'The Design of Coffee' is a Chemical Engineering Course at UC Davis
Joey Haar — February 1, 2017 — Social Good
References: coffeecenter.ucdavis.edu & wired
UC Davis' 'The Design of Coffee' is an introductory chemical engineering course that puts the rigors of academia to an unusual subject. The semester-long course, which counts as a full credit for UC Davis undergrads, delves into key chemical engineering principles through the lens of coffee.
The Design of Coffee lets students experiment with coffee to learn about things like material balances, chemical kinetics, mass transfer, fluid mechanics, conservation of energy, and colloidal phenomena. The final project is a competition in which students work to create the tastiest java with the least amount of energy.
Scientists know surprisingly little about coffee, especially considering that it is among the most popular beverages in the world. For instance, no one is even sure whether coffee beans are fermented before being roasted. On top of The Design of Coffee, UC Davis is set to open a coffee lab to study these technical aspects of coffee production.
The Design of Coffee lets students experiment with coffee to learn about things like material balances, chemical kinetics, mass transfer, fluid mechanics, conservation of energy, and colloidal phenomena. The final project is a competition in which students work to create the tastiest java with the least amount of energy.
Scientists know surprisingly little about coffee, especially considering that it is among the most popular beverages in the world. For instance, no one is even sure whether coffee beans are fermented before being roasted. On top of The Design of Coffee, UC Davis is set to open a coffee lab to study these technical aspects of coffee production.
Trend Themes
1. Coffee Education - UC Davis' 'The Design of Coffee' course shows the potential for more higher education institutions to offer courses focused on the science and industry of coffee.
2. Scientific Investigation of Popular Products - The lack of research on coffee production and the popularity of the beverage suggest that there is potential for scientific investigation into other popular and widely consumed products.
3. Integrating Unusual Subjects in Higher Education - The Design of Coffee highlights the potential for higher education institutions to offer courses integrating traditional academic subjects with more unconventional ones.
Industry Implications
1. Higher Education - Higher education institutions have the opportunity to incorporate more unconventional and industry-focused subjects into their course catalogs, like UC Davis' 'The Design of Coffee' course for chemical engineering students.
2. Coffee Production - The lack of scientific research on coffee production and the popular demand for the beverage presents opportunities for innovation and optimization in the coffee industry.
3. Food and Beverage - The use of scientific principles to improve the taste, energy efficiency, and other aspects of coffee production in 'The Design of Coffee' course could inspire similar innovations in the food and beverage industry.
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