Science FUNday at the University of Alberta 2018

On March 17, Science FUNdamentals held their annual Science FUNday, a free day full of science exhibitions, demonstrations, tours and presentations designed for families with activities tailored towards children aged 5-12.

HPI members and other fellow graduate students who study parasites volunteered at the booth throughout the day. We were one of many groups of students doing different presentations and we had many parasite samples and life cycles to teach the kids about.

Kids and parents alike were interested and grossed out by the samples we showed, and the different types of host parasite relationships they represented. There were lots of families with stories of parasites from when they had traveled or lived elsewhere, as well as a few parents who worked in industries where they dealt with parasites on a daily basis! It was a very busy day, with lots of families coming by and learning about parasites!

Our booth was just a small part of an overall very successful event to get kids interested in STEM!  It was a great opportunity to showcase parasitology, an often overlooked aspect of biology!