Interactive, modular experiments and illustrative examples to integrate pharmaceutical applications in the chemical engineering curriculum and K-12 outreach programs

Rowan University, in collaboration with the National Science Foundation (NSF) funded Engineering Research Center for Structured Organic Particulate Systems (C-SOPS), continues to develop teaching modules and problem sets to introduce students to engineering concepts in the particle and powder technology of pharmaceutical processing and drug delivery systems. The Center is hosted by Rutgers University and also includes Purdue University, the New Jersey Institute of Technology, and the University of Puerto Rico in Mayagüez. The goal of the Center is to become a national focal point for developing structured organic particulate systems used in pharmaceuticals and their manufacturing processes. Rowan University has partnered as an outreach/education member institution to develop teaching modules for K-12 and college level students. The Rowan University efforts have focused on mobile, hands-on teaching modules, problem sets and illustrative examples. Mobile, self-contained experiments in V-mixing, pneumatic conveying, particulate deagglomeration and segregation, and hopper flow have been designed, constructed and integrated in chemical engineering courses and K-12 outreach efforts. Experiments involving the statistical analysis of pharmaceutical tablet compositions, fluidization of excipients, pharmacokinetics/pharmacodynamics, drug delivery using environmentally sensitive polymers, and strip film drug delivery have been developed and integrated in lower and upper level chemical engineering courses. Illustrative examples to teach life cycle analysis concepts in pharmaceutical processes have also been developed. This work will highlight some of the experiments and educational modules and present methods to integrate them in the engineering curriculum and outreach efforts. The new teaching modules and demonstrations presented here add to the material developed over a five (5) year collaboration with the NSF funded C-SOPS. This collaboration can serve as a model for the development of teaching materials and outreach efforts in engineering education. The self-contained, mobile educational modules and illustrative examples give students the opportunity to learn technologies important to the pharmaceutical and chemical industries and to apply foundation chemical engineering principles. The completed educational materials will be incorporated into the C-SOPS website for use by Center members and faculty at other schools. This work will serve to expand and strengthen the educational impact of the Center in the region and throughout the country. It also serves to integrate important technologies in the chemical engineering curriculum and enhance the understanding of and interest in engineering among K- 12 students.