There’s a special table reserved in the Birch Dining Commons. On it sits several knives and a container of peanut butter.

On Wednesday, December 18, Dr. Jonathan Bayuk, a board certified allergist and clinical immunologist, will speak to Williston Northampton students about why that peanut butter sits so far from other options—and other mysteries about food allergies.

“Food is one of the things that brings people and communities together,” noted Kerry Beth Garvey, director of the Health and Wellness Center, who arranged to have Dr. Bayuk speak at the school. “Here on campus, we dine together every day. It’s fantastic…Unless perhaps you or a family member has any food allergies, then you might wonder how that special meal is prepared, what the ingredients are, and if you can eat that!”

She said the goal of the Dr. Bayuk’s lecture, which will also be recorded and rebroadcast for families, is to allay fears about allergies while also raising awareness about them. With food allergies on the rise and in the news, Ms. Garvey said it made sense to have a featured speaker who could talk about why that was happening and how students could keep each other safe.

In addition to his practice with Hampden County Physicians, Dr. Bayuk is the Director of the Allergy and Immunology Curriculum and Resident and Medical Student teaching at Baystate Medical Center/Tufts University School of Medicine. He is also teaches at both Tufts University and Springfield College.

His recent article, “Peanut Parents Unite,” was reprinted with permission on the Willy Wellness blog.

Watch Dr. Bayuk’s presentation to students: