The UK Curiosity Fair will consist of a number of short, interactive demonstrations or "Curiosity Stations" hosted by faculty, staff and students from a wide variety of colleges and departments. Explore the fair at your own pace! Visit as many stations as you like and spend as much time as you like.
2023 Curiosity Stations will be listed on this page as they are confirmed. You can also check out the list of stations from past fairs.
Entries will be added as they are accepted. Details may be updated as we get additional information.
Artifacts & archival photos of dump site archaeology in Rendville, a largely African-American 20th century coal mining town. Artifacts include medicine bottles, food and beverage containers, and toys. Artifacts will be touchable. Coloring book pages of coal town life and crayons also provided.
Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia (CDH) is a neonatal condition characterized by herniation of abdominal contents into the thoracic cavity in-utero requiring post-natal surgical repair. One of the first, most important steps in the treatment of CDH is mechanical ventilation. Intubation is the process of inserting a tracheal tube to allow for mechanical ventilation to take place. This booth will demonstrate the process of neonatal intubation, a lifesaving procedure that is vital to the survival of infants born with CDH.
Are you afraid of spiders, scorpions, or cockroaches? Come face your fears at the Office of the State Entomologist's station at the UK Curiosity Fair! Also stop by to see collections of other insects, such as butterflies, beetles, and bees, and to learn more about invasive pests that threaten our country's farms and forests.
Magician John Shore in an exploration of close-up magic. Feel free to ask questions and see how the limitation of our perception allows our minds to invent false realities within the world around us.
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Come explore prehistoric innovations of humans and our hominin ancestors. We will have cranial casts of humans and other hominins as well as examples of the artifacts they left behind.
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Do you have to be greedy to be good at business? A persistent figure in some economic theories is the idea that people are self-interested and will make decisions that are rational and utility maximizing. Many are critical of this theory. Come and play experimental economic games with the USB program and see what you think. Do people act based on self-interest or do social and cultural factors play a part?
Visit the Department of Geography, explore the world, and place a pin for your hometown. Use your phone to discover hidden treasures on campus. We'll provide a compass to start. Learn about the many ways we use maps in our daily lives.
At this point, most folks know that GenAI tools like ChatGPT can create generally effective writing in response to simple prompts. But GenAI can be used for a lot more to support student learning. This demo will explore some of the more nuanced and unique possibilities of GenAI that students can use when it is appropriate for studying or assignments, including Advanced Data Analytics, image creation, self-prompting/quizzing, and more.
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We will explore non-orientable surfaces with paper, tape and scissors.
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Can machines read our minds? Can we make machines that perceive the world the way we do?
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Explore nature and agriculture through real-life experiences and hands-on learning.
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We will have intraoral digital scanners set up for people to experience the new way to take dental impressions. We will also have digital design software pulled up showing some of the things we do here at the school. There will also be 3D printed materials that we have printed in-house (models, surgical guides, dentures, crowns etc). Hands on and visual experience.
Observe how moisture sensors detect extremely low moisture levels below 1 ppm (parts per million). They are used in natural gas industry, lithium ion battery manufactory, gas separation industry, and oil industry etc.
We will provide muscle strength and body composition assessments, as well as microscopic images of muscle under the microscope.
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Color confusion experiment using Jell-0.
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When does a book become art? How might art be used to make books? Come explore the world of book decoration with a paste paper making demonstration. You’ll learn about book arts from UK Libraries King Library Press and rare books team—and help them design paper for future book covers!
Come experience the wild wonders of physical phenomena in the universe with this collection of hands-on interactive demonstrations.
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Biosystems and Ag. Engr. demonstration for machine systems and the importance of weight, gear ratios, and other aspects of design.
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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!
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Come join us to put your scientific knowledge to test with WIMS! Comb through a medical or scientific case study and see if you can use the clues to crack the case. After solving the case, participate in a STEM Detective photo opportunity for #futuredoctors and #futurescientists. Those who post their photo to social media and tag a WIMS social media account will be entered for a prize drawing!
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We want to share the beauty of plants in all fashions. We plan on having 1-2 plants per sense showcasing the diversity and evolution of our modern day environment. Each sense is interactive and will have a fun fact to understand why the plant developed that sensory skill.
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Description: We will be observing live microorganisms under the microscope that can commonly be found in ponds and bodies of freshwater. These will be nonpathogenic protists, algae, etc. The procedure will consist of using transfer pipettes to scoop up some water containing the organisms and make wet mount slides to observe under the microscope. In addition, an interactive poster of the human body will be displayed to inform attendees about the common microbes found on different parts of the body. This will invite discussion and provide knowledge about bacteria and other microbes that exist all around us.
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Accelerating Discoveries, Improving Health Kentucky and Appalachia experience some of the nation's most severe health disparities: Eight of thirteen counties recently found to have a declining life expectancy are in the Commonwealth, and the region is currently the epicenter of the opioid epidemic, with overdose deaths in Kentucky hitting record highs in 2017. Through research funding, training, infrastructure, and community engagement, we facilitate innovative team science to address these and other critical health issues.
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Come learn about this first of it's kind innovative program offered by UK, UK Invests. You will receive information on the benefits of participation, how to sign-up and received assistance if you're already participating and have questions.
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We will display 3D printed mathematical objects, puzzles, and mathematical quilts made and studied by the undergraduates in the UK Math Lab.
Live axolotl salamanders from the Ambystoma Genetic Stock Center at UK will be showcased to spur curiosity about their amazing regenerative ability and color variation.
Explore the fascinating world of physics through interactive experiments at our Curiosity Fair showcase. Witness captivating demonstrations of light, gravity, and electricity that will ignite your curiosity and make science fun for all!
In this station, we will be demonstrating model nematodes (C. elegans) which are used for toxicity screening in a PFAS degradation research project. PFAS are persistent organic pollutants also called "forever chemicals" that have been shown to cause toxicity. These nematodes were chosen because they are widely used for toxicity testing due to its short generation time, and fully sequenced genome.
Mammal skulls, especially their teeth, tell much about each species’ ecology, diet, locomotion, and everything else of the animal’s ecology. By examining teeth, we can determine if the species' diet is omnivorous, herbivorous, or carnivorous. The teeth tell us if the skull belongs to a leaf eater, grass-eater, bamboo eater, fish eater, on and on. The story teeth and skulls tell are so clear that an anatomist or paleontologist can examine a small piece of jaw or a single tooth and build an entire biological story about the creature who owned the tooth or jaw. If you stop by the “skull table” you will see first-hand if this is the case! You will gain enough knowledge in just a few minutes at the skull table to impress friends and family of how much you too can tell others of the amazing biology of a creature from a single tooth you might happen upon when hiking in Nature.
Come listen to heart and lung sounds while identifying them in a word search.