The “Bioscience and Engineering at the Market” outreach program takes advantage of the relaxed, family-friendly atmosphere of the Farmer's Market to present some of the cutting-edge research done at Purdue to the general public and to boost interest among children in STEM fields.

Through a series of appearances at the Market, there will be hands-on demonstrations of a broad range of topics and the basic science behind them including biomedical devices, diagnostic tools, comparative anatomy and physiology, and microanatomy of plants. There will be a different focus each week:

7/11 - Microanatomy with microscopes led by Dr. Russell Main
7/25 - Topic to be determined
8/8 - Topic to be determined
8/22 - Mechanical Levers led by Dr. Russell Main
8/29 - Topic to be determined
9/12 - Goergen Lab
9/26 - Linnes Lab

The units will be set up for the public from 3:30 p.m. to about 7 p.m.

Children learn how to make calcium alginate beads and their applications in the medical field at the West Lafayette Farmer's Market in May 2018. Photo: Korina Wilbert

The community can participate in hands-on demonstrations of a broad range of topics and the basic science behind them including biomedical devices, diagnostic tools, comparative anatomy and physiology, and microanatomy of plants at the West Lafayette Farmer's Market in Summer 2018. Photo: Korina Wilbert

The activities and content presented will appeal to grade-school and middle-school age children interested science, but will also resonate with older children and adults in how the basic concepts may be applied to real world health problems. Additionally, the program will demonstrate the connection between engineering and the health sciences at Purdue, which is particularly well illustrated by the collaborative history between researchers and clinicians in the Purdue Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering and College of Veterinary Medicine.

Source: Russell Main, rmain@purdue.edu
phone: 765.494.0898