Tyraine Ragsdale, known by his DJ name, Master Scientist Grand Hank, has finalized the outdoor section of his upcoming science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) center on 501 E. Armstrong Street in Germantown.

The media personality/educator and his wife, Georgina Ragsdale, introduced the Liquid Science outdoor space to the community at an open house Saturday afternoon. The 8,000 square-foot outdoor venue consists of three open-air stone-walled sections, and features a concert stage, tables, and an outdoor hangout area.

“I had a vision for this, that this space could be used to have not only educational learning, but also social learning, where people can enjoy themselves,” Ragsdale told the Local on Saturday.

A ‘grand’ vision

The venue is part of Ragsdale’s upcoming Grand Hank STEM Center for Youth, a project he’s undertaken since 2011 to make STEM education more accessible for underserved youth in Philadelphia. Built from the ruins of a historic watch factory, the site will contain the Liquid Science outdoor venue and a 10,000-square-foot indoor facility — which is still undergoing renovations and is in the fundraising stage, he said.

The new institution will focus on getting students interested in STEM through Grand Hank’s high energy, interactive programs.

“We could do programming here, professional development, teacher training, student workshops, community-based events … everything we could dream up that they do at The Franklin Institute in Center City. This could be a Franklin Institute, northwest. That’s the vision,” he said.

The 2024 YouScience/Black Girls Do STEM “Black Students and STEM Report” found that the under-representation of Black professionals in the STEM field could discourage Black students from pursuing these careers. Ragsdale hopes to bridge that exposure gap.

The Glenside resident grew up in West Philadelphia’s Mill Creek housing projects and earned a chemistry degree at the University of Pittsburgh. He then worked as a research chemist at the Robert Wood Johnson Pharmaceutical Research Institute, a division of Johnson & Johnson. He was one of the few scientists of color at his company, he said.

“A lot of times, when you’re the only person of color in these spaces, they’re not very inclusive. So, because of that, a lot of people shy away, or they decide that they’re going to take another route where they’re more represented,” he said.

As a chemist in the 1980s, Ragsdale wanted to increase Black representation in the STEM field. He found his calling while giving a talk to students through a visiting scientist program.

“I saw the kids … they were disengaged as I was speaking. And I started rapping, and when I started rapping, all the kids jumped on the edge of their seats, and they started rapping and singing,” he said. “That was the epiphany right there, that we could use music to teach science or to teach any subject.”

In 1989, Ragsdale founded Grand Hank Productions, Inc., a multimedia education company, to teach science to students in the region through music and entertainment, using hip-hop music, real-life demonstrations, and interactive workshops. He produced two weekly TV shows for middle and high schoolers: “The Science of Philadelphia” and “The Science Lab of Grand Hank,” which aired on the Philadelphia School District’s public-access channel, PSTV. The shows ran from 1996 to 2011.

He took his entertaining experiments and high-energy shows to dozens of venues, including the School District of Philadelphia, conferences, and on tours throughout the United States. On the road, he dreamed about having a retirement project that would outlive him.

Making science rock

He acquired the building for the STEM center in 2011, moving from the Grand Hank headquarters in Mt. Airy. Ragsdale said his late brother Lamont “Sparkey” Ragsdale was his tour manager and helped him design the center. Lamont died in 2023.

“He and I were so close. We did everything together,” he said. “We were looking forward to the day when this opened, and then we could run it, and just enjoy the fruits of our labor. It’s a piece of him here.”

Ragsdale still needs $300,000 to finish the project, specifically to install the sprinkler and HVAC systems, and said supporters can donate through the project’s website, ghstemcenter.com. Assuming he will reach that goal, Ragsdale hopes to open the facility by the end of 2025.

The site’s first floor features a grand hall that can house 200 chairs, and will have DJ lights and fog machines. It’s not your usual science presentation set-up. “The purpose of this building is to bring kids in and do science on a scale they’ve never seen before,” he said.

In addition, there’s a studio, science lab, another concert stage, and photos of Ragsdale’s past performances — including those at The Met Philadelphia and The Dell Music Center — dotting the walls. Upstairs houses administrative offices, a lounge, and several classrooms (called “learning pods”), as well as stored high-tech equipment patiently waiting for opening day. Ragsdale hopes to recruit science teachers and scientists from the field to run programs.

“This is a legacy space. And when people walk through here, they’ll see pictures of scientists and all that on the walls that reflect the culture that we come from,” he said. “The goal is to show people how important science is, and it’s all around them. It’s in everything you do.”

The center will also be a space to socialize, Ragsdale said. The Liquid Science outdoor space will be used for concerts, galas, and sports-watch parties.

Ragsdale’s wife Georgina, a former employee for the Laborers’ District Council Benefit Funds, said it’s “unbelievable” to see how the building has transformed after 14 years of renovations.

“I’m just happy and proud that he’s able to do what he wants to do,” Georgina said. “I just want to see the building and whatever he’s working toward come to full fruition, because he’s been working hard trying to give back to the children.”

Abby Weiss is an environmental reporter for the Local and a Report for America corps member. She can be reached at Abby@chestnuthilllocal.com.