Advanced Materials and "Lab to Table" Sustainability Science Projects

By Amy Cowen on August 27, 2024 8:00 AM

Explore the lab-to-table movement, cellular agriculture, microfluidics, and scientific advanced materials with new, cutting-edge student projects that address questions related to sustainability.

Microfluidic device from a new chemistry project

From Biofilms to Biodegradables

Five new projects in areas of chemistry, microbiology, biotechnology, food science, and plant biology have been added to the project library to enable middle and high school students to do exciting, cutting-edge experiments that intersect with scientific innovations being researched and developed in response to real-world problems.

These new projects support hands-on student exploration of the following areas of science and innovation in the context of creating a more sustainable future:

Scientific Advanced Materials: This area of research involves the development and use of new and sustainable materials, including plastic alternatives, nanomaterials, biomaterials, and more.
Lab to Table: The "Lab to Table" movement focuses on using laboratory-based technologies in food production. One example is cultured meat grown from animal cells in bioreactors. Lab-grown meat is an example of cellular agriculture. Other focus areas of "Lab to Table" include alternative proteins, like insect proteins and using fermentation to create proteins from microorganisms, and plant-based foods.

With the projects below, students can explore these cutting-edge research areas and participate in the search for more sustainable solutions.

New Lab to Table and Advanced Materials Projects

1. Beeswax Wraps as a Plastic Alternative

In the Can Beeswax Wraps Replace Plastic Wraps? materials science project, students consider challenges related to recycling plastics and then investigate beeswax wraps, made from cotton fabric and beeswax, as a plastic alternative. Are beeswax wraps an effective, biodegradable alternative to plastic wrap?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o-afrQfaRy0
2. DIY Microfluidic Devices

In the Build Your Own Microfluidic Device chemical engineering and materials science project, students use the engineering design process to explore microfluidic devices and fluid dynamics. Microfluidic devices are small devices containing tiny channels through which fluid can be pushed to enable the study of chemical reactions, drug testing, cellular compartments, and other microscopic things. Students use polystyrene (shrink plastic) to build and test their own microfluidic device designs.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ElM31Fu6Dlw
3. Plant-based Milk and Protein

In the Is Plant-Based Milk as Protein-Packed as Dairy Milk? food science and chemistry project, students investigate the amount of protein in various types of plant-based milk compared to dairy milk. The experiment involves using protein test strips (used for home urinalysis) to evaluate the amount of protein in different types of milk. Protein test strips use tetrabromophenol blue as an indicator dye that changes color based on a chemical reaction that occurs when it interacts with the bonds in a protein.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lgMg3W0jG2o
4. Make Kombucha from a Biofilm

In the What Sugar And Tea Does a Kombucha Biofilm Prefer? project, students explore the role of a biofilm in making kombucha and experiment to see how different tea or sugar substrates alter the fermentation process. How do changes to the substrate alter the biochemistry of the kombucha solution?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q0T5Ytp1xik
5. Plant Regeneration

In the Can Every Part of a Plant Regrow? project, students compare different plants to see which can regrow or regenerate after damage and which parts of a plant can regenerate. Students investigate the importance of stem cells in a plant's regenerative capacity and learn about meristems and the role of modularity in regrowth.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2r26dDTosvU