© 2024 Western New York Public Broadcasting Association

140 Lower Terrace
Buffalo, NY 14202

Mailing Address:
Horizons Plaza P.O. Box 1263
Buffalo, NY 14240-1263

Buffalo Toronto Public Media | Phone 716-845-7000
WBFO Newsroom | Phone: 716-845-7040
Your NPR Station
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

St. Bona preparing for summer STEM camps

Photo from St. Bonaventure website

St. Bonaventure University will be hosting two separate STEM camps this summer. WBFO's Focus on Education Reporter Eileen Buckley says one is a creative camp for local students, the second will be a STEM camp feature international students.

Middle and high school students will be attending the Creativity Camp the week of June 26th. It will feature five areas; theater, gaming, STEM, website design and something called the House of Blues.

Dr. Xiao-Ning Zhang is Associate Professor of Biology and Director of Biochemistry at St. Bona.  The House of Blues will be for students’ 13-years and up.

“So the House of Blues is actually originated by faculty members in the visual arts program at St. Bonaventure University. They have expertise on how to play blues in a band. So they are going to focus on blues performance. It’s for guitarist, bassist, drummers and then keyboard, and singers,” said Zhang.

Credit Photo from St. Bonaventure website
St. Bonaventure's International STEM camp will be held this July.

In mid-July an International STEM Camp will feature a mix of American and foreign students.

“We are anticipating students from Brazil, from China and from Spain,” noted Zhang

At the International STEM camp students will learn about the work of forensic scientists  from evidence at a crime scene, to how diseases spread and even learn about superbugs.

“And I want them to understand why there are superbugs. How are they formed, using very simple experiments to demonstrate.  It’s more hands on in a lab-type experience,” Zhang said.  “We are going to lead them through this whole process of problem solving and critical thinking.” 

Professor Zhang noted STEM students often realize how basic math and biology can work in discoveries and that's when they become very intrigued. 

“That’s really when they get it and they become really interested and become scientists themselves,” explained Zhang.

Related Content