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After a hiatus imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic, live science events made a comeback in 2022. As part of this effort, ASM launched a new grant program that provided funds up to $500 to help ASM members run microbiology-themed activities as part of extant science fairs and festivals. The activities of the 2022 grant recipients are highlighted below.

Jennifer Bennett, Ph.D. (Otterbein University)

At this year's in Columbus, Ohio, , helped organize a tent titled “Grossology: The Science of Icky, Sticky, Disgusting Things.”

She and her students led participants through microbiology-specific experiences using microscopes set up with demo slides of “exciting” microbes, such as Daphnia, Euglena and filamentous algae. More than 10,000 people participated in the festival, demonstrating the huge reach of these public activities. “We are excited to bring microbes to the community,” said Bennett.

Chequita Brooks, Ph.D. (Appalachian State University)

Throughout April, the hosted the N.C. SciMatch program, pairing middle-school educators with career scientists. , ran an activity that showed 100 middle school students how SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19) can be measured in wastewater, helping students conceptualize how wastewater-based epidemiology can be used to track diseases in populations.

The impact on students was immediate. “The visit from Dr. Brooks inspired me to continue searching for a future career I would want to pursue later in life,” said one student. Another student added, “Dr. Brooks explained and demonstrated science as a fun and adventurous subject, which to me is appealing.” The event also had an impact on Brooks herself. “I definitely plan to continue doing classroom visits,” she said.

Karen Bushaw-Newton, Ph.D. (Northern Virginia Community College)

Local scientists from the greater Northern Virginia community took part in the which aimed to spark curiosity in science and education and encourage K-12 students to pursue a future in STEM. Over 200 children with an interest in STEM participated in the event.

, Ph.D., organized several microbiology-themed stations, including one with microscopes for participants to observe the microbial worlds of pond water samples and rotting food; a fermentation station with infographics on the process of fermentation and its role in yogurt, cheese and chocolate; and a station focused on antigen-antibody interactions. “The feedback from parents in our post-event survey was very positive,” said Bushaw-Newton. “We will do the ‘Night of Science’ event again.”

Rania Smeltz (Virginia Tech University)

As part of the 2022 , undergraduate student and her team from the microbiology chapter at Virginia Tech hosted several microbiology-themed activities for participating K-12 students. Attendees learned how to use microscopes to visualize bacteria on slides.

To demonstrate the importance of handwashing, the team displayed Petri dishes that had been streaked with samples collected from the following locations:

• Different places on the Virginia Tech campus.
• Daily commonly used items (such as iPhones).
• Washed and unwashed hands.

A constant stream of participants kept the team busy the entire day. “We did not expect there to be so many attendees!” exclaimed Smeltz. In the future, Smeltz and her team plan on adding volunteers and having more activities to meet the surging demand.

Mark Chee, Ph.D. (University of Tennessee Southern)

, Ph.D., organized a monthly film festival on the UT Southern campus that featured microbiology and epidemiology-themed films, including "The Spanish Flu—An Invisible Enemy," "The Trouble With Chicken" and "Why We Wash Our Hands." Each film was preceded by a short presentation from scientific experts who provided context and was succeeded by a Q&A session that encouraged active reflection by the audience.

The idea, said Chee, was to create a venue “where I can get experts in to comment about the films and address some of the questions that come up” from audience members. “I was confident that these movies would be able to generate some kind of debate,” he added.

Rebekah Taylor, Ph.D. (Frostburg State University)

, Ph.D. and her team were part of a group that hosted 25 middle school students at the in June 2022. Students used educational kits to explore the use of biotechnology and CRISPR-Cas9 to engineer Escherichia coli bacteria capable of surviving on Mars.

“The STEM camp was a great time, and our session was a success,” Taylor shared. “We will certainly do this camp again!”