In 2014 a new Physics course PY107 was developed at Boston University (BU) to teach basic physical science concepts to non-science majors via cooking. Designed along similar lines as the Harvard “Science of Cooking” course, topics include physics of molecular interactions, thermal physics, phase transitions, and soft matter physics focusing on self-assembly, gelation, viscosity, elasticity. With a modest investment, a new laboratory equipped with table-top cooking and scientific equipment was set up. Labs and demos are based on modern gastronomic techniques such as sous-vide’ cooking, pressure cooking, molecular gastronomy techniques for making culinary foams, gels and emulsions. In addition to the labs, students work in teams of three on a final project to illustrate the science behind a recipe or cooking technique of their choice. To liven the course a few guest lectures are given each semester by well-known local chefs, food writers and food entrepreneurs. BU’s Gastronomy program has served as useful resource in helping with these activities. The course assumes only a basic high school physical science and algebra background. Students come to it from a wide range of academic programs, but often have a strong pre-existing interest in cooking. Learning science through food and cooking provides a unique opportunity for students to explore both science concepts and scientific approaches to discovery within the inviting and meaningful context of experimentation in the kitchen. Originally the course satisfied distribution requirements in the natural sciences for students in the BU College of Arts and Sciences. Beginning in Fall 2018, however, BU has introduced “The Hub”, a general education requirement across undergraduate colleges built around six intellectual capacities all students should master. These include three areas that will be partly satisfied by PY107: “Scientific and Social Inquiry”, “Quantitative Reasoning” and “The Intellectual Toolkit: Critical Thinking”.

Engaging non-science majors: Boston University PY107 – Physics of Food and Cooking

256th National Meeting (2018)

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