Pharm-Tox Club Proves Science is Fun During Public School Visit

Students at Science Day.

Jaeyoung Choi helps students at Frank A. Sedita Academy “tie-dye” milk during a science day hosted by the Pharmacology and Toxicology Graduate Student Association.

Published January 10, 2013 This content is archived.

Story by Nicole Peradotto

Members of the Pharmacology and Toxicology Graduate Student Association recently visited a Buffalo public school to conduct experiments with students and spark their interest in science.

Sharing Passion for Science

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“It is our hope that by participating in Science Day we will encourage the curiosity of future scientists. ”
Bethany Asare, PhD candidate

During the Nov. 28 Science Day at Frank A. Sedita Academy, club members, as well as several undergraduates, showed three classes of eighth graders how to extract DNA from strawberries, separate chemical components using chromatography and use surface tension to tie-dye milk with food coloring and liquid soap.

“It is our hope that by participating in Science Day we will encourage the curiosity of future scientists,” said club president Bethany Asare, a PhD candidate in pharmacology and toxicology.

“Our club is culturally and academically diverse, and our interactions with the students provide opportunities to let them know that science is not restricted to the stereotypical Einstein caricature.

“We are young, vibrant and passionate, and science is both engaging and fun."

Students Express Desire to Study at UB

This is the club’s third annual visit to the school, said Alex Morrison-Nozik, a PhD candidate in pharmacology and toxicology.

“The students get really into the projects we give them and have a lot of fun with them. From talking to both teachers and students, they can't wait for us to come back again.”

During the club’s question and answer session about scientific careers, many students expressed an interest in attending UB, he added.