[Entm-researchstaff] Fwd: INSECT FAIR: TOUCH-A-BUG volunteers needed!

[Krista Zavala]

Sent on behalf of Veronica Tyts <veronica.tyts at ucr.edu>


Hello everyone!

The Insect Fair is approaching! This year it will be held on *Saturday,
April 25, from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM at the Riverside Main Library*.

As usual, super popular *Touch-a-Bug* needs many volunteers from the
department! Volunteers will be stationed at a table with ~3 live insects
and will help visitors interact with them (including handling if allowed
for the insect). Fact sheets will be provided to help guide conversations.

We’ve also introduced a few new elements this year:

   - *Q&A Panel Opportunity:* Visitors can submit questions via a link at
   the final table if we’re unable to address everything during interactions,
   and to speed things up a bit.
      - Q&A sessions will take place *12:00–12:15 PM* and *3:00–3:15 PM*
      - We are looking for *one faculty member, one graduate student, and
      one undergraduate* for each session
      - Questions will be shared 10 minutes in advance near the stage, so
      you can prepare
      - If you’re interested, please reach out to me or sign up in the
      spreadsheet
      <https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1A0NfK4JujuQzr79cAyPQ6Dmw_0DYimFsXQ7xc7JIGnM/edit?usp=sharing>
      (scroll below the main Touch-a-Bug section)
   - *Volunteer Guidelines & Shift Leaders:*
   To improve organization and avoid volunteers being stuck longer than
   expected, we’ve created a set of guidelines (attached in PDF) and
   introduced a *Shift Leader role* for each time slot.
   Please review the attached PDF and include your contact information in
   the sign-up sheet so shift leaders can contact you if needed (in case you
   are late). Also, please don't be afraid to nominate yourself as a Shift
   leader. It will help a lot!

*Volunteer shifts are 1 hour long*, and I highly encourage you to sign up
for at least one—it also comes with the undeniable benefit of air
conditioning :)

Please see the attached *guidelines* and *sign-up spreadsheet*. The sign-up
spreadsheet is accessible only with a UCR email account, so please make
sure you are logged into your UCR email if you have trouble opening it.

 Touch-a-Bug sign up 2026
<https://drive.google.com/open?id=1A0NfK4JujuQzr79cAyPQ6Dmw_0DYimFsXQ7xc7JIGnM>
If you have any questions, feel free to reach out!

Thank you all for your help,
Veronica.
*Veronica Tyts*
Ph.D. candidate (she/her) | Heteropteran Systematics Lab
<https://heteroptera.ucr.edu/>
Department of Entomology
University of California, Riverside
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