Nanotechnology Application in the Food Engineering Curriculum

Non-Technical Summary:<br/>
Food engineering is a significant area of the food science discipline that lacks representation of the African American professional. For example, of the thirty-seven doctoral candidates who received a PhD degree from the food science program at AAMU between the year 2000 to 2010, only ten percent concentrated in Food Engineering of which none were African Americans. Currently, only one AAMU student is pursuing a master`s degree in the Food Engineering concentration and none at PhD level. The lack of student focus on the food engineering concentration is largely due to inadequately basic and modern laboratory instrumentation to stimulate quality education. In general, enrollment in the Food, Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Related Sciences are at an all-time low due to family misconception of careers in these disciplines. For example, studies revealed that forty one percent of high school students do not have a favorable image of the agricultural related sciences, while thirty three percent lacks knowledge about the career and twenty two percent are unaware of the field of study. Furthermore, another challenge facing food science programs today is that, they are not producing the number of `qualified' graduates from their programs to fill positions in the food industry, government, and academia. There are strong desires by stakeholders to augment the skills and competencies of college graduates. Thus, the National Research Council recently called for curricular transformation in the agricultural and related disciplines in tune with the rapid advances in science and technology. Therefore, the need exists to improve capacity and retool the food engineering curriculum by incorporating components of nanotechnology with emphasis on the effect of nanoparticles on the digestion system and how it impacts human health. The scientific instrumentation requested will enable the development of experiential learning opportunities for students hence would facilitate the recruitment of high quality students into food science particularly graduate level training in food engineering. Faculty preparation in the application of nanotechnology and mechanical simulation will provide the capacity to develop training modules and experiential learning on the diffusion of nanoparticles and nutrient released. Such task will provide a body of knowledge to enable curricular modification to reflect and integrate the application of nanotechnology. This is particularly significant on improving the quality of educational deliverance with the anticipation of curricular transformation in agricultural and related disciplines in tune with the rapid advances in science and technology. Building capacity for a sustainable training of minority students in the cutting edge technologies will provide an anticipated long term impact on training 18 students under the freshmen initiative, 30 high school interns in summer workshops, 60 and 90 regular AAMU undergraduate and graduate students, respectively, enrolled in food engineering courses. This project will aid in achieving USDA-NIFA's six strategic goals and objectives in the area of human capital development.
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Approach:<br/>
The Acquisition of the Laboratory instrumentation to Support Experiential Learning: The acquisition of the instruments to establish the food rheology and material science laboratory at AAMU will be implemented by the PD. The instrumentations will include the following: Modulated Differential Scanning Calorimeter; Stress/Strain Control Rheometer; Dynamic Light Scattering-Zen3600; and COMSOL Multi-Physics software for mathematical modeling. Faculty Preparation on Mechanical Simulation of GIT and nanoparticles Applications: Drs. Sabilov and Kukhtareva will provide guidance and training to improve the capacity of the faculty on Nanoparticles synthesis and Dr. Bekalis will provide training on mechanical GIT simulation system. A simulation rig will be developed to simulate and quantify the absorption of nutrients in the GIT. The model will include a section of a tube that represent the small intestine, and will consist of an inner porous flexible membrane and outer flexible impermeable membrane. Develop Teaching Materials and Training Module for Curriculum Enhancement: Food Rheology, Advanced Food Processing, and the Food Engineering Curriculums will be enhanced by incorporating elements of nanotechnology. The curricula will contain multiple objectives including the learning component that will be based on the STAR Legacy Circle Learning Model (SLCLM) concept which integrates research into the teaching methodology to complement experiential learning. Develop Training Module for Freshmen Training and K-12 Students: Training modules will be developed to provide hands-on experiential learning in Nanotechnology application in food engineering with emphasizes on food rheology. Curriculum focusing on the characterization of food properties, Nanometrology, rheology and basic introduction to mathematical modeling of biological concept, diffusion of nutrient in the GIT using computation fluid dynamic using COMSOL Multiphysics software will be developed. Recruitment of Minority students and Network with National and International institutions: The PD will work with the University Recruitment Initiative; Alabama Corporative Extension System; Center for Educational Excellence; and Local Community Groups in our recruitment efforts. Furthermore, the facility and its capabilities will be presented on the departmental website as a marketing tool. Video presentations of the facility will be made available to High School Science Teachers and Counselors and other collaborators across the nation in our recruitment efforts. Evaluation: The project outcomes will be evaluated based on the planning, formative, and summative methods. Surveys will be designed and administered to the program participants' pre, during and post participation. The impact of the project will be measured using key performance indicators such as the capacity built on nanotechnology at AAMU, experiential learning and curriculum developed, recruitment, the influence of high school student participant's to matriculate into agriculture and or biological science fields at college.