Motivating K-12 students to study pharmaceutical engineering using guided hands-on visits

Publication date: December 2012 Source:Education for Chemical Engineers, Volume 7, Issue 4 Author(s): Daniel Mateo-Ortíz , David A. Mota-Aguilar , Miguel A. Florián-Algarín , Sonia L. Avilés-Barreto , Rafael Méndez , Carlos Velázquez , Nelson Cardona-Martínez The pharmaceutical industry is important for the economy of Puerto Rico and is currently trying to improve the understanding of the science and fundamentals behind its operations. The main objectives of our Education and Outreach program at the University of Puerto Rico – Mayagüez (UPRM), as a member of the Engineering Research Center for Structured Organic Particulate Systems, include the use of K-12 activities to improve student recruitment and to train engineering graduates who are able to disseminate and apply their knowledge across disciplines and advance technology. Here we report the results of an educational initiative where graduate and undergraduate students guide K-12 students through a series of hands-on modules in a pharmaceutical operations laboratory. The modules include solid mixing, tablet compression and tablet dissolution. The students are also exposed to demonstrations about combustible dust and an automated tablet press. The aim of these guided visits is to introduce middle and high school students to basic concepts of Pharmaceutical Engineering in an interactive way and motivate them to attend the University preferably in a related area. From to 2008 to 2011, this initiative imp...
Source: Education for Chemical Engineers - Category: Chemistry Source Type: research