Biology Professor’s Board Game That Teaches About COVID-19 Awarded Silver Medal

You Make Me Sick, a board game that teaches students about the immune system, infectious diseases and good health habits, has won a 2020 International Serious Play silver medal in the category of U.S. and Canada Tabletop K-12 STEM Education.

Board GameDesigned by Duquesne’s Partnership in Education, You Make Me Sick challenges players to successfully fight off and recover from common infectious diseases by learning about immunology and healthy habits. In addition to classroom use, the game provides a learning opportunity for the whole family and can be used by parents home schooling their children during the coronavirus pandemic.

Dr. John Pollock, professor of biological sciences in the Bayer School of Natural and Environmental Sciences, originally created the game in 2007 and updated it with information about the coronavirus. The project received funding from the Science Education Partnership Awards at the National Institute of General Medical Sciences of the National Institutes of Health.

The recognition highlights the University’s expertise in expanding students’ horizons. Under Pollock’s direction, the Partnership in Education has developed a wide range of educational and multimedia resources for school children, including Emmy® Award- winning educational television programs, apps, animated movies and teaching curriculum, most of which is available for free to educators.

Serious Play recognizes outstanding card and board games designed for education, corporate training, government/military organizations, healthcare/medical staff or patient games.