A Remote, Hands-on, and Low Cost Sourdough Lab for First Year Chemical Engineering Students

Authors

  • Virginia Jiang
  • Matthew Lucia
  • Scott Banta Columbia University
  • Christopher Chen Columbia University

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18260/2-1-370.660-132194

Abstract

We developed a remote lab experience where freshmen grew and analyzed the activity of sourdough starters as a means of engaging with chemical engineering concepts. This six-week hands-on activity was targeted due to its low-cost, non-hazardous materials, and ability to be conducted safely in a non-laboratory setting. By designing the lab to be guided inquiry, we embraced the inherent variability students would encounter running these experiments remotely to create a motivating learning experience.

Author Biographies

Virginia Jiang

Virginia Jiang is a current PhD student in Chemical and Biological Engineering at Princeton University. She earned her BS in Chemical Engineering at Columbia University in 2021. She served as a teaching assistant for first-year undergraduate lab module in chemical engineering Fall 2020 and Spring 2021. Her current research focuses on protein and metabolic engineering as well as applications to drug discovery. 

Matthew Lucia

Matthew Lucia is a current PhD student in Chemical and Biological Engineering at Northwestern University. He graduated with a B.S. in Chemical Engineering at Columbia University in 2023. During his time at Columbia, he helped with the first-year undergraduate chemical engineering lab module as a teaching assistant from Fall 2021 to Spring 2023. His research interests involve using biological engineering techniques to understand biomolecular self- and directed-assembly for environmental remediation and medicine. 

Scott Banta, Columbia University

Scott Banta, PhD, is Professor and Chair of Chemical Engineering at Columbia University. He received his Ph.D. degree from Rutgers University. He has taught undergraduate courses in Separations, Kinetics, Material and Energy Balances, as well as a graduate level Protein Engineering elective course. His research has focused on the engineering of proteins and peptides for various applications in areas including biocatalysis, bioelectrocatalysis, biomaterials, gene and drug delivery, biosensing, biomining, and bioenergy. 

Christopher Chen, Columbia University

Christopher V.H.-H. Chen, Ph.D., is a Lecturer in the Discipline of Chemical Engineering at Columbia University. He completed his PhD in Chemical and Biological Engineering at Princeton University, and MBA at Columbia Business School. His teaching and research interests include the application of case- and problem-based approaches to STEM teaching; how social and emotional interventions improve engineering education; integrating DEI considerations into the teaching of technical engineering content; and preparing graduate students as future leaders.

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Published

2023-10-23

Issue

Vol. 57 No. 4 (2023): Fall 2023

Section

Summer School Special Section