Outreach and Science Communication
The lab is highly invested in educating the community on the importance of basic science research. To this end, the lab provides intensive training of graduate and undergraduate students in science communication. Below we highlight some examples of previous activities in which Dr. Castillo-Ruiz has created and/or participated in.
Our Disappearing Microbes
Atlanta Science Festival, 2024
The lab organized the film screening of the documentary "The Invisible Extinction", a documentary that unveils how important microbes are for our health and that how our life style may be causing their demise. A live Q&A with a panel of microbial experts followed the event. Dr. Castillo-Ruiz moderated the panel.
Panelist from left to right: Andrew Gewirtz PhD (Georgia State University), Nancy Forger PhD (Georgia State University), and Colleen Kraft MD (Emory University).
Group picture with all panelists and volunteers.
Students showing the microbes they made out of pom poms and pipe cleaners during one of Dr-Castillo-Ruiz's visits.
Students working on a sheep brain dissection activity.
Students using paper microscopes to observe brain slides.
STEM Professional School Partnership Program
Science Atlanta 2022-2024
This program from Science Atlanta pairs STEM professionals with school teachers with the goal of enhancing access to learning resources and careers for groups underrepresented in STEM. Dr. Castillo-Ruiz worked for two years with educator Nancy Lopez at Unidos Elementary School in Forest Park, GA. The students were exposed to age-appropriate neuroscience principles, and a sizeable part of this experience was to teach them about microbial contributions to brain development. Dr. Castillo-Ruiz received a STEM Professional of the Year Award for her contributions to the program in the 2023-2024 cycle.
Student painting his brain model made out of paper mâché.
Students making brains with play-doh.
Do microbes shape your brain?
Atlanta Science Festival Expo, 2022 and 2023
With a booth at the Atlanta Science Festival Expo in 2022 and 2023, we showcased our research work on the importance of microbes for brain development to the community via hand-on activities. We received approximately 400-500 visitors each year! To assess our effectiveness, we developed age-appropriate assessments.
Group picture with volunteers and other trainees.
Our hands-on activities included a newborn baby model. The goal was to insert microbes (made out of pom poms) through the entrance (mouth) of the baby's digestive tract. This modeled how microbes arrive after birth and populate the newborn’s gut. The demonstration was followed by an explanation of how these microbes exert effects on the brain.
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Volunteers guiding visitors through our booth.