TULSA, Okla. — Bill Meek, Ph.D., professor of anatomy and cell biology at Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences and secretary/treasurer of the Oklahoma Microscopy Society, announced the winners of the OMS 10th annual Ugly Bug Contest.
Winning elementary schools in Hartshorne, Owasso, Ft. Cobb, Oklahoma City, Spiro, Lone Grove, Comanche and Moore each received a Leitz stereomicroscope in celebration of OMS’ 10th anniversary.
The contest is open to all Oklahoma elementary schools and draws more than 100 entries each year. Students collect bugs or insects and hold an in-school contest to select their ugliest bug. They write essays describing the habitat and behavior of the bug. Their winning bug is submitted to be photographed in the electron microscopes at OMS member labs. OMS members judge the photographs. The bugs can be viewed at http://www.uglybug.org/win06.shtml
Each school is given a copy of the Ugly Bug poster and portraits of their bug. Educators use the contest as a centerpiece for units on entomology and microscopy and as a kick-off event for fall science studies.
Sponsors this year included ConocoPhillips, Leica Microsystems, Tronox Inc., and scanning electron microscope users from OSU-CHS, OSU-Stillwater, OU, the University of Tulsa, and ConocoPhillips.
OMS’ purpose is to promote the awareness and use of microscopy as its own science, as an element of scientific literacy, and as a tool for encouraging scientific interest and discovery.
Dr. Meek says that since 1995, the educational outreach efforts of OMS have touched more than 40,000 students in elementary schools across the state through educational kits and materials, classroom visits, laboratory tours, microscope donations, and the annual Ugly Bug Contest.
