In this workshop, participants learned about the microbiome and how there are many different types of microorganisms (i.e., bacteria, fungi, mold, and yeast) living in and on our bodies. To further explore our unique and diverse microbial identities, participants created their very own microbial tattoos.

To begin, each participant was provided with 3 petri dishes that had been pre-plated with agar. Agar is a jelly-like substance that comes from seaweed and provides nutrients for the growth of microorganisms. In the first petri dish, participants placed a piece of cloth that had been soaked in a growth medium and exposed to microbes on their skin. In the second petri dish, participants directly touched a part of their body (ex. ear, elbow, chest) onto the agar plate. The difference between the first and second petri dishes is the use of cloth to collect more microbes. In the petri dishes without any cloth, we expect to see less microbes. The third petri dish was used as a control, so it was only exposed to air. Some participants had fun with the control dish and danced around the studio to ensure that they had a good sample. Once all of the petri dishes were finished being exposed to people’s microbiomes and the air, we wrapped them in parafilm (like tape, but made of wax) to seal them shut.