WKU News

Bowling Green, KY (February 11, 2026) — The Center for Gifted Studies at Western Kentucky University is set to host the 13th annual IdeaFestival® Bowling Green (IFBG), welcoming more than 950 middle and high school students to campus from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Tuesday, February 17. This event features a dynamic blend of speaker sessions and activities designed to showcase innovation and inspire students from across the Commonwealth.

The morning session, held at Van Meter Hall, will feature four distinguished innovators and entrepreneurs who will share their stories and participate in a student-led Q&A session from 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Speakers include Erin Burba, Lead Software Engineer at Eyebot; Blakesley Burkhart, Associate Professor of Physics and Astronomy at Rutgers University and Research Scientist at the Flatiron Institute’s Center for Computational Astrophysics; Kirker Butler, Emmy-nominated Writer/Producer and Author; and Scott Johnson, a Kentucky elementary school teacher who developed a 3D-printed hand prosthetic.

In the afternoon, students will participate in minds-on, hands-on activities designed to foster curiosity. From 11:45 am to 2:30 pm, participants will explore more than 25 interactive zones, including assessing the anatomy of the human body, designing their own challenging puzzles, discovering how to fly in a flight simulator, exploring Bowling Green’s underground cave systems, and constructing a bridge with K-NEX pieces, to name a few. 

Created in partnership with the original IdeaFestival, IFBG seeks to inspire the next generation of creators, thinkers, and innovators. The event is hosted by The Center for Gifted Studies at WKU and is sponsored by AT&T, the Bowling Green Chamber of Commerce, and The Gatton Academy of Mathematics and Science.

About The Center for Gifted Studies
Located on the Western Kentucky University campus in Bowling Green, Kentucky, The Center for Gifted Studies has been serving children who are gifted and talented, their educators, and their parents for more than 40 years. The Center provides exciting educational opportunities for gifted young people, rigorous professional development for teachers, and support for parents of gifted young people. Under the direction of Dr. Julia Roberts, The Center has become one of the preeminent advocates for gifted education in the United States.

The event is currently at capacity for new registrations. Media members are invited to attend; please reach out to The Center for Gifted Studies at (270) 745-6323 or contact Rebecca Clark (rebecca.clark@wku.edu). More information can be found at wku.edu/gifted/ideafestivalbg