It’s that time of year again. The Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences (GSBS) is inviting the university community as well as friends, family, co-workers and neighbors to attend UT Health San Antonio’s annual Viva Science SA, a fun-filled event with engaging activities for all ages including a science fair with posters by local scientists, science-themed artwork, food truck delicacies and more.
The free, family-friendly event will take place from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, April 20, at the Mays Family Center at The Witte Museum, located at 3801 Broadway St. in San Antonio.
Created several years ago by a group of graduate school students at UT Health San Antonio, Viva Science SA is part of the graduate school’s initiative to make science accessible for everyone. The event will showcase the importance of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) programs and support discussions of science-related efforts and research.
Olajide A. Williams, MD, MS, professor of neurology and vice dean of community health at the Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, will be the distinguished keynote speaker for Viva Science SA 2024. The title of his talk is “Hip Hop Saves Lives: An Unorthodox NIH-funded Trajectory Targeting Stroke Literacy.” This talk will:
- Highlight the relationship between structural racism, stroke literacy and stroke outcomes.
- Discuss the design, development and implementation of an NIH-funded stroke trial evaluating the efficacy of Hip Hop Stroke: a hip-hop based stroke literacy intervention targeting elementary school children.
- Discuss the NIH research career trajectory of an underrepresented physician scientist.
A specialist in the treatment of stroke and cerebrovascular diseases, Williams is a world-renowned leader in stroke disparities and community-based behavioral intervention research. He is founder and chair of Hip Hop Public Health, an internationally recognized organization that creates and implements multimedia public health interventions that target and engage young people in the health of their families and communities.
Williams has been named on Fast Company Magazine’s 100 Most Creative People list, Root 100’s most influential Blacks in America list, and New York Magazine’s Best Doctors list. He sits on several nonprofit boards including the board of directors for the Partnership for a Healthier America, whose honorary chair is former First Lady Michelle Obama.
To learn more about this engaging event, watch this news clip featuring an interview with GSBS Dean David Weiss, PhD, on KABB TV (FOX SA).
For questions regarding the event, please contact the Director of Viva Science SA, Marcus Webster, at websterm@uthscsa.edu.