Shoes domestic-violence simulation
Tuesday, October 20, from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., the Florida Institute for Child Welfare hosts the immersive “In Their Shoes” simulation in rooms 2400 and 2500 of the Global and Multicultural Engagement Building. Participants assume the role of a parent living through domestic violence, navigating realistic scenarios that involve safety planning, housing decisions, financial management, employment challenges and child-wellbeing considerations. The activity is designed to surface the constrained choices survivors often make in pursuit of safety for themselves and their children.
Facilitator Krista Del Gallo emphasizes that the simulation provides an experiential learning experience that a lecture cannot match. By confronting participants with the same limited options that survivors face, the exercise cultivates empathy, critical thinking and a deeper appreciation for the expertise survivors bring to their own safety planning. Institute director Lisa Magruder notes that domestic-violence awareness month highlights the pervasive impact of abuse on families and the essential role of child-welfare professionals in addressing safety concerns.
Beyond the one-hour role-play, the institute offers a Season 9 podcast series titled “Together for Families: Domestic Violence Support in Child Welfare,” which features interviews with researchers, practitioners and survivors. The institute also produces research publications, workforce-development resources and policy briefs aimed at strengthening Florida’s child-welfare system. By weaving education, research and public engagement, the simulation and accompanying programs aim to build a more informed, collaborative response to domestic violence across the state.
Both the IGNITE Tallahassee open house and the In Their Shoes simulation illustrate how FSU Discovery Days bridges academia, industry and community advocacy. Whether a budding entrepreneur, a social-work student, or a curious resident, attendees leave with tangible insights into the high-tech ecosystem and the human realities that shape public-policy challenges. The week-long celebration of discovery demonstrates the university’s commitment to fostering innovation while addressing the societal issues that impact Florida’s future.
