Engineers Week is a national celebration of how engineers shape the world around us. For AIChE student chapters, it is also an opportunity to step into local classrooms and make engineering tangible for the next generation.
Nearly 40 Texas A&M students took part in AIChE’s Bee a ChemE K–12 STEM Ambassador Program, thanks to the generous support of Lubrizol. Whether it’s building molecule models, making ice cream, or breaking down nutrition labels, the goal is to show young students that chemical engineers help solve real-world challenges in creative and meaningful ways. Over the past year, Texas A&M's AIChE student chapter has partnered with local intermediate schools in the Bryan/College Station community to deliver hands-on chemical engineering modules designed to spark curiosity and build confidence in STEM.
We spoke with members of the Texas A&M student chapter about their experience launching the program, engaging younger students, and the impact the outreach has had on both the classroom and their own career paths.
Can you share a memorable moment from your K–12 module sessions that had a significant impact on the students?
One of the most memorable moments from the first year of the Bee a ChemE initiative in the Bryan/College Station community came from our Goofy Putty module, where students made a slime-like putty while learning about polymers. At first, it just felt like an exciting, hands-on lesson, but the real impact came when the students realized they could re-create the experiment at home using materials they likely already had.
You could see the shift happen in real time as we explained the steps to make the Goofy Putty, with the kids understanding what each material contributed to the chemical reaction that yielded the final product. In that moment, science stopped feeling like something locked away in a lab and started to feel approachable.
The excitement of watching students realize they did not need expensive equipment to explore real concepts of science and engineering really captures what Bee a ChemE is all about: making science accessible, empowering, and part of the everyday lives of these students.
How did your student chapter prepare to effectively deliver these modules to younger students, and what skills or strategies have proven most effective?
To run the Bee a ChemE initiative at Texas A&M, we brought together a committee of nearly 40 ambassadors to teach students at local intermediate schools. One of the most effective ways we refined the lessons was through monthly meetings, where we practiced demonstrations, assembled materials, and allowed volunteers to get comfortable presenting in front of large groups.
Because the modules are highly interactive, we focused on anticipating points of confusion and refining how we explained concepts so they were clear to students. That combination helped our ambassadors communicate complex chemical engineering topics in simple, engaging ways and create meaningful learning experiences for younger students.
What kind of response did you receive from K–12 students and educators about the modules, and how has this influenced your own career path as a chemical engineer?
In the first year of running our program, we received an incredibly positive response from students, teachers, and school administrators. They commended the professionalism of our ambassadors and their outstanding ability to teach complex STEM topics in an engaging way through the AIChE K–12 modules.
It is always a joy to see students’ excitement when they realize we are taking over their classroom for the day, and even more rewarding to see their faces light up as they begin to understand how the principles of chemical engineering fit into their everyday lives.
Experiencing that impact firsthand has strongly influenced my own career path as a chemical engineer. It has shown me the power of combining technical knowledge with education and outreach. The opportunity to lead this initiative at Texas A&M has reinforced my desire to pursue a career where I can make STEM, and more specifically the life-saving medical treatments developed by engineers around the world, accessible for generations to come.
Why is the Bee a ChemE initiative an important part of Engineers Week, and what impact do you hope your chapter’s outreach had on the students you worked with?
Engineers Week, led nationally by DiscoverE, is all about celebrating the role engineers play in solving real-world problems. The Bee a ChemE initiative makes that celebration even more meaningful by bringing STEM directly into the classroom.
By making these topics tangible through hands-on, exciting demonstrations, students gain a better understanding of how they can make an impact in their own communities. Our hope is that the partnership we have built with students in the Bryan/College Station area over the past year will continue to encourage them to see engineering as something they can explore, enjoy, and potentially pursue in the future.
Get involved
Interested in bringing Bee a ChemE to your local community? Learn more about the initiative, explore available K–12 modules, and find resources. Engineers Week is just the beginning. Classroom outreach can make an impact all year long.
Explore the Bee a ChemE K-12 STEM Ambassador Program and how you can get involved.
Donate today to support the Bee a ChemE initiative.
Thank you to Lubrizol, whose generous support made it possible to launch AIChE’s Bee a ChemE K-12 STEM Ambassador Program at Texas A&M.
