Morehead Planetarium and Science Center

Mysteries of Your Brain
2021-10-30 12:00 - 13:00, 2021-11-13 12:00 - 13:00, 2021-11-27 12:00 - 13:00, 2022-03-12 12:00 - 13:00, 2022-03-26 12:00 - 13:00, 2022-04-09 12:00 - 13:00, 2022-04-23 12:00 - 13:00, 2022-05-07 12:00 - 13:00 (America/New_York) and 20 more dates | GSK Fulldome Theater

Teen Science Cafe | The Role of the Gut Microbiome in Our Health and Wellbeing
2021-12-10 17:30 - 19:15 | Morehead Planetarium and Science Center Science Stage, 250 E Franklin St, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, 27514, United States
Join us for this Teen Science Cafe with Rachel Dumez, doctoral candidate in the Curriculum of Genetics and Molecular Biology at UNC-Chapel Hill. Rachel will discuss the trillions of microorganisms that live on and inside our bodies, including the community of microbes that colonize the gastrointestinal tract that are referred to as our gut microbiome. The gut microbiome plays an integral role in many aspects of our health such as how we respond to medications and even how well our brains function. Loss of the “good” bacteria from our gut microbiome has been associated with many metabolic disorders such as obesity, diabetes, and irritable bowel syndrome. We will explore more about the relationship we have with microbes and one way we can promote a healthy gut microbiome through the consumption of probiotics.

Speaker Bio: Rachel Dumez is a third year PhD candidate in the Curriculum of Genetics and Molecular Biology at UNC-Chapel Hill who conducts research in Dr. Rob Dowen’s lab. For her thesis project she is exploring the host metabolic response to consumption of Kombucha-associated microorganisms using a small transparent worm species called Caenorhabditis elegans as a model system.

Teen Science Cafe | Digital Media and the Teenage Brain
2023-02-17 17:30 - 19:00 | Morehead Planetarium and Science Center Science Stage, 250 E Franklin St, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, 27514, United States
UNC researchers, Kara Fox and Maria Maza, will share studies that show how digital media is impacting teens’ development as well as how teens are impacting the development of digital media.

For more information about UNC’s Winston National Center on Technology Use, Brain, and Psychological Development work, visit https://www.teensandtech.org/

About our speakers:

Kara A. Fox is a graduate student in the Clinical Psychology PhD program at UNC Chapel Hill, working with Dr. Mitch Prinstein. She graduated from Duke University with a B.A. in psychology and visual media studies. Subsequently, as a research assistant at Alpert Medical School of Brown University, she worked on several studies examining mental health and treatment access among youth in the juvenile justice system. She is interested in the role of digital social norms and processes in development and health among adolescents and young adults. In addition to research, Kara loves teaching, working with children and families, and writing. In her free time, Kara enjoys knitting and crocheting, reading, and playing with her dog Laika.

Maria T Maza is a graduate student in the Developmental Psychology program at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She received her B.S. in Neuroscience and Education from Bates College in 2018. Following graduation, she worked as a research assistant and imaging coordinator with Dr. BJ Casey at Yale University. Her research aims to explore the impact of biosocial factors and technology on the developing brain and subsequent health risk behaviors. In her free time, Maria enjoys dancing, hiking, and baking.

Kara Fox, PhD Student, UNC-Chapel Hill

Maria Maza, PhD Student, UNC-Chapel Hill
