STEM Night 2026
Where Science Took Center Field
Our second annual STEM Night was a success. Once again, we teamed up with the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers for a night where baseball met discovery. With 2,232 fans in the stands, the ballpark became more than a place for America’s favorite pastime; it became a stage for science in action. From a water vapor cloud drifting across the field to a bucket launching nearly 200 feet into the air powered by liquid nitrogen, each demonstration captured the crowd’s attention and showed just how exciting science can be.
A special first pitch was thrown by Ramses Jr., setting the tone for a night full of energy and curiosity. By the fourth inning, fans were eagerly lining up for custom NRI t-shirts, and throughout the game, our STEM activity tables—hosted in partnership with the NC Science Festival—were buzzing. Kids of all ages (and plenty of adults) rolled up their sleeves to take part, and by the end of the night, more than 750 STEM kits had been put into action.
“I didn’t know what to expect coming in, but I was amazed at how NRI made science feel so approachable for kids and for the whole Kannapolis community.”
Jennifer, first-time STEM Night attendee
“I hope tonight sparks a love for science in these kids, the same way it did for me when I first learned about the NRI.”
Julian Robles, Research Technician, NRI
“I came last year, so when I saw STEM Night was back, I got tickets for my nephews right away. The bucket launch was our favorite part!”
Lauren, Local Community Member
Fans
STEM Activity Kits
Volunteers
Free Tickets for Kids
After the seventh inning stretch, a collaborative video lit up the big screen, spotlighting seven academic institutes at the North Carolina Research Campus. Spectators saw how universities across North Carolina are joining forces in Kannapolis to advance science, improve health, and shape a better future.
THE FUTURE STARTS HERE
We expanded our reach this year by partnering with institutions across the NC Research Campus, including NC State, NC A&T, UNC Charlotte, Rowan-Cabarrus Community College, Duke, and NC Central—creating a broader showcase of science for our community.
We also sponsored 100 student tickets, welcoming youth from local organizations and schools. For many, STEM Night is more than a game—it’s a chance to see themselves in science.
HOSTING PARTNERS
NC Science Festival
NC Science Festival is a month-long celebration of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) that takes place every April. This year’s theme is “Science: Everyday, Everywhere, Everyone” – we’re excited to celebrate all the important ways science is woven into the fabric of our everyday lives and to expand access to incredible STEM events to more audiences across the state.
UNC Nutrition Research Institute (NRI)
The NRI is a unit of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and an internationally recognized center that conducts innovative basic and translational science studying how individual differences in requirements and responses to diet affect our individual nutritional needs.
Kannapolis Cannon Ballers
The Kannapolis Cannon Ballers is a Minor League Baseball team of the Carolina League and the Single-A affiliate of the Chicago White Sox.
NCRC PARTNERS
NC State Plants for Human Health Institute
a global center for discovery and translation of plant and food innovations for disease prevention and health benefits
UNC Charlotte Bioinformatics Research and Services
applies bioinformatics to the discovery, development, and application of novel computational technologies to help solve important biological problems.
NC A&T Center for Excellence in Post-Harvest Technologies
focus on improving the quality and safety of food after it has left the farm. CEPHT’s goal is the development of multidisciplinary programs focused on post-harvest technologies including research pertaining to processing, preservation, consumer research, recovery of health promoting food components, food safety issues, storage stability and quality and value-added product development for food and non-food uses.
Rowan-Cabarrus Community College
The Rowan-Cabarrus Community College location on the North Carolina Research Campus consists of two buildings that function as a hands-on, realistic training environment for the College’s health, science, and engineering programs.
Duke University
Duke Kannapolis, part of the Duke Clinical and Translational Science Institute (CTSI), operates a state-of-the-art site that accelerates precision genomics and population health research through community-engaged partnerships, enrolling over 14,000 volunteers since its founding in 2007—including participants in the groundbreaking MURDOCK Study—and leads diverse projects focused on biomarker discovery while actively supporting health and wellness throughout Cabarrus County.
NC Central University
NCCU conducts research to identify and evaluate bioactive natural products from functional foods and herbal medicine. The goal is to use metabolomic and nutrigenomic approaches to find new options to prevent and treat diseases like cancer and diabetes as well as their many complications.