Algae Grows the Future

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This project addresses the need to cultivate engineers' holistic and critical understanding of the global, economic, societal and environmental impacts of engineering solutions. In this project, algae provides the basis for a collection of inquiry-based educational activities that bring together science, engineering and humanities to foster an understanding of the broader context of engineering work. A series of cost-effective, multidisciplinary, adaptable and transferrable hands-on experiments will be developed to introduce engineering and science principles through algae's versatility as a renewable fuel source, tool for greenhouse gas mitigation, and its role in the treatment of wastewater. Additional synergistic activities will be incorporated through introduction of ethical, social, and environmental issues related to these problems and analysis of proposed solutions. The three main objectives of the project are: (1) to recruit and retain students in STEM degree programs, (2) to increase self-confidence and self-esteem of students from underrepresented groups in STEM fields, and (3) to develop educational methods that explore uses of algae to address global engineering challenges. This project will generate new knowledge about the formation of engineering students' conceptions of engineering work, the disciplines that inform practice, the populations impacted by engineering solutions, and the role of the engineer in a global and societal context. In addition, it will advance understanding about the role that educational inquiry activities can serve in the development of self-confidence and self-esteem towards STEM careers. By reimagining what it means to be an engineer, this project has the potential to build a generation of diverse individuals that see themselves as engineers and appreciate engineering for its ability to help humankind in addition to the technological solutions it can provide. Through extensive partnerships, this project will impact students at the K-12, community college and university levels of STEM education. A partnership with the Center for Aquatic Sciences at the Adventure Aquarium in Camden (NJ) will bring algae-based engineering education to the broader community through family-based science education and informal science education.