Stony Brook University welcomed 3,300 visitors to campus for CommUniversity Day, the annual open house that showcases Stony Brook’s research, healthcare programs and community partnerships.
The free event on September 27 featured more than 100 exhibits, performances and demonstrations. Families, students and local residents explored the campus through themed neighborhoods that highlighted areas such as science and technology, health, arts and safety.
“CommUniversity Day is a dynamic event where we showcase many of the things that make Stony Brook unique,” said Stony Brook University President Andrea Goldsmith in a message to the campus community. “Our students, faculty, healthcare heroes, first responders, campus partners and community organizations have put together countless interactive activities, including a teddy bear clinic, instrument petting zoo, marching band performances and health screenings.”
In the “Health” neighborhood, visitors lined up to take part in screenings and demonstrations. Students from the Physical Therapy program tested attendees’ balance and fall risk, while the School of Dental Medicine provided more than 225 dental checks and shared information about oral hygiene, diabetes and various oral health conditions.
“A lot of people don’t realize that we’re not only a school, but also a clinic, and we treat a lot of patients in the community,” said Astrid Bucaro, a third-year student who volunteered at the event. “We’re here to give some oral hygiene and oral health information to the community. We have information about diabetes and different types of oral health conditions, and we also have a free screening for adults and kids.”
Bucaro added that many attendees were interested in learning how to access care through the dental clinic. “Some people either don’t have insurance or might have insurance but the office they’re at right now isn’t giving them a price they can afford. Our team of dental students, supervised by our dental professors, are able to check for oral cancer or provide any quick screening we might have.”
Staff from the Heart Institute shared information on cardiovascular health, and children participated in the Pediatric Trauma Injury Prevention program’s popular Teddy Bear Clinic, where students used stuffed animals to demonstrate healthcare measures that the children may have experienced themselves, such as setting a splint for a broken arm.
The “Safety” neighborhood featured fire trucks, emergency response vehicles and equipment displays. Visitors learned about fire prevention and campus safety programs.
The “Tech and Discovery” neighborhood highlighted research and innovation. Children touched aquatic animals from the Long Island Aquarium while students demonstrated experiments and technologies. Derek O’Connor, workforce development manager in the Office for Research and Innovation, said his office used the event to highlight both education programs and workforce training.
“We’re showing what we’re able to present not just to the Stony Brook community, but to our Long Island community partners in the workforce and K-12 ecosystem,” O’Connor said. “We’re showcasing our geothermal pipe installation training program, which we run with Suffolk Community College for HVAC students, and a new program with WhyMaker to help K-12 students learn how renewable energy can power batteries and be harnessed for energy consumption.”
In addition to exhibits, the event included short presentations called “Find Out in 15,” where students presented their research on topics ranging from medicine to the arts. The “Arts” neighborhood offered music performances, Chinese calligraphy and other creative displays.
The day provided an opportunity to connect with Stony Brook beyond its role as a healthcare provider. “Most of my visits involving Stony Brook lately have been to Stony Brook doctors,” said Jennifer Yang of Centereach, who brought her grandchildren, ages 4 and 7. “So it’s nice to come to campus on such a beautiful day and see what’s going on here. My grandkids had a great time at the Teddy Bear Clinic.”
The second annual LEGO competition also drew attention, with participants displaying models that represented their vision of community. The majority of the competitors were local elementary school students, joined by middle and high school students, members of the Stony Brook University and Medicine community, and one Pre-K participant.
A panel of distinguished judges evaluated the entries, including President Goldsmith; Bill Wertheim, MD, executive vice president for Stony Brook Medicine; Carl Lejuez, provost; Carol Gomes, chief executive officer and chief operating officer of Stony Brook University Hospital; David Wrobel, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences; Patricia Cooper, chief compliance officer for Stony Brook Medicine; Senator Anthony Palumbo; Assemblywoman Rebecca Kassay; Port Jefferson Mayor Lauren Sheprow; Rachel Joffe, owner of Bricks and MiniFigs in West Babylon; and James Miola, MBA ’23, of Kiwanis of Smithtown-Saint James. Winning entries were awarded prizes.
The event coincided with Stony Brook’s Family Weekend and preceded the Seawolves football team’s 35–10 win over Merrimack.
— Beth Squire
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