UW News

January 29, 2004

Planning under way for Health Sciences Open House in April

Exhibitors will be signing up in February to reserve space along the tour route for Health Sciences Open House 2004, the Health Sciences Center’s largest outreach event, which is generally held every two years.

The 2004 Open House, which draws thousands of visitors to the center, will be held Friday, April 23, and Saturday, April 24. Hours on Friday will be from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The event is free and open to everyone. Because many area high school groups visit on Friday, families are encouraged to attend on Saturday.

Michelle Cody Ritter, who works in Health Sciences News and Community Relations, is the Open House coordinator. She can be reached at 543-3620 or by e-mail at ritterm@u.washington.edu  

“This is an exciting opportunity that only happens once every two years,” Ritter said. “I’m looking forward to working with people who want to be part of the event for the first time, as well as with those who have participated before. I’d especially like to hear from graduate students and new faculty members who want a public audience to learn about their work.”

Dr. Rona Levy, professor of social work, has been named honorary faculty chair for the event.

Applications for exhibit space will be sent to all previous exhibitors and will be available on the Open House Web site soon. That site will be linked to the main Health Sciences News and Community Relations home page, http://depts.washington.edu/hsnews/

“We are eager to see interactive exhibits that give our visitors a chance to do some hands-on learning,” Ritter said. “We’re planning an informational meeting in February for exhibitors and we will focus on resources for designing great experiences.”

The theme this year will be “Mapping a Healthy Future,” Ritter said, and the theme will be used for graphics and advertising.