Get ready to explore chemical and biochemical engineering through hands-on extraction activities your students will love! This interactive session begins with a relatable, real-world look at what chemical and biochemical engineers actually do and why their work impacts everything from medicine to food to everyday products. Participants will then dive into three engaging activities: extracting DNA from strawberries, separating Sharpie ink using alcohol and water to model solvent extraction, and connecting these ideas to essential oil applications. We’ll wrap up by making bath bombs while exploring reaction kinetics (why the fizz doesn’t start until water is added!) and real-world scale-up challenges, from producing one bath bomb to manufacturing hundreds. Teachers will leave energized and equipped with adaptable, classroom-ready activities that make big engineering concepts accessible, memorable, and fun for K–12 students.
