3rd Annual 'Tricks, Treats and Science Discoveries' Scheduled for October 26

L - Timothy Murphy, MD, Director of the UB Clinical and Translational Science Institute, enjoys the 2018 Tricks, Treats and Science Discoveries with his granddaughter. R - Families learn about health and research through interactive tables hosted by university and community partners.

Left - Timothy Murphy, MD, Director of the UB Clinical and Translational Science Institute, enjoys the 2018 Tricks, Treats and Science Discoveries with his granddaughter.
Right - Families learn about health and research through interactive tables hosted by university and community partners.

Published October 1, 2019

Print

Related Links

By Megan Wilson-Crowley, MPA

Midterm exams aren’t going to be the only spooky event happening at the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences this October. The “Tricks, Treats and Science Discoveries: Free Family Fun and Learning Fair” will make its return to the Jacobs School on Saturday, October 26, from 1 to 4 p.m.

As a planning partnership among UB’s Clinical and Translational Science Institute (CTSI) and Genome, Environment and Microbiome (GEM) Community of Excellence, Patient Voices Network, UB Department of Family Medicine, Jacobs School and the Fruit of the City, the event welcomes families from surrounding neighborhoods to the medical school for an afternoon of fun activities – including trick-or-treating, face painting, and games – plus scientific demonstrations and interactive exhibits hosted by UB and community partners.

“This is one of my favorite events of the year,” said Laurene Tumiel-Berhalter, PhD, director of Community Translational Research in UB’s Department of Family Medicine and director of Community Engagement for the CTSI. “It’s a great opportunity for the community to learn more about the research happening on the medical campus and for UB researchers to meet face-to-face with the community. If we want to improve community involvement in research, we need events like this that break down barriers and show people that science and research can be fun.”

Event organizers are expecting 25 activity stations – hosted by community partners and university groups. 

Group/Organization

Table Topic

Focus

Buffalo Employment and Training Center

What occupation do you choose?

Career exploration for demand labor occupations. Different uniforms, outfits, information and treats for training grants and employment assistance.

Buffalo Museum of Science

Planet Mars

Explore dry ice on the red planet and check out topographic maps of our neighboring planet.

ConnectLife

Super Heroes Connect Lives!

To educate children and adults about organs, tissues, and blood while relaying the value of donation in an age appropriate manner.

Erie County Department of Health

Germ City

Interactive activity demonstrating proper hand washing technique. Information on many lead poisoning prevention strategies.

Erie Niagara Area Health Education Center

Trick-or-Treat for Health Careers

Promote awareness of health career opportunities to children and their families as potential career paths. Trivia wheel activity and prizes to all participants.

Every Person Influences Children (EPIC)

Ready, Set, Read!

Children will color and “break” a plastic egg in connection to Humpty Dumpty nursery rhyme. Information on choosing age appropriate books will be provided as well as a wide selection of donated books.

FreshFix/Veggie Van (UB)

Test Your Fruit and Veggie Score

Children will test out the Veggie Meter to see if they eat enough fruits and veggies. They will receive free produce and learn about options for affordable local produce. 

Fruit of the City featuring Hauptman Woodward Medical Research Institute

"The Name Game!'

Students enjoy finding their name in the gene bank, learning in which proteins their name is found and what species contain those proteins, and creating an animated illustration of a protein with their name. 

Girl Scouts of Western New York

Girl Scouts of WNY

Recruitment/information along with a science activity.

Patient Voices Network

Patient Voices Detectives Fight Cancer

Interactive activity about cancer prevention that uses a human body model to make a crime scene. A spin wheel activity with crime scene numbers guides participants through cancer or health topic questions. 

UB Medical Students - Students Interested in Neurology (SIGN)

Let's Get Brainy!

Fun mind games, like crossword puzzles and trivia, Halloween bags with slimy worms for kids to play with, and a "brain in a jar" where people can learn about different areas of the brain and what they do!

UB Clinical and Translational Science Institute

Cookie Clinical Trial

Children learn about research via cookie clinical trial. They review a "consent document" to learn about the study, then they will taste test two kinds of cookies, and take a brief survey regarding the cookies.

UB Clinical and Translational Science Institute

Sofia Learns About Research Activity Book

Research is presented in a non-threatening way with Sofia, a child with asthma who learns about health research and considers enrolling in a trial. Activity books will be distributed. Rolling dice engages children in a conversation around health research. 

UB Clinical and Translational Science Institute / UB GEM Community of Excellence

I Put A Spell On You And Now You're Under My Microscope

The table will host two microscopes where children pretend to be scientists and look at different plant and human tissues.

UB Department of Archaeology

Time Travel Terrors: Archaeological Discoveries in Western New York

The table will feature a miniature archaeological dig that will help visitors understand the idea of chronology and seriation.

UB Department of Chemistry (Benedict Labs)

Crystal Growing

Teach youth about crystals and crystal growing and increase awareness of the US Crystal Growing Competition!

UB Dental - Give Kids a Smile Team

Smile Avengers

Children learn about the importance of dental health from their favorite super heroes.

UB Doctor of Physical Therapy Club

Getting Healthy

Educating children and their parents on the importance of living a healthy lifestyle and what exactly is a healthy lifestyle.

UB GEM Community of Excellence

Microbes, DNA, and Strawberries - OH MY!

Fun and interactive activities illustrate microbiome and human genome concepts. Strawberry DNA extraction with pineapple juice, Kinex DNA activity to talk about mutations, and antibiotics vs. microbiome ping pong balls activity.

UB Out in Science, Technology,
Engineering and Mathematics (oSTEM)

The Solar System and You!

A solar system model introduces children to all the celestial bodies in it. They then make their own planet necklaces using a wooden ball that they can paint.

GEM Director of Outreach Activities, Bridget Brace-MacDonald, EdM, said, “This event is an example of the mutually beneficial nature of effective campus-community collaborations. UB has the opportunity to provide information about our science, research and programs, while the community is able to access an interactive indoor Halloween event for families. This event would not be possible without all of our volunteers, including the many UB and community groups that staff tables and create fun and engaging activities each year!”

Parents and caregivers are invited to bring their costumed children to the Jacobs School for the three-hour fair. Healthy snacks and Halloween goodies will be served. Families are encouraged to pre-register at https://ub_halloween2019.eventbrite.com. All minors under 18 years of age must be accompanied by an adult.

For more information about “Tricks, Treats and Science Discoveries: A Family-Fun Learning Fair,” contact the CTSI Community Engagement Team at EngageUB@buffalo.edu or 716-829-2502.