Science Olympiad includes food science challenges
At the Science Olympiad, goggle-clad youngsters work in real or adapted labs to solve scientific problems.
Photo by Renee Felice
“Will soy, coconut or rice flour function as well as wheat flour when formulating a cookie for people with celiac disease, or gluten intolerance? If you suspect a company is selling apple juice altered with protein or starch, could you identify an altered substance from samples? Should a cruise line choose fresh juice, frozen juice or orange drink for its passengers in order to provide the highest content of vitamin C?”
These are the kinds of scientific problems that face middle- and high-school students when they compete in the food science events of the Science Olympiad, a state and national competition where students faced a variety of science challenges.
Sharon Ramsey, research associate and rheology lab manager in the Department of Food, Bioprocessing and Nutrition Sciences, enjoys developing such problems for competitors, helping them not only apply food science principles but learn more about what food science is all about.
Ramsey, once involved in alumni relations and outreach for the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, has returned to her food science background. But she likes to look at science through the lens of a student recruiter, and she believes the Science Olympiad will be a great way educate and draw in prospective students.
Three years ago, North Carolina’s Science Olympiad decided to add food science to its list of science competitions for middle- and high-school students. Since then, Ramsey and several students volunteered to help develop and oversee the competitions at the regional and state level. This year, Ramsey was chosen to lead the high-school event at the national level. She and two of her N.C. State University students ran the competition in Washington, D.C.
Ramsey and her students are involved with the Olympiad in a number of ways — training coaches in the fall, conducting regional competitions across the state in the winter, as well as the state competition held on campus in the spring. This year, they interacted directly with 348 middle-school students and 216 high-school students from Asheville to Wilmington.
Ramsey also developed a Web site with information and useful links for food science event teams. Coaches from across the country have used the Web site to help train their teams.
In addition to providing an exciting competition topic for the Olympiad, Ramsey and her students have introduced a new generation to food science. While students wait in hallways for the competition to begin, they look through food industry magazines she has provided. Handouts for participants explain opportunities available in food science and give contact information for N.C. State’s department.
— Natalie Hampton
These are the kinds of scientific problems that face middle- and high-school students when they compete in the food science events of the Science Olympiad, a state and national competition where students faced a variety of science challenges.
Sharon Ramsey, research associate and rheology lab manager in the Department of Food, Bioprocessing and Nutrition Sciences, enjoys developing such problems for competitors, helping them not only apply food science principles but learn more about what food science is all about.
Ramsey, once involved in alumni relations and outreach for the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, has returned to her food science background. But she likes to look at science through the lens of a student recruiter, and she believes the Science Olympiad will be a great way educate and draw in prospective students.
Three years ago, North Carolina’s Science Olympiad decided to add food science to its list of science competitions for middle- and high-school students. Since then, Ramsey and several students volunteered to help develop and oversee the competitions at the regional and state level. This year, Ramsey was chosen to lead the high-school event at the national level. She and two of her N.C. State University students ran the competition in Washington, D.C.
Ramsey and her students are involved with the Olympiad in a number of ways — training coaches in the fall, conducting regional competitions across the state in the winter, as well as the state competition held on campus in the spring. This year, they interacted directly with 348 middle-school students and 216 high-school students from Asheville to Wilmington.
Ramsey also developed a Web site with information and useful links for food science event teams. Coaches from across the country have used the Web site to help train their teams.
In addition to providing an exciting competition topic for the Olympiad, Ramsey and her students have introduced a new generation to food science. While students wait in hallways for the competition to begin, they look through food industry magazines she has provided. Handouts for participants explain opportunities available in food science and give contact information for N.C. State’s department.
— Natalie Hampton