Science Rendezvous, held at Kingston’s Slush Puppie Place on May 10, drew thousands of curious minds—and among the bustling crowd was the University Hospitals Kingston Foundation (UHKF) booth showcasing the diverse worlds of science, art and mental health.
On hand was microbiologist Dr. Prameet Sheth, who was recently awarded the inaugural Jay and Kendal Patry Clinical Chair in Genomics. His team from Kingston Health Sciences Centre (KHSC) brought microbiology to life in a hands-on, kid-friendly way.
“We wanted something tactile, and we wanted something that would inspire kids’ thought process,” said Dr. Sheth. Children were invited to “build a bug” using modeling clay, googly eyes and pipe cleaners—imagining everything from bacteria to insects. Another station allowed children to make DNA-inspired bracelets using beads representing nucleotides, cleverly designed by one of Dr. Sheth’s graduate students and inspired by Taylor Swift.
The goal, Dr. Sheth explained, was to show that science can be imaginative and accessible to everyone. “You want children to realize that science is fun,” he said.
Providence Care had experts on hand who highlighted the healing powers of creativity and art with mental health. Spearheaded by Research and Administrative Operations Assistant Megan Coleman and Clinical Research Lead Emily Kasurak, children contributed and drew on a collaborative canvas using markers. Kids also received gratitude journals and cards with positive affirmations to explore various tools for emotional well-being.
“A lot of the booths at Science Rendezvous are about keeping your body healthy, your heart healthy and your lungs healthy. Everything at our table was about keeping your mind healthy,” said Megan.
Coleman noted that art therapy is shown to reduce stress and anxiety, promote self-esteem and help with emotional regulation. The display at Science Rendezvous echoes the work being done every week at Providence Care within the hospital’s Art Hive (which is funded by UHKF) where patients, clients and staff are welcome to participate in various creative activities as a means of emotional expression and stress relief.
Science Rendezvous demonstrated how UHKF-funded programs are not only advancing research and care in our hospitals but are also sparking inspiration, curiosity and healing.
This marked UHKF’s first time participating in Science Rendezvous. Dr. Steve Smith, CEO of KHSC Research Institute, initiated the opportunity by connecting the foundation with the Science Rendezvous organizers. It helped UHKF build awareness in the community about its role as the fundraising arm for both KHSC and Providence Care—highlighting the vital connection between health care and research in improving patient outcomes.