Project IRRESISTIBLE kicks off in the Netherlands

This September, the Science LinX project IRRESISTIBLE kicked off with the creation of a Dutch ‘community of learners’, a group of teachers and specialists that will develop education modules for schools. The nine chemistry and biology teachers came to the first meeting in Zwolle from all over the country.

The science theme of the new modules is based on a research project from the Carbohydrate Competence Center , which carries out research into the effect of complex carbohydrates in breast milk on the development of a baby’s intestinal bacteria, and on ways to produce such carbohydrates for the enrichment of infant formula. In this research project, the University of Groningen and dairy company FrieslandCampina cooperate to apply fundamental scientific knowledge to the dairy industry.

In October, the teachers will attend a workshop on exhibit development organized by IRRESISTIBLE’s Portuguese partner. They will later visit the laboratory of Professor of Microbiology Lubbert Dijkhuizen at the University of Groningen, as well as the Science LinX science exhibition, followed by a visit to the FrieslandCampina factory in Beilen. Of course, a lot of time will also be spent on writing the new module, which should be ready for testing in schools throughout the country in the spring of 2015.

The schoolteachers will cooperate closely with Prof. Dijkhuizen, teacher educator in chemistry Jan Apotheker, Science LinX project manager Eva Teuling and food technologist Margriet Meijer of FrieslandCampina. The project aims to develop modules for use in biology and chemistry classes, as well as in ‘Nature, Life and Technology’ classes.