Presentations on Pathogens and Excessive Concert Sound Are Just Two of Contributions Husson University is Making to the Maine Science Festival
Published on: March 22, 2023
BANGOR, MAINE – The Maine Science Festival is featuring the insight and expertise of Husson University students and faculty as part of six different presentations and activities at the Cross Insurance Center at 515 Maine Street in Bangor on Thursday, March 23 and Saturday, March 25, 2023.
Husson’s educational support of this multi-day event kicked off on Thursday, March 23, 2023 as part of Field Trip Day. This event was filled with activities designed specifically for Maine students in the 7th and 8th grade. Educational experiences were offered from 9:45 a.m. – 12:45 p.m. at the Cross Insurance Center.
During this event, Husson University nursing and pharmacy students helped junior-high students understand the importance of interprofessional collaboration and teamwork when treating patients. The activity focused on the different roles of various healthcare professionals when providing care to patients with serious wound infections. Inanimate models and slides of various forms of bacteria helped illustrate how drugs are selected by pharmacists and how wounds are treated by nurses.
Students were also able to check out assistive devices as part of this activity. Assistive devices include mobility aids like wheelchairs, walkers, prosthetic limb technology, hearing aids and cognitive aids, like computers.
Field Trip Day also featured a presentation by Brave Williams, the director of the iEX (Interactive Experience) Center and an associate professor at Husson University’s College of Business about extended reality (XR). This compact seminar was called "Introduction to Extended Reality” and it was designed to introduce 7th and 8th graders to the scientific concepts that make virtual reality and augmented reality possible. The presentation was repeated three times during
Field Trip Day with start times at 9:45 a.m., 10:40 a.m. and 11:40 a.m. Young aspiring scientists interested in learning more about how video games would have found these presentations to be both exciting and educational.
Husson University’s Maine Science Festival activities resume on Saturday, March 25, 2023 with a hands-on learning experience in the Cross Insurance Center Ballroom from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. as part of an event called, “Exploration Stations – Engage, Examine, Experiment.” The Husson demonstration is called “DIY (Do It Yourself) Drug Formulation.” Featuring third-year School of Pharmacy students and students who are members of the Rho Chi Honor Society, the demonstration will help young people understand the challenges posed to the environment by drug waste contamination and why it’s important to properly dispose of medication. The
Rho Chi Honor Society seeks to advance pharmacy through sustained intellectual leadership that encourages and recognizes intellectual achievement.[1]
Additionally, this activity will help festival attendees better understand how beneficial medicinal products are created by combining different compounds. To illustrate this, attendees will be able to participate in a hands-on compounding activity where they can create their own non-medicated lip balm.
Husson University will be also be simultaneously hosting a second “Exploration Station” activity called “Microbiology Diagnosis!” in the Cross Insurance Center Ballroom from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. on Saturday, March 25, 2023. This activity, led by students from Husson University’s College of Science and Humanities will help young aspiring scientists and others learn about the ways professionals rapidly detect and accurately identify microorganisms. This process is essential to the prevention and spread of infectious disease and a critical part of helping patients recover. Open to participants of all ages, participants will interpret test results as if they were in a lab. The activity will help illustrate how science can be used to help diagnose and determine the best antibiotics to treat patients’ infections.
Later that same day in Meeting Room C at the Cross Insurance Center from 11 a.m. – 12 p.m., attendees will be able to attend a presentation by Dr. Elisabeth Marnik, an assistant professor in Husson University’s College of Science and Humanities. Called “Pathogens and Your Immune System,” audience members will learn about some of the diseases we all hear about in the news, including COVID-19, monkeypox, the flu and respiratory syncytial virus Disease (RSV).
“My presentation is designed to help individuals better understand how our immune system protects us from pathogens,” said Marnik. “Event attendees will also learn what we can do to strengthen our immune systems and what happens when it doesn’t work as intended.”
Marnik discovered her love for science in high school and decided to pursue a Bachelor of Science degree in biochemistry. While earning her undergraduate degree she fell in love with research and decided to pursue a Ph.D. in genetics as part of a collaborative program between Tufts University’s School of Graduate Biomedical Sciences and The Jackson Laboratory. Marnik’s dissertation research focused on the adaptive immune response and the role of cells in providing immunity. She also examined how genetic factors can contribute to cells’ abnormal function, causing autoimmunity.
On Saturday afternoon, from 3 p.m. – 4 p.m. in Meeting Rooms 3 and 4 at the Cross Insurance Center another Husson University faculty member will share his insights with people interested in the science of sound. New England School of Communications Assistant Professor Eric Ferguson will be talking about the science associated with live performances as part of a presentation called, “Pressure Level: Concerts, Loudness, Hearing Loss, and More.”
“While over-the-top concerts can be entertaining, the excessive sound pressures at these live events can also potentially harm the hearing of audience members and disturb neighbors,” said Ferguson. “My presentation will introduce audience members to the concept of sound pressure levels (SPL). This is the objective metric used by audio engineers, audiologist and law enforcement to make decisions about the loudness of sound.”
A variety of SPL topics will be explored during this event, including the subjectivity of concert sound levels, exposure to loud sounds, hearing loss, measurement technologies and legal concerns.
Ferguson has over 30 years of professional audio experience. As a staff engineer at the legendary A&M Studios, he worked with numerous platinum recording artists such as Chicago, Ringo Starr, Macy Gray, and Billy Corgan. As a freelance engineer, Ferguson has been involved in over a hundred recording, mixing, and post-production projects including work for such luminaries as Phil Collins, Aretha Franklin, Kool & The Gang, Fourplay, and Dave Grusin. Accomplished in sound reinforcement, Ferguson has toured in over 17 countries for artists such as Lee Ritenour, James Ingram, and Dave Koz.
“The Maine Science Festival provides a variety of presentations that encompass numerous STEM areas,” said Dr. Marie Hansen, dean of the College of Business at Husson University. “We hope that the students who visit these presentations find a connection with one or more of the topics and continue on to higher education so they can, one day, work in a STEM-related career in Maine.”
Dr. Phil Taylor, dean of the College of Science and Humanities at Husson University also feels that the Maine Science Festival is an outstanding experience for participants. “Besides its many educational benefits, the Festival is an outstanding way to help showcase the variety of science-related expertise available at Husson University. Our faculty members have both in-depth scientific knowledge and practical experience in applying science to real-life situations. We’re proud to support this educational effort and help make the festival a great experience for students of all ages.”
For nearly 125 years, Husson University has shown its adaptability and strength in delivering educational programs that prepare future leaders to handle the challenges of tomorrow through innovative undergraduate and graduate degrees. With a commitment to delivering affordable classroom, online and experiential learning opportunities, Husson University has come to represent a superior value in higher education. The hallmarks of a Husson education include advanced knowledge delivered through quality educational programs in business; health and education; pharmacy studies; science and humanities; as well as communication. According to an analysis of tuition and fees by U.S. News & World Report, Husson University is one of the most affordable private colleges in New England. For more information about educational opportunities that can lead to personal and professional success, visit Husson.edu.
[1] Rho Chi – The Pharmacy Honor Society, “About Rho Chi,” https://rhochi.org/about-rho-chi/, Accessed: March 21, 2023.