The National Science Institute (NSI), previously known as The Geek Group, was a not-for-profit educational organization based in Grand Rapids, Michigan with over 25,000 members around the world.[1] The NSI sought to provide opportunity for all people through programs designed to foster lifelong education, vocational access, and creativity in technology.[2] The group opened to the public on January 1, 2014.[3]
The organization was started in 1996 at the Grand Valley State University in Allendale, Michigan as a group of friends, experimenting with university surplus equipment.[citation needed] The group grew over several years, and several name changes into a small company, The Geek Group, leasing a building in Grand Rapids at 344 Ionia Ave SW. The Geek Group later moved to Kalamazoo and became a federally certified 501(c)(3) non-profit company.[5] In early 2010 the Kalamazoo County Treasurer seized the organization's headquarters, which was then located in Kalamazoo Township, Michigan a suburb of Kalamazoo, MI after the organization refused to pay property taxes. The back taxes amounted to over $100,000[6][7] The organization appealed; however, the appeal was denied.
The organization moved back to Grand Rapids in December 2010[1] a 43,000-square-foot (4,000 m2) facility situated on Leonard Street NW, dubbed "The Leonard Street Labs."[8] On January 2, 2014, a fire partially destroyed the organization's High Voltage Lab, and deposited soot all over the lab. A grub screw on a Tesla coil rotary spark gap was not tight enough, allowing a tungstenelectrode to move out of its socket and strike one of the stationary electrodes. This resulted in a chain reaction with molten tungsten being flung from the spark gap unit, which caused a nearby capacitor array to catch fire and subsequently melt. From preliminary analysis, Project Gemini (a 200,000 watt Tesla coil demonstration) looks to be the originating cause, and completely destroyed, and Project Thumper (a high impulse generator) was damaged. The fire was so hot it melted aluminum racks. Although no one had been hurt, the building was closed to the public once again for repairs.[9][10]
Federal raid and aftermath
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On December 21, 2018 The National Science Institute's Laboratory at 902 Leonard Street NW was raided by Homeland Security, the IRS, and several other federal agencies.[11] The raid was a result of conspiracy to operate an unlicensed Money Transmitting Business, operating an unlicensed Money Transmitting Business, money laundering, structuring, and attempting to collect a debt by means of extortion.[citation needed]
After the raid, the founders decided that they were going to shut down operations and The National Science Institute permanently ceased operations on December 31, 2018.[citation needed]
On January 5, 2019, Chris Boden, the founder of the organization, was described as saying that the raid took place "because he was commercially trading in cryptocurrency without the proper authorization", and that he believed he was facing prison.[12][13] On Sunday January 6 he stated that on the advice of his lawyer he would make no further comment.[14]
Sponsors
The organization was sponsored by many companies, the majority of them small businesses local to the organization, but also some larger companies such as Rustoleum. NSI supplemented this donation income by charging for some research and development services.[15]
YouTube popularity
The organization ran a YouTube channel, serving as an extension of their digital education program. As of 2018, the channel had over 94,000 subscribers and 650 videos.[16] In addition to technical tool training videos, the channel regularly produced several educational video series, including equipment autopsies and machine tutorials.
