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Citation: Yafei Liu, Xinhua Xu, Hanshuang Xiao, Meichuan Liu, Huijie Shi, Meifen Wu. The ‘Kitchen Chemistry’ Course at MIT and Its Implications for General Chemistry Laboratory Courses[J]. University Chemistry, ;2026, 41(2): 429-434. doi: 10.12461/PKU.DXHX202502001 shu

The ‘Kitchen Chemistry’ Course at MIT and Its Implications for General Chemistry Laboratory Courses

School of Chemical Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China

Corresponding author: Meifen Wu, wumf@tongji.edu.cn
Received Date: 8 February 2025
Revised Date: 4 March 2025

The “Kitchen Chemistry” course at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is a unique and engaging program where students conduct cooking experiments to create edible and flavorful foods. In this course, cooking is regarded as one of the oldest and most widespread applications of chemistry, and recipes serve as the students’ experimental handouts. While performing experiments, students are not explicitly exposed to chemical education elements; instead, they acquire chemical knowledge related to cooking by reading research papers and consulting online resources after experiencing joy and satisfaction from cooking. As a result, the experimental component of this course remains highly appealing to students, and no advanced chemical laboratory skills are required. In contrast, general chemistry laboratory courses in Chinese universities often devolve into “simplified” versions of traditional chemistry experiments, ultimately leading to a lack of student interest. The MIT “Kitchen Chemistry” course, which integrates culinary culture throughout its design, establishes a distinct and cohesive theme, offering valuable insights for curriculum development in China.
- Kitchen chemistry,
- General education,
- Chemical experiment
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