SBBP Outreach With Cleveland Early College High School

The Sustainable Bioproducts and Bioenergy Program (SBBP) recently visited (virtually) Ms. Beverly Owens and her high school science class at Cleveland Early College High School as part of NCSU’s Skype-a-Scientist outreach program. The outreach effort provided an opportunity for 21 high school students to gain exposure to concepts, laboratory experiences, and career opportunities within the bioeconomy.

Streaming from the Department of Forest Biomaterials chemistry lab, NCSU Graduate Research Assistant Matt Kollman illustrated how household ingredients like cornstarch and baking powder could be used to make your own biodegradable packing peanuts! Alongside demonstrating the lab activity, Matt also explained why he chose a career path in STEM and how it’s presented him with exciting research, travel, and collaborative opportunities. The students were excited to try making their own packing peanuts at home and experiment with different types of raw material alternatives like arrowroot starch or coconut flour.

If you are interested in scheduling a Skype-a-Scientist event with SBBP, or you are interested in sharing your STEM experiences with NC high school students, please reach out to Dr. Adam Scouse at aascouse@ncsu.edu. We’d be excited to collaborate with you! In addition, we also have a number of online, educational bioeconomy lab activities available on our website SBBP website.

Dr. Adam Scouse
Postdoctoral Teaching Scholar
Dept. of Forest Biomaterials
College of Natural Resources
North Carolina State University
aascouse@ncsu.edu

Ms. Beverly Owens
Cleveland Early College High School
@owensscience
@CECHighSchool
@CleveCoSchools