Library program sparks STEM curiosity Hip Hop MD to speak

Tuesday, February 24, 2026 at 8:49 AM

By Staff report

Have you ever heard of a spider being turned into a useful robot? Or a real-life planetary defense team protecting the Earth from asteroids? Sounds like science fiction…but it’s not!

Join Maynard Okereke, aka the Hip Hop MD, as he explores intriguing and unique fields of science, including physics, engineering, ecology, and neuroscience in the Shelby County Public Library’s main building, 57 W. Broadway St., on Wednesday, March 11 from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m.

Take a wild ride into some of the most fascinating and strange corners of scientific research, from physics and engineering to ecology and neuroscience. These wacky wonders of nature and technology will wow all readers and inspire budding scientists to look at the world with fresh curiosity and consider how science can be used to help people, help nature, or enhance our understanding about the world. Interviews with real scientists highlight representation for diverse children and how scientists from a wide range of backgrounds are working to build a better future for our planet.

Okereke is an award-winning science communicator, STEM personality, and keynote speaker. He founded Hip Hop Science to encourage minorities and youth to pursue more advanced careers in STEM. Okereke has won the Asteroid Award for Best Streaming Content and the People of Change Award and was named The National Society of Black Engineers’ Entrepreneur of the Year. He’s been featured on Netflix’s Ada Twist Scientist, The Science Channel, and Curiosity Stream, and in Scientific American. He has also partnered with NASA, the Natural History Museum, the Boston Museum of Science, the La Brea Tar Pits, Blue Origin, Microsoft, and NVIDIA. Okereke lives in Los Angeles, CA and is online at hiphopscienceshow.com.

For more information, contact Pam Weakley at 317-398-7121 ext. 239 or message the library on Facebook. Student registration is required only and may be done through the library’s website. Please register each child who will be attending.