By Adria Carpenter

Wangensteen’s Mycophobia/Mycophilia exhibit displays fungi for cooks, healers, and murderers. (Photo/Adria Carpenter)

The second annual Health Science Education Center (HSEC) Open House introduced a new crop of students to resources at the Health Sciences Library, from virtual reality and laser cutters, to mushroom exhibits and study spaces.

The Wangensteen Historical Library of Biology and Medicine showcased a pop-up version of their latest exhibit, “Mycophobia/Mycophilia: Fungi in Sickness and in Health.” The full exhibit, on-display at the Phillips-Wangensteen Building, shows a variety of nutritional, medicinal, and even toxic uses of fungi. At the pop-up exhibit, students used wood engravings and ink to recreate illustrations of mushrooms found in the Wangensteen’s collection.

Whether it’s button making, knitting or crocheting, painting, soldering or drilling, the Makerspace has all the crafting tools you need. The 3D printers, 3D resin printers, and laser cutter are the star attractions. But don’t miss out on sewing machines, vinyl cutters, the light tent for photography, tracing tablet, the plotter writing and drawing machine, and the vacuum former for mold making.

The Virtual Reality Studio has integrated tools for students in Medical School, the College of Design, and everything in-between. With Primal VR, you can learn human anatomy up close, from showing disease progression in the liver to watching the heart pump from the inside. And with Open Brush and Gravity Sketch, you can recreate sketch models in a virtual environment. But of course, the VR Studio also has fun and relaxing games, urban exploring with Google Earth, and even meditation simulations. 

When you need to study, the Health Sciences Library has you covered. Meet with a librarian to learn about our databases and support your research, reserve course textbooks and materials, work with peer tutors, or organize a study group in one of our 18 enclosed, reservable rooms.  

All of these resources and spaces are free and open to all University of Minnesota students, faculty, and staff, not just the HSEC regulars.