In September 2023, Rae Silver, Helene L. and Mark N. Kaplan Professor of Natural & Physical Sciences, was selected to head the scientific committee overseeing a new museum exhibit on circadian rhythms in Mexico City, opening December 2023.
The exhibit is intended to educate the public, especially young people ages 14-18 years old, about the importance of prioritizing their physical and mental health, particularly concerning circadian rhythms. As a top adviser on the project, Silver has been working to ensure the exhibit accomplishes these goals in the best way possible. Visitors will be met with an engaging overview of topics such as the impact circadian rhythms may have on a person’s day-to-day activity, variations in individuals’ 24-hour rhythms, and strategies for optimizing one’s sleep, alertness, and metabolism. Students at UNAM serve as guides and have received training on optimal practices and research on these topics.
The exhibit will open at Universum, which is the major science museum in Mexico and is part of Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico. It will remain open through late 2024. According to Dr. Maria Emilia Beyer, the museum already features an educational brain hall, which has become one of its most popular exhibits The upcoming circadian rhythms exhibit will hopefully draw a similar crowd while building on previous efforts to enhance public health by making scientific knowledge accessible to a lay audience.