Engineering Biofuels

Notes from our reviewers

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• Teaching Tips
  The web page associated with this video includes a background essay and discussion questions. Resource will require teacher preparation (and knowledge) to be properly introduced to students.
• About the Science
  Keasling's approach involves engineering microbes to eat simple sugars found in plant matter and convert them to biofuels that are substitutes for ethanol. Video also explains some of the difficulties of using these techniques and of harvesting plant material feedstocks without having an impact on land use and climate change. Passed initial science review - expert science review pending.
• About the Pedagogy
  Students may find the ideas in this video difficult to understand without some background in microbiology. The background essay largely repeats what is in the video itself.
• Technical Details/Ease of Use
  The online version is not of sufficient resolution for projection in a classroom. Students might have to watch it on computer screens.