SOM Participates in STEM Fest

Geri Davis
Outreach Coordinator, ODCE

Daryl Lofaso
Director of Simulation Operations, OME

The SOM Office of Medical Education (OME) and Office of Diversity and Community Engagement (ODCE) recently participated in STEM Fest, held in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome and the Smoothie King Center. More than 8,000 children and parents attended the event, which aims to ignite curiosity and interest in STEM in K-12 students.

STEM Fest participants stopping by the ODCE table were able to touch actual organs provided by the department of anatomy, including a gall bladder, liver, spinal cord, brain, lung and heart. Dr. Robert Maupin and Geri Davis were on hand to represent the SOM and ODCE. Several medical students came throughout the day to volunteer as well.

“The parents were just as interested in the organs as the children,” said Geri. “In addition, we were able to interact with six pre-med students from Xavier who are now planning to begin the application process to our school. STEM Fest was a wonderful way for us to engage the community and show the larger community what we have to offer.”

Daryl Lofaso represented OME and brought a patient simulator. Visitors were able to interview the patient, listen to heart and lung sounds, take the pulse, and observe blinking patterns. They were then asked to make a diagnosis.

“The best part of the event was watching the faces of participants as they felt the pulse or listened to the heartbeat,” Daryl said. “It was also rewarding to have repeat visitors and visitors who came back with friends and said, ‘You have to see this!’”

The LSU School of Nursing also participated in STEM Fest.

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