The Science Center Serves Up a Full Menu of Food Science at the First-Ever Sci-FEAST
Written by: Michael Wense, Donor Engagement & Communications Coordinator at the Saint Louis Science Center.
Guests hungry to learn all about food science, nutrition, agriculture, and more had the Science Center campus simmering with excitement at Sci-FEAST on Saturday, November 9. During the free, all-day event—made possible thanks to presenting sponsor Nestlé Purina PetCare Company—more than 4,800 people at the Science Center got to explore, examine, and even eat the STEM concepts behind something vital to all living things: the ability to take in, digest, and use nutrients.
Sci-FEAST presented more than 230 STEM professionals throughout the Science Center, allowing guests the chance to meet and learn alongside them to discover the ways food is produced, prepared, and consumed. The event, a brand new spin on the popular SciFest series of STEM expos, demonstrated the Science Center’s ability to innovate and experiment to deliver hands-on, immersive experiences guests cannot find anywhere else.
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In Boeing Hall, Washington University’s McDonnell International Scholars Academy presented a Global Food Science Experience, exploring foods from around the world with examples of Asian pears, longans, pomelos, and plantains. In addition, guests could explore various spices from different countries and even try an herb matching activity. Meanwhile, on the Lower Level, WashU Earth, Environmental, and Planetary Sciences presented a close-up look at dinosaur “gastroliths”—rocks the prehistoric animals used for digestion.
Nestlé Purina North America PetCare experts shared an interactive ingredient-sorting game, allowing participants the chance to win fun giveaways. Guests could also meet Purina associates and their certified Duo Touch Therapy Dogs.
On Dino Overlook, Sci-FEAST participant New Roots for Restoration shared the connection between roots, soil health, and food, helping spread awareness about the significance of perennial crops and the vital role they play in ecosystems.
“Engaging with young minds and answering their thought-provoking questions was truly inspiring!”
“I’m grateful to have been part of an event that fosters curiosity and encourages future generations to think about the environment in a new way.”
Bayer Crop Science was on hand inside the GROW Pavilion to let attendees assemble a “garden in a glove” using vegetable seeds. Saint Louis University’s Center for Additive Manufacturing highlighted applications of additive manufacturing in food, agriculture, and product design; guests could see up close 3D-printed replicas of apples, peaches, donuts, and even candy bars!
Offering a special opportunity for Science Center members in the GROW Classroom, Lincoln University held two Member Missions where they could see up close how aquatic invertebrates like crayfish and fishing spiders find and eat food. Snails and transparent aquatic organisms also showed off their digestive systems at work. Afterward, the volunteers from Lincoln University stayed to engage the public, introducing them to these fascinating creatures.
Sci-FEAST participant Beck Flavors—a Maryland Heights-based food flavor house using STEM to create custom flavors for clients—invited guests to learn the basic components that go into creating flavors and then challenge their taste buds to see if they could identify a particular taste.
For those guests 21 and older, Sci-FEAST participants like Ozark Viking Meadery, Steampunk Brew Works, StilL 630 Distillery, and the St. Louis Bourbon Society offered tastings and explored the ancient art of mead making, the science behind using live yeast to create fermented products, the process of distillation, and how barrel and stave styles impact whiskey and bourbon production respectively. In addition, Craft Republic shared about sour beer fermentation (and offered sour gummy worms for guests under 21).
Science Storytime in the Life Science Lab Classroom invited young learners to participate in an interactive reading of Rosa’s Big Pizza Experiment.
Energy Stage offered a blend of STEM presentations throughout the day.
Dr. Jordan Wood, Senior Nutritionist at Nestlé Purina PetCare Company, presented on healthy pet nutrition and foods that can be harmful to pets. In the afternoon, Kore Wilbert, Executive Chef, SSA, performed a live cooking demo at Energy Stage using Asian spices and sauces complete with take-home sauce samples from Lee Kum Kee.
Afterward, Raymond Yeh, owner and founder of The Foundry Bakery, showed how ingredients like sugar, salt, gluten, and more are used in foods like baked desserts (and even shared some samples, too).
Thank you again to our Sci-FEAST presenting sponsor, Nestlé Purina PetCare Company, for their generous support and helping make our first-ever Sci-FEAST a success!
See more photos from the day, here: https://www.slsc.org/the-science-center-serves-up-a-full-menu-of-food-science-at-the-first-ever-sci-feast/
Manager, Sponsorships and Promotions at Saint Louis Science Center
3 个月Such a fun and successful event!