Steven Soli’22, Prof. Ron Watson, and Prof. Kristin Labby at the 2021 Wisconsin Science FestivalHealth & Healing Channel faculty, staff, and students participated in the Wisconsin Science festival Saturday October 23rd at the Beloit Farmers Market. The theme of the event was plastic recycling, inspired by Wisconsonite Milly Zantow. Milly Zantow of Baraboo, WI, worked to figure out how to implement plastic recycling in Wisconsin in the late 1970s, and then in the 1980s helped devise the plastic coding system, stamping plastics with the triangle with a number inside that is well known today. The H&H Channel’s booth at the farmers market included some info on Milly, info on plastics coding and sorting, and a fun recycling relay event. 

Steven Soli, a senior, biology major pursing a career in medicine helped host the event: “Connecting with the greater Beloit community was great and I was excited to see the passion children showed for recycling especially during a time of environmental awareness.” Biochemistry faculty Taylor Arhar joined the event as well: “This was my first outreach activity with the Health & Healing Channel, and it was a wonderful opportunity to bring our excitement for science out of the classroom and into the community.”

H&H Channel alumni co-coordinator Dan Murphy ’08 is one of the head organizers for the Wisconsin Science Festival, which includes events statewide over the span of four days. Prof. Kristin Labby (chemistry) previously hosted a Wisconsin Science Festival event in 2019, working to make connections with the community, supported by the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative and Tiny Earth. She hopes to continue the tradition and looks to expand the event and involve more Channels next year.