Many of the mentees would call it a heartfelt day- literally! Early this morning the girls geared up to go to Wayne State's Science Hall for the Biology mini-course. After an informative and engaging lecture from Dr. Karen Myhr, a physiology professor at Wayne State, the girls got to put their newfound knowledge of the heart to the test. Dr. Myhr instructed the girls to role-play a simulation of the mechanism of the heart; Some girls acted as organs, exchanging gases and absorbing nutrients, while others acted as the blood itself, transporting oxygen and other molecules around the 'human body'. It was a great way for the girls to visualize the information.
Next we were off to the biology lab upstairs to visualize the heart in a much more realistic way. After a quick lesson on responsible conduct around cadavers, the girls were able to physically hold and observe real human hearts! The hearts were obtained from Wayne State University's School of Medicine. For many of the girls, this was their first experience observing real organs and it truly solidified how exciting the study of science can be. It may have even inspired a few young minds to consider a career in the sciences!
Stay tuned for all the fun to come!
-Mentor Aamna
