Mixed culture: encouraging cross-disciplinary collaboration and communication to enhance learning

Purpose: Undergraduate microbiology or biology students are not likely to be acquainted with the deterioration of cultural heritage. However, the topic provides an excellent opportunity for students to bring their existing ‘non-scientific’ skills and knowledge (such as history, geography, art, photography, and textiles) together with applied microbiology in order to develop their learning. Methods: A lecture on microbiology and art was given to first-year undergraduate students, who were then set an assignment to investigate a topic of their choice linking the two subjects, illustrated by a creative output. Results: The assignment enabled students to demonstrate their creativity, use their different talents, and engage in new learning. It proved very successful as a tool for engaging and inspiring the students to study microbiology and be more explorative in subsequent years. Indeed, for final year studies, some students continued to work on their ‘art project’. Interdisciplinary collaborations and new learning for the author have been additional benefits of this education project, with many varied outputs, including an ‘Atlas of Biodeterioration’, produced by researchers in the field. Conclusion: Biodeterioration of cultural heritage provides a rich focus for the development of informative and innovative activities in an educational setting

Hands On Biofilm! A multidisciplinary public engagement event using kombucha tea pellicle as an accessible example of biofilm

Public engagement with science has become increasingly important for the scientific community. There are many documented public engagement events that focus on aspects of microbiology, but relatively few utilise biofilms as a topic, despite their importance. Kombucha tea pellicles are easy to grow biofilms, facilitating their use within the public domain as examples of these complex communities. The aim of this work was to deliver a public engagement event that introduced visitors to general concepts about biofilm, and applications around sustainability, using kombucha. The event encouraged visitors to: build a biofilm using model clay; inoculate kombucha tea cultures using different incubation conditions, as part of a citizen science experiment to assess impact on pellicle biofilm yield; create garments and drapes on mini-mannequins using dried kombucha pellicle fabric, and demonstrate the range and importance of fermented foods (including kombucha tea), and ‘good bacteria’. Quantitative and qualitative indicators of engagement were built into the activities. More than 1200 visitors, mainly in family groups, visited the event over a 4-h period. Knowledge of biofilms was low at the beginning of the event. Participation in all activities was high. Indicators of quantitative engagement were impressive, but it was difficult to obtain qualitative evidence other than observations from the delivery team (nineteen members) because of the intensity of the event and volume of visitors. The event was clearly successful in terms of fulfilment of aims, audience engagement and enthusiasm: the embedded evaluations helped to evidence the impact and reach of the event, enabling confidence in dissemination of good practice in the enhancement of public understanding of the importance of biofilm in general, and kombucha in particular

Effect of humidity and temperature on the survival of Listeria monocytogenes on surfaces.

Listeria monocytogenes is a pathogenic bacterium, with human disease and infection linked to dairy products, seafood, ready-to-eat meat and raw & undercooked meats. Stainless steel is the most common food preparation surface and therefore, it is important to understand how food storage conditions such as surface materials, temperature and relative humidity can affect survival of L. monocytogenes. In this study, survival of L. monocytogenes on stainless steel was investigated at three temperatures (4, 10 and 21°C), each approx. 11%, 50% and 85% humidity. Results indicate that the lower the temperature, the more cells were recovered in all three humidity environments, whilst medium humidity enhances survival, irrespective of temperature. Lower humidity decreases recovery at all temperatures. These data support the guidance noted above that humidity control is important, and that lower humidity environments are less likely to support retention of viable L. monocytogenes on a stainless steel surface

Developing textile sustainability education in the curriculum: pedagogical approaches to material innovation in fashion

The textile industry needs to adopt environmentally sustainable approaches to address ecologically damaging practices. Whilst driven by initiatives such as Textiles 2030, it is current students who will carry this agenda forward. This project investigated pedagogical approaches to develop sustainable textiles for the fashion design curriculum. Pilot studies, using bacterial cellulose (BC) as a material for millinery, revealed members of the public were prepared to experiment with this novel material, and BC was compatible with traditional hat-making techniques. A further study challenged secondary school students, based on an experiential learning model, to grow their own BC biofilm, exploring this as a sustainable apparel fabric. Initial attitudes of reluctance developed into acceptance once engaged in the practical activity. This study illustrates that with appropriate communication and education strategies, the principles of sustainability in fashion, and the acceptability of novel materials, can be engendered in different audiences