Science, Cooking and Performance

Conceptualize, design, produce, and pitch a sustainable food product

Module details

  • Offered to 2nd Year students in Spring term
  • Mondays 16:00-18:00
  • Planned delivery: On campus (South Kensington)
  • 1-term module worth 5 ECTS 
  • Available to eligible students as part of I-Explore 

In this module, you will embark on a journey to conceptualize, design, and develop a food product that incorporates aspects of sustainable design based on one or more of the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. The course culminates in you performing in a ‘dragon’s den’ style session where you will ‘sell’ your newly designed product. Throughout your journey on the module, professionals from outside the world of science will help you to reflect on the process you are going through, re-frame yourself as a skilled 'performer’, and help you understand how you can take the lessons from this course and apply them to your chosen career path. 

This module is designed to teach you how to combine scientific thinking with best practice from the world of performance to meet the distinctive challenges of your work in your main STEMM discipline and beyond. During the project, you will further develop your teamwork, problem-solving, and communication skills, drawing on the diverse experience of team members from different departments across College. 

Please note: The information on this module description is indicative. The module may undergo minor modifications before the start of next academic year. 

Accordian

Learning outcomes

By the end of this module, you will better be able to: 

  • Work effectively as a team, recognizing competencies and managing delegation of tasks and leadership roles 
  • Creatively synthesise new ideas from personal experience and the experience of others and exhibit agency in putting these ideas into action 
  • Plan, develop and successfully execute an idea/research plan based on a problem/scenario 
  • Draw on inspiration/precedent from literature and apply them to come up with new creations (products) and present unconventional ideas  
  • Identify skills/knowledge gaps and formulate a plan for acquiring the information/tools/skills necessary to solve the problem 
  • Manage time, working effectively under time pressure  
  • Effectively communicate findings and creations using both oral and written communication skills targeting specific audiences 
  • Provide and reflect on constructive feedback to evaluate teamwork and synthesise it into actionable conclusions 

Indicative core content

Transdisciplinary group project focusing on gastronomic innovation spanning 10 weeks (both in-lab practical work and independent group meetings) which will encompass conceptualizing, designing, and producing a sustainable food product. Teams will deliver a multisensory "pitch" of the product to a panel of judges.

Flipped short lectures from a series of professionals with in-lab discussions of their content. Topics will include but are not limited to sustainability, communicating to different target audiences, teamwork and team management, working under pressure, designing workflows, recipe/protocol development, the path to mastering a skill or profession, multisensory flavour perception. 

Learning and teaching approach

Project-style lab practicals will allow you to further develop skills in designing and planning experiments and drawing conclusions from your own experimental results. The group's prior (and diverse) experience will inform your selection of projects, and you will design your projects within minimal limitations allowing pursuit of personal goals and interests within the group. 

Independent learning time will include you and your peers meeting in your groups to prepare and plan for the live sessions, watch pre-recorded videos on Blackboard or Panopto, and reflect on feedback received. There will be short guided reflective sessions to help you assimilate the information provided in the pre-recorded talks on Blackboard or Panopto. 

Assessment

Coursework: 

  • Written group portfolio (including concept description, recipes, and planning documents) (33%) 
  • Attendance (70% required, must pass) (1%) 

Practical: 

  • Group presentation (product pitch) (66%) 

Key information

  • Requirements: It is compulsory to take an I-Explore module during your degree (you’ll take an I-Explore module in either your 2nd or 3rd year, depending on your department). You are expected to attend all classes and undertake approximately 105 hours of independent study in total during the module. Independent study includes for example reading and preparation for classes, researching and writing coursework assignments, project work and preparing for other assessments 
  • I-Explore modules are worth 5 ECTS credit towards your degree; to receive these you will have to pass the module. The numerical mark that you obtain will not be included in the calculation of your final degree result, but it will appear on your transcript 
  • This module is designed as an undergraduate Level 6 course 
  • This module is offered by the Department of Chemistry