SEAS summer program gets kids into the kitchen

This summer, 20 kids ranging from ages 9 through 12 will embark on a two-week cooking adventure of science, cooking, and fitness in a program co-organized by ChopChop magazine and the Harvard School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS). Taking its inspiration from the famed “Science & Cooking” undergraduate course and related public lecture series that began at Harvard in 2010, “Kids’ Science and Cooking” will introduce students from Cambridge and Boston Public Schools to renowned chefs, scientists, and experts in fitness and nutrition. The students will learn about the math and science behind cooking, practice their cooking skills, and learn how to make healthy choices through hands-on instruction.

“We believe that this program will introduce kids both to the pleasures of cooking and eating real food and to the importance of science and math,” says Sally Sampson, founder and president of ChopChop. “Our hope is that these kids will go back into their schools and communities as ambassadors for healthy eating and playful activity.”

“Cooking is a wonderfully effective medium for inspiring people to see the science and mathematics in their everyday lives,” adds Michael Brenner, Glover Professor of Applied Mathematics and Applied Physics at SEAS and one of the co-creators of the “Science & Cooking” course. “Curiosity-driven experiments in the kitchen can lead to unexpected tastes or textures that can be understood with basic scientific principles. We are excited to bring our experiences in teaching science and cooking to Harvard College students to children in our local community.”