Curiosity Stations

Our non-profit focuses of managing plastic waste in low-GDP countries by using technology developed at UK to convert waste plastic into cooking fuel. Our display will include samples of plastic and the fuel, a model of our technology, educational materials, and a poster.

• College of Engineering Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering
• Jeffery Seay: Professor at UK/ President and Founder of Empowered Solutions for Environmental Sustainability

There will an Appalachian Jeopardy game, an interactive activity, so visitors to the booth will have the opportunity to learn a range of Appalachia related research and creative work. This is a digital activity.

• Appalachian Center & Appalachian Studies Program
• Appalachian Center Director, Kathryn Engle

Come plant a seedling! Research shows many benefits of gardening including reducing negative thoughts and feelings, and making you feel better. Gardening is shown to increase feelings of peacefulness and contentment. Keeping a plant in your work or study space has been shown to improve focus and productivity. Plants also help ease stress, promote feelings of wellbeing, and have even been shown to boost self-esteem. Come flex your green thumb and start receiving the benefits of plants!

• College of Nursing
• Madelyn Cline, Kylie Pemberton, and Heather Robertson
• BH WELL

Attendees will learn about the specialized interactions that occur between native insects and plants. They will also learn about how plant diversity fosters insect diversity. We will have bee houses that attendees can make and take home. We will also have preserved specimens of native insects and invasive insects and samples of native and invasive plants.

• Department of Horticulture, College of Agriculture, Food, and Environment
• Phoebe Brown

We are the Circus Cats! We are a skill-based sharing club! Come try Juggling, Stilt walking, the diabolo, and even some aerial apparatuses! Feel free to ask any questions.

We will roll through a loop of selected scenes from The Lord of the Rings films with particular environmental relevance on a TV/laptop. We'll decorate the table with a relevant prop or two. The general invitation will be to share about how Tolkien imagined environmental spaces in the text, and discuss how those ideas were adapted in Peter Jackson's films. We hope attendees will learn some basic ecocriticism which they could implement as they interpret other texts and the world around them.

• Lewis Honors College
• Kenton Sena

68% of patients experience severe shoulder pain following laparoscopic surgery (Li, X., & Li, K.). Nerve blocks are widely used as patients experience less pain and faster recovery. This limits the need for narcotic drug use after surgery by providing a nonaddictive pain management alternative. This study aims to determine if the same could be true for laparoscopic abdominal surgeries. The phrenic nerve is a branch of the cervical plexus that arises from the anterior rami of cervical nerves C3, C4, and C5 (Edinoff, A. N.). The phrenic nerve passes between the sternocleidomastoid and the omohyoid muscles and the subclavian vessels to enter the thorax. It provides its main source of innervation at the diaphragm. It consists of motor, sensory, and sympathetic nerve fibers. Many laparoscopic abdominal procedures use CO2 gas to inflate the abdominal region for better visualization during surgery. Unfortunately, this useful methodology often causes substantial pain for the patient during recovery. The gas tends to dissipate two to three days after surgery; however, patients complain of severe pain in the shoulder regions and the diaphragm when taking a deep breath. This pain is caused by a pocket of residual CO2 gas, irritating the phrenic nerve. It is often aggravated by a change in posture, leading to postoperative shoulder and upper abdominal pain. Phrenic nerve irritation leads to referred pain to cervical nerve 4 (C4). There are substantial gaps in the literature regarding the nature and management of residual carbon dioxide gas pain. Most studies focus on urological procedures, elective gynecological procedures, and appendectomies. For this literature review, data has been extrapolated from various types of laparoscopic surgeries to support the need for further research regarding the phrenic nerve block could be an adequate methodology for pain management. Exploring the option of applying a preemptive or therapeutic phrenic nerve block could be extremely valuable in pain management following laparoscopic procedures, reducing the need for opioid use following minimally invasive surgeries. If viable, a phrenic nerve block would lead to less demand for narcotic medication use, allowing less nausea and bowel symptoms associated with its use. Nausea and bowel symptoms increase the risk of hemorrhage following abdominal surgery, making this issue more pressing. Better pain management options will also allow for an accelerated recovery time.

• College of Medicine
• Madeline Lewis

Attendees will have the opportunity to learn wet lab techniques such as pipetting, isolating cells, and serial dilutions. Pipetting: attendees can practice pipetting chia seeds in water into petri dishes Isolating Cells: Attendees can use forceps to extract the seeds from grapes Serial Dilutions: Attendees can complete serial dilutions by diluting water with food coloring across multiple test tubes to visually see results.

• Office of Undergraduate Research
• Dr. Hannon's Lab

This session will demonstrate the capabilities of the Flipper Zero, a versatile hacking tool that interacts with RFID, NFC, and infrared devices. Attendees will learn how this device reads and emulates signals to control everyday electronics and explore basic cybersecurity concepts, showing the new era of hacking that UK ITS Cybersecurity students are fighting against.

• Enterprise Cybersecurity
• Jenn Edwards

• CAFE- Dietetics and Human Nutrition
• Luisyana Gamboa

Our team is working on using the device Microsoft HoloLens to allow upper level providers to train individuals on intubation techniques. The person intubating wears the device that live streams its camera feed to a computer allowing the trainer to have the same point of view as the trainee. This allows the trainer to point out anatomy and give feedback in the moment. Our exhibit will demonstrate this while intubating a mannequin with the live feed sent to a laptop.

• College of Medicine
• Dr. Segal (Anesthesiology)

• James B. Beam Institute for Kentucky Spirits (Dept. of Horticulture, MG CAFE)
• Glenna Joyce-Welsko, Ilka Balk

Mapping technologies are everywhere, from location services on our phones to remote sensing platforms constantly scanning Earth. Can we harness these technologies to make more meaningful maps? Our booth will have interactive displays, hands-on activities, and demonstrations of the latest innovations in mapping.

• Geography, Arts & Sciences

Small demonstration crushing and screening of rocks to demonstrate large scale processing practices used worldwide for ore separation. We will have opportunities for attendees to use the small crusher models to learn how they work and operate.

• Mining Engineering Department
• SME Outreach Coordinator, Aaron Standley

Observe how moisture sensors detect extremely low moisture levels below 1 ppm (parts per million). Moisture sensors are used in natural gas industry, lithium ion battery manufactory, gas separation industry, oil industry, etc.

• UK College of Engineering
• Valvoline Inc.

Our exhibit, "Neuron Nibbles: A Tasty Exploration of the Brain," invites attendees to explore neuroscience by creating edible neuron models using candy. Participants will learn about the key components of a neuron—such as the cell body, axon, dendrites, and synapses—and how these parts work together to transmit signals in the brain. Through hands-on, interactive stations, attendees can build their own neurons, label and explain their creations, and even connect their models to others to simulate neural networks. This engaging experience blends art and science, making complex brain concepts fun and accessible while highlighting the role of nutrition in brain function.

• Dr. Luke Bradley

During End Overdose at UKY's demonstration, participants will learn how to respond to an opioid overdose, administer naloxone, and provide aftercare. Our group will also pass out Narcan to those who take the training.

• End Overdose

   

This booth focuses on how reducing food waste can play a key role in promoting food security. Through hands-on activities, students will learn practical tips for repurposing leftovers and minimizing waste while exploring how food waste reduction can positively impact communities facing food insecurity. Attendees can sample a delicious recipe made from common leftover ingredients and discover easy strategies to stretch their food budget and reduce waste.

• College of Medicine
• Lauren Batey, MS, RDN
• April Hatcher

Meet UK’s Undergraduate Research Ambassadors (URAs).  They are a multi-disciplinary, diverse team of students that serve a central role as advocates for undergraduate research and creative activity at the University of Kentucky. Attend the URA station and learn about their exciting research and enjoy some hands-on activities!

• UK Undergraduate Research

Sway2Go is a train the trainer type program with the focus of making social dance accessible in any locations, especially rural areas without dance studios and dance instructors. This program, helps reduce loneliness and increase social support systems through learning how to social dance. Attendees can will have opportunities to learn how to social dance and gain more understanding of what is included in a social dance lesson. Attendees can also learn more about becoming a Sway2Go Facilitator so that they can bring social dancing to their local communities.

• College of Medicine, Office for Organizational Well-Being
• Renee Gallagher

Attendees will experience the sound of life - as protein sequences will be set to sound - to better understand how proteins fold and function (and dysfunction) in the cell.

• Department of Neuroscience
• School of Music (Dr. Michael Baker & Dr. Timothy Moyers)

Interact with traditional clothing from across Asia! Learn about Asian countries, see martial arts displays, and try candies from different Asian countries.

• Asian/Asian-American Association
• KEMPO

Attendees will have a better understanding on the types of research we do at the Sports Medicine Research Institute, specially learning as to why some people who sprain their ankle for the first time develop chronic ankle instability and others don't. We will incorporate different assessments tools that we use at the lab to examine factors that can influence ankle stability via weight distribution, gait analysis, and cognitive perceptual tasks. We are planning to bring a Fit Light system to asses cognitive performance, and a force deck to provide live feedback and body weight distribution and strength. For our demonstrations/activities, we will need a table, access to a power source, and a power bar to plug a tv monitor.

• College of Health Science- Sports Medicine Research Institute
• Ilana Patlan

We will have a variety of high-quality resin cast skulls on a table to show students how you can determine the animals diet by the teeth. Returning for the 3rd year in a row!

• Biology
• Kimberly Cook, Biology Grad Student; Jules Stowe, Biology Undergrad.

Axolotls from the Ambystoma Genetic Stock Center will be showcased, including embryos, larvae and adults. Axolotl experts will answer questions and provide information about axolotls and the important role they play in biological research.

• UK College of Medicine
• Randall Voss

We will have all sorts of give aways that promote participation in research. We will talk to attendees about all the research studies UK has currently open, how to sign up, etc. we will have a “Price wheel” that people can roll and get to answer a question about research.

• CCTS

A table with various mathematical objects and activities. UK Math Lab students will guide attendees through various hands-on activities which educate participants about their undergraduate mathematics research.

• Mathematics Department

Attendees will engage with interactive activities to learn more about novel approaches to substance use prevention happening right here in Lexington. Approaches include art adovcacy, photography, comic books, and more!

• COE Kinesiology and Health Promotion-UK PREVENT Alliance
• Gabrielle Cochran, Jakob Hester

Our table will feature 3 interactive activities to help spark curiosity in the microbes that we interact with every day. These activities include plushies displaying common microbes, a build your own bacteria with play-doh, and matching the bacterial culture dish to the common item.

• UK Student Chapter of The American Society for Microbiology

Explore the fascinating world of physics through interactive experiments at our showcase. Witness captivating demonstrations of light, gravity, and electricity that will ignite your curiosity and make science fun for all!

• MacAdam Observatory, Department of Physics and Astronomy
• Sheng Chieh Lin, Timothy Knauer

Come listen to heart and lung sounds while identifying them in a word search.

• College of Nursing