You won't find celebrity chefs in these test kitchens, but food-safety research labs are sprouting on campuses nationwide. Their mission: engineer recipes for ridding produce, meat, and even smoothies of harmful bacteria. Food-borne illness, like the recent outbreak of listeria from cantaloupe, sickens 1 in 6 Americans each year, killing 3,000. On a tastier note, your chocoholics will tuck into this week's activity. Who knew engineering could be so yummy? For Navy-related student research opportunities, check out the Science and Engineering Apprenticeship Program (SEAP) and the Naval Research Enterprise Intern Program (NREIP). Download our Teacher Guide for more ideas! |
| Lesson: Guilt-free Chocolate
 In this hands-on activity from Rowan University designed to teach chemical-engineering principles, teams of high school students will melt chocolate and coat commercially available cookies, then perform several measurements and calculations. They then will write a lab report that includes nutritional labeling and recommendations for improving the chocolate-coating process.
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Feature: Color Me Spoiled
 To help prevent consumers from prematurely throwing away food, researchers are developing a plastic wrap that will change colors when the food is no longer safe to eat. Made from "intelligent plastics," the wrap will alert consumers when food is about to lose its freshness because it has broken or damaged packaging, has exceeded its "best before" date or has been poorly refrigerated.
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| K-12 News: YouTube Launches Space Contest
 Move aside, cute kitties and other viral video hits. A new NASA contest could turn science into the next YouTube sensation. Space Lab, the competition announced by YouTube and computer manufacturer Lenovo on Monday, offers students the chance to make video pitches for experiments to perform in the International Space Station's zero-gravity environment.
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| Special: ASEE Partners with NSTA
 The American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE) has put together a public/private partnership to develop ways of engaging elementary, middle, and high school students in engineering. Participants will learn about innovative, hands-on, project-based engineering at three events during National Science Teachers Association regional conferences.
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 What do the blockbuster "Avatar," high-performance sports gear, Angry Birds phone app, and pollution-eating bacteria have in common?
They are among a host of cool innovations developed by engineers and featured in the new fifth edition of the American Society for Engineering Education's Engineering, Go For It magazine. The kid-friendly magazine is part of ASEE's campaign to inspire more K-12 students, particularly young women and underrepresented minorities, to pursue engineering majors and careers. Now available in our store! |
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