The popular Minecraft video game was the focus of the latest edition of UClub2.0.

Faculty Senate Chair Philip Glick (in red vest) takes part in the action. "What a pleasure to see more than 100 faculty and professional staff members with their children … totally engaged for over four hours in Minecraft and other networking activities," Glick said. "This should become an annual event. Great job!"

Minecraft action was intense. Steve Gallo, lead software engineer and database administrator for the Center for Computational Research, said his son likes to play Minecraft, and he brought him to UClub2.0 to "expose him to other players and ideas in a collaborative world." His two sons, ages 5 and 7, visit him for lunch at UB "and get to see what I do at work, but getting a more global and diverse view is always good for them," Gallo said.

Minecraft tasks players with building just about anything they can imagine — from farms to waterfalls to worlds — one block at a time.

Bina Ramamurthy, teaching associate professor in the Department of Computer Science and an event organizer, thanks computer science students who volunteered for the event. Ramamurthy says UB should host more events like this to emphasize the value of work-life balance, equity and inclusion.

While the children were absorbed in Minecraft instruction and play led by UB computer science students, their parents were free to mix and meet colleagues outside of their department or unit. And they were, of course, welcome to join in on the gaming, too.