MORGANTOWN — Laughter, curiosity and hands-on discovery filled the Morgantown Public Library on Saturday, as West Virginia University students and faculty hosted Talk to a Scientist: Physics in Your Body, a free community outreach event designed for children ages 6 –10.
The interactive session, titled “Push, Pull, and Pump: Physics in Your Body!”, introduced young learners to the science behind how their bodies work — from the heart pumping blood to muscles acting as levers — through demonstrations, experiments and one-on-one engagement with WVU scientists.
Children from the local community had the opportunity to explore and use medical tools during the Talk to a Scientist: Physics in Your Body event on Saturday afternoon.
The event was organized by the WVU Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine as part of its “Chat with a Scientist” outreach series, which has traditionally focused on adult audiences. Saturday marked the first time the program was tailored specifically for children.
Sarah Starcovic, a fourth-year doctorate student in the department, said the idea grew from a desire to better serve families in the community.
“We’ve done science outreach events the past couple of semesters, but they’ve been adult focused,” Starcovic said. “One of our faculty members thought it would be a great idea to do something for kids, because there are so many families here and there really wasn’t anything like this.”
Starcovic said the response exceeded expectations.
“This was probably the most successful outreach event we’ve had,” she said. “No one was sitting after the first activity. All the kids were gathered around the table, excited to participate, and parents kept telling us how much they enjoyed it.”
Throughout the afternoon, children explored how the heart pumps blood, how lungs exchange oxygen and carbon dioxide, and how joints move — with a life-sized skeleton quickly becoming a crowd favorite.
“Everyone was more excited about looking at the skeleton than learning the physics of joints,” Starcovic said with a laugh. “But that’s okay with me.”
For Starcovic, who is from West Virginia, events like this hold personal importance.
“There are barriers between science and the public, and I care a lot about breaking those down,” she said. “I want people to understand that science isn’t something to be scared of. It’s fun, and anyone can be a scientist.”
Donald Dariano, a fifth-year doctorate student in biochemistry and molecular medicine, also helped lead the activities and emphasized the importance of accessibility in science education.
“A lot of times the information is out there, but that doesn’t mean it’s accessible,” Dariano said. “Teaching science in a way that everyone can understand is one of the biggest challenges, and that’s why events like this are so important.”
Dariano said outreach plays a key role in preparing future scientists and educators.
“Being able to explain complex ideas in a way that makes sense is essential,” he said. “This helps build that bridge between science and the community.”
With strong attendance and enthusiastic feedback, organizers say the children’s-focused outreach events are likely just beginning.
“We’ll definitely be doing more of these,” Starcovic said. “The kids loved it, the parents loved it, and that’s exactly what we hoped for.”
Learn more about the department: https://medicine.hsc.wvu.edu/biochemistry/