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11/30/16
8th Annual Frontiers in Science and Medicine Day Engages Students Through Hands-On Real-World Demonstrations
Too often, students learn about the wonders of science and medicine by reading textbooks rather than getting hands-on experiences that pique their curiosity and intellect. In an effort to spark student interest in science and medicine careers, local universities, healthcare organizations, private companies, and research centers in and around the Shady Grove Life Sciences Center hosted lab tours and interactive activities for student as part of the seventh annual Frontiers in Science and Medicine Day on Friday, October 28th.
More than 500 students from Martin Luther King Jr. Middle School and Montgomery Village Middle School participated in science and medicine activities at the Universities at Shady Grove. The on-site activities were conducted by students enrolled in the University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) School of Nursing and School of Pharmacy programs.
The hands-on activities were conducted by students from University of Maryland, College Park (UMCP) Biological Sciences program, Salisbury University (SU) Respiratory Therapy program, and scientist from IBBR and NIST.
The School of Nursing activities included using a UV light to demonstrate proper hand washing, discovering how much sugar is in popular beverages, and interactive health simulations on a life-like mannequin called a Sim-Man. The School of Pharmacy activities included learning how to set-up a medicine IV bag, diagnosing a Sim-Man patient and using the Script-Pro robot to administer prescriptions, and creating pill capsules with a mortar and pestle. In addition to the real-world activities, students had the opportunity to spend time in local laboratories; experiencing first-hand what scientists do each day.
“It is inspiring to see students learning from these hands-on experiences in science and medicine. It is exciting to know that the interest generated by this day will grow into the pursuit of further education and help energize our community’s next generation of science and healthcare professionals,” said Dr. Stewart Edelstein, Executive Director, Universities at Shady Grove.