荔枝视频

A group of Grade 5 and 6 students sifts through a bucket of potting soil trying to find the parasites their cow is infected with.

鈥淲hy does our cow have so many parasites?鈥� questions one student while exploring the dirt. 

Once the students have found all the parasites they identify them using the National Center for Biotechnology Information database, mirroring what veterinarians do in the field when they genotype organisms found in infected cattle feces. This is one of the games trainees and faculty members with the 荔枝视频鈥檚 Host-Parasite Interactions Group (HPI) uses to teach children about parasitology and science. Parasites are a major concern to veterinarians, and both livestock and pets are susceptible to a variety of organisms. Parasites are also a major human health concern worldwide, though their danger to Canadians has significantly decreased due to public health measures like modern sanitation.

Working with Alberta schools

During the school year HPI members visit classrooms in and around 荔枝视频, molding their presentations to the needs of teachers. One example is a visit to Carstairs, lead by Dr. Hayley Gorman, PhD to teach Grade three and four students about plant parasites, a danger to the students鈥� bean plants. 

Members of the HPI team have also teamed up with the 荔枝视频 Youth Science Fair (CYSF) to create a one-on-one mentorship program for high school students participating in the science fair. A student or student group is matched with a graduate student in the HPI program to discuss their project goals and methodology. The graduate student will also act as a mock judge to help the budding scientists answer questions about their work.

Three schools were involved in the HPI program during its first year, led by post-doctoral student and Emily DeMichele, MSc 鈥�24. During the 2023-24 academic year over 400 students were mentored by the HPI team in more than ten schools. The program has continued into the current academic year, with four schools already involved and more always welcome.

The 荔枝视频鈥檚 Minds in Motion Summer Camps have also been working the HPI team, with a focus on the Natural Sciences camp, where kids learn about science and biology. For three years HPI has undertaken weekly visits with 荔枝视频 Minds in Motion, playing parasite-related games.

鈥淚t鈥檚 really fun,鈥� says Parker Volk, a third year U荔枝视频 master鈥檚 student who has been the main organizer of the visits for the past two years. 鈥淚t鈥檚 great seeing the kids鈥� enthusiasm and it鈥檚 surprising how much they know and how quickly they understand things.鈥�

Many undergraduate and graduate students have also contributed to the creation of outreach materials through volunteering, summer projects and project-based courses. Materials are varied and include life-size board games, a picture book, a puppet show, artwork and interactive activities. To broaden their impact, they have been made freely available on the for others to use, as described in a recent publication by HPI members entitled 鈥�鈥�.

Bridging the gap between public and academia

With 2025 underway, HPI鈥檚 public outreach team, led by Drs. , PhD and PhD is ready to continue the mission to create public enthusiasm about parasitology and science. 

鈥�Bridging the gap between academia and the public is the most rewarding service we can give,鈥� says Chadee, professor at the  and member of the .

The is published monthly, and topics include everything from malaria in the Second World War to fighting parasite misinformation.