[Catalyst Eureka Issue 2 2018]

RICE
CATALYST
ISSUE
two
2017

LETTER FROM THE
EDITORS
Dear Reader,
Welcome to the second edition of Catalyst Eureka!
Over the past two years, Catalyst Eureka has grown from a small
group of Rice students interested in serving the community to
full-fledged outreach effort serving two schools in the Houston
area. Our goal has stayed the same: increasing scientific literacy
and communication in disadvantaged populations and giving
opportunities to achieving students to develop their writing and
communication skills. We began with a mentorship initiative for
seniors at Energy Institute High School, and we have expanded our
reach to guide students at Young Women’s College Preparatory
Academy (YWCPA).
This issue is the result of the hard work of eight groups of students
who worked tirelessly week after week with their mentors to perfect
their articles during the spring semester of 2017. In a testament to
the success of the program, 92% of students were confident in their
scientific writing skills after the program compared to 52% before
the program (as collected by a recent survey). Our students also felt
more confident in their ability to find credible sources, correctly cite
sources, outline a paper, and apply learned skills to future academic
scenarios.
This publication would not have been possible without the
collaboration of Lori Dunklin, the dedicated teacher at YWCPA that
allowed us to use class time to implement our program relating to
scientific communication development. We would like to also thank
the hard work of all the mentors who worked relentlessly with the
students, leaving a tangible impact on their personal and professional
aspirations. In addition, we would like to offer special thanks to the
Hilda and Hershel Rich Family Endowment grant for providing the
funding to make Eureka a reality, as well as the Rice Center for Civic
Leadership for their continued support of Catalyst.
We are proud of Catalyst Eureka’s progress this year and we are
excited for our expansion in the years to come! We are grateful to
all those who support Catalyst Eureka and its mission of making
scientific literacy accessible for all.
Mahesh Krishna and Sanket Mehta
Co-Presidents, Catalyst
STAFF
WRITERS
Brittany Alvarado
Jasmine Burrell
Casey Calixto
Rebecca Castelan
Alexis Castillo
Sequoia Cooke
Courtney Dubuclet
Andrea Garcia
Jennifer Garcia
Whisper Garrett
Diana Hernandez
Liliana Hernandez
Nadeen Hilou
Fallon Jones
Wendy Leal
Leah Lewis
Chelsea Lizcano
Jordan Lockridge
Sadie Randall
Jasmine Rocha
Cristal Rodriguez
Janet Santacruz
Ti'anna Smith
Tyria Stewart
Michelle Valdez
MENTORS
Samantha Chao
Natalie Danckers
Lin Guo
Jacqueline Locarno
Jacob Mattia
Alejandro Estrada Ramirez
Ajay Subramanian
Evelyn Syau
Matthew Wester
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE
young women' s college preparatory academy
1 | EUREKA

Table
3J. Hernandez
L. Hernandez
T. Smith
Cigarette's
Harmful effects
6
A.
Garcia
W. Leal
C. Rodriguez
M. Valdedz
fighting
forgotten baby
syndrome
11
S.
Cooke
R. Castelan
T. Stewart
Makeup
the cost of beauty
4
of
W. Garrett
N. Hilou
air pollution
in china
7B. Alvarado
C. Dubuclet
J. Rocha
J. Santacruz
stemming
from robotics
Burrell
Lockridge
F. Jones
13J.
Chews
Cont
ents
5
underwater
waste management
9
C. Lizcano
C. Calixto
A. Castillo
J. Garcia
L. Lewis
S. Randall
shattering
blemishes
EUREKA | 2

Cigarettes’ Harmful
Effects
By Diana Hernandez, Liliana Hernandez, and Ti'anna Smith
Icon by Freepik
Introduction/Background
Cigarette butts have negatively impacted
the environment, consisting of hazardous
chemicals that have damaged habitats
both in water and on land. About 4.3
trillion cigarette butts are carelessly
littered every year, composing 30% of total
garbage. 1 Such action has affected the
environment in several countries, polluting
lakes and oceans, harming the animals that
depend on those bodies of water. 1,2,3 Not
putting out a lit cigarette can cause severe
fires in several locations, most commonly
in forests. 1 In effect, frequent misuse use
of cigarettes can take the lives of both
animals and humans. 4 Cigarette butts
can release hazardous chemicals such
as cadmium, lead, and arsenic into the
environment that can cause fatal digestive
blockages when consumed by animals. 5
Substances within real tobacco cigarettes
and e-vaporizers can pose a hazardous
threat to the environment through their
battery charges, the main cause of vapor
explosions. Other electronic cigarettes
have even been known to cause small
explosions. The lithium ion batteries
found in vape pens and mods can explode
and cause severe injuries, 6 similar to the
disastrous effect of tobacco cigarettes
causing forest fires. In order to visualize the
effect cigarettes have on the environment,
we designed an experiment containing fish
and tobacco cigarettes. Goldfish were put
in a fish tank filled with water as a way to
represent their habitat, then a number of
cigarettes were put inside. We hypothesize
that if cigarette butts are littered in the
environment of fish, the environment
and subsequent health of the fish will be
negatively affected.
Methods
The experiment was to be held for a
duration of 2 weeks. In 4 containers
labeled A-D, 12 fish were distributed
evenly. Container A acted as the controlled
environment, containing 3 fish and 0
cigarettes. Containers B-D represented
the manipulated environments. They each
contained 4 fish along with a varying amount
of cigarettes. Container B had 3 cigarettes,
container C had 5, and container D had 10.
The fish in containers B-D were fed about
one teaspoon of fish food three times a day.
Their water was changed once every week.
Throughout the study, measures on their
health standards were taken. Health was
measured by looking into the amount the fish
ate and how fast or how slow they swam. The
constant variables in the experiment were the
number of fish in each container, the type of
container and how often we fed the fish.
Results
Results showed that many of the fish that
were used in the experiment were significantly
impacted by their manipulated environments,
proving the initial hypothesis. After the
2-week period, the fish in container A were
conclusively healthy according to the standards
of health established at the beginning of the
experiment. However, within container B, only
2 out of the 3 fish were completely healthy. In
container C, only 1 fish was swimming, eating,
and living normally. Lastly, in container D, all of
the fish had been affected only 9 days into the
experiment, exhibiting decreased standards of
health. It is likely that the increasing number
of cigarettes within the containers led to a
decreased health of the fish. Overall the fish
were greatly affected throughout the entire
experiment. They were affected notably in
how they ate, slept, and swam. Days after, the
results of the experiment were that all the
fish ended up severely sick, confirming the
hypothesis that if cigarette butts are thrown
away carelessly then the environment will be
negatively affected.
Conclusion/ Discussions
In comparing the results with the information
previously gathered, it can be concluded
that cigarettes have a major effect on the
environment, thus affecting animal life.
Although there were a few limitations in our
research projects concerning our topic, we
came to a conclusive result regarding the
cigarettes’ effect on the environment.
We proposed solutions that can at least
minimize environmental hazards, such as
finding an alternative form of cigarettes that
could be biodegradable and have little to no
effect on the environment. A proposal that
can reduce these fire hazards could be a new
product such as the safe-fire cigarette. 2 A
new vaporizer can replace the caffeine and
substances that present hazards to both the
smoker and the environmental. 7
Works Cited
[1] Quit Tobacco. How Does Smoking Hurt the
Environment? https://ucanquit2.org/Environment
(accessed Jan. 27, 2017).
[2] The Tobacco Atlas. Environmental Harm. http://
www.tobaccoatlas.org/topic/environmental-harm/
(accessed Jan. 27, 2017).
[3] Green, Nathan; The Environment vs. Cigarettes.
Quit Smoking Community. Nov. 27, 2013. https://
quitsmokingcommunity.org/the-environment-vscigarettes/
(accessed Jan. 27, 2017).
[4] PETA. Smoking Engangers Animals Too. March
7, 2009. https://www.peta.org/living/companionanimals/smoking-endangers-animals/
(accessed Jan.
27, 2017)
[5] Companion Animal Nutrition & Wellness Institute.
How Cigarettes and Smoking Impact Your Pets
Health. Sept. 17, 2009. http://healthypets.mercola.
com/sites/healthypets/archive/2009/09/17/howcigarettes-and-smoking-impact-your-pets-health.
aspx (accessed Jan. 27, 2017).
[6] Weisbaum, Herb; What’s Causing Some
E-Cigarette Batteries to Explode. NBCUniversal
News Group. March 8, 2016. http://www.nbcnews.
com/business/consumer/what-s-causing-some-ecigarette-batteries-explode-n533516
(accessed Jan.
27, 2017).
[7] Quit Smoking Community. Types of Vaporizers
https://quitsmokingcommunity.org/types-ofvaporizers/
(accessed Jan. 27, 2017).
Design by Evelyn Syau
3 | EUREKA

AIR POLLUTION
IN CHINA
and how we
can fix it
by Whisper Garrett and Nadeen Hilou
INTRODUCTION
Each day, 4400 people in China die
due to poor air quality. As the largest
consumer and producer of coal, China
has struggled for years to control its air
pollution problems. In Beijing, specifically,
air particles range from 50 to 450
micrograms per cubic meter. In contrast,
0 to 12 micrograms per cubic meter is
rated as good air quality. 1 As the amount
of coal burned in factories increases, more
micrograms of pollutants are released into
the air and this increased quantity can
penetrate the gas exchange region of the
lungs, 2 leading to asthma, elevated ozone
levels, chronic obstructive pulmonary
disease (COPD), and lung cancer. 3 Inhaling
small amounts of ozone can also lead to
lung irritations, coughing, pain in the chest,
and shortness of breath. Air purifiers offer
a potential solution to toxic air pollutants
and their detrimental effects.
BACKGROUND
The first idea of an air purifier type product
spans as far back as the 16th century.
Air respirators were often worn over a
person’s mouth and nose, filtering the
air that passed through and preventing
the wearer from breathing in any gases,
vapors, or harmful dust particles. In 1854,
John Stenhouse, a chemist and inventor
educated at Glasgow University, developed
a mask from a charcoal based filter. This
mask, which revolutionized the field of air
purification by removing more poisonous
gases than previous filtration masks could,
was primarily worn by coal miners 4 as
protection against black lung disease.
With coal constituting 75% of all energy
sources, 5 citizens of China are subject to
conditions similar to those of coal miners.
An estimated six million people in China are
dying from black lung disease and about
200,000 new cases are appearing every
year. 6 Building upon Stenhouse’s design,
an effective, low budget air purifier can be
designed to filter pollutants in China’s air
and help the citizens live healthier lives.
PRESENT TECHNOLOGY
Currently, the two common types of air
filters are the high-efficiency particulate air
(HEPA) filter and electrostatic precipitators.
HEPA filters are made from extremely fine
glass threads and the diameter of these
threads, which is less than a diameter of 1
micron, is 75 times less than the thickness
of human hair. The fine glass threads get
tangled together and when pressed, create
one layer of a filter mat; 1 out of 2,500
layers of glass threads can create a 1.10
in wide filter. The filter can then collect
particles down to a diameter of 0.3 microns,
which cannot even be seen by the human
eye. Electrostatic precipitators, which is the
second type of filter, create an electronic
charge that attracts dust particles that
pass through the plasma. Electrostatic
precipitators can collect particles with
diameters as small as 0.01 microns. 7
FILTER DESIGN
Plants, with their ability to produce oxygen
from carbon dioxide, also help purify air.
Oxygen is a crucial component to healthy
living because cells in the body require
oxygen to stay alive, so plants can also
be incorporated into the filter design.
To maximize plant growth, the shape
of the filter should be egg-like, with dirt
placed at the bottom. The plant that will
be inside the filter will be the peace lily
because it filters out many chemicals that
are found in Chinese homes. The design
will have a normal filter on the sides that
the air particles will first pass through.
The particles will then make their way to a
carbon filter, which will collect the particles.
The egg-shaped filter will have two wheels
on the side to increase mobility, as well a
fan powered by a battery compartment. It
will also have a side spinner that will allow
the filter to spin in circles.
DISCUSSION
With the growing population in China, more
children and adults are at risk of developing
or triggering existing asthma, and they are
also prone to developing COPD. Designing
an effective air filter can help minimize the
occurrence of asthma attacks and prevent
the development of COPD.
In the future, scientists will know more
about environment pollutants and further
understand how they impact the human
society. Technology that allows filters to
hover in the air, sense nearby furniture,
and operate without manual control
could help streamline the daily routines of
citizens. This research would increase the
effectiveness of the filter and ultimately,
improve the lives of citizens in China.
WORKS CITED
[1] Gao, George; As Smog Hangs over Beijing,
Chinese Cite Air Pollution as Major Concern. Pew
Research Center. Dec 10, 2015. (accessed April
18, 2017).
[2] Huang, Yanzhong’ Choking to Death: Health
Consequences of Air Pollution in China. The
Diplomat. March 6, 2013. (accessed April 18,
2017).
[3] How Air Pollution Contributes to Lung Disease.
2009. (accessed April 19, 2017).
[4] History of Respirators. Cambridge Mask.
March 26, 2016. (accessed April 18, 2017).
[5] Kan, Haidong, Bingheng Chen, and Chuanjie
Hong; Health Impact of Outdoor Air Pollution in
China: Current Knowledge and Future Research
Needs. National Institutes of Health. U.S.
Department of Health and Human Services. May
2009. (accessed April 18, 2017).
[6] Li, Victoria; Fighting China’s “Black Lung”
Tragedy. The World of Chinese. July 2, 2016.
(accessed April 19, 2017).
[7] Air Purifier. How Products Are Made. (accessed
April 18, 2017).
DESIGN BY Jessica Lee
EUREKA | 4

Underwater
W A S T E M A N A G E M E N T
While the world consists of many ongoing
problems, we cannot ignore the waste
constantly building up in our oceans.
Ocean ecosystems around the globe
are seeing detrimental effects from ocean waste.
Although there are many efforts to reduce our waste
input, such as recycling, we need additional solutions
to address the current buildup of waste. We strive
to reduce the waste accumulated in the world’s
gyres with an underwater waste retrieval drone. The
purpose of our research is to create an autonomous
machine that will be able to effectively collect underwater
waste. We created a portable machine that is
able to transport up to 3 lbs. of trash. This machine is
light enough to allow for effective macro and micro
waste removal in remote locations.
BACKGROUND
A gyre is a rotation of wind and currents which creates
a whirlpool effect. At the center, marine plastic debris
is collected. 1 There are five major ocean gyres, and
are all believed to contain plastic and persistent
organic pollutants. 2 These chemical compounds and
plastics are non-degradable, posing a threat to local
wildlife. Over five trillion pieces of plastic currently
litter the oceans, and more than 600 species are
negatively impacted by plastic. 3 They can ingest it or
become entangled in it, which can lead to illness and
death. Not only are marine animals and birds being
impacted, but humans are as well. When animals
consume these pollutants, they work their way up the
food chain through biomagnification. 4 This is linked to
human health problems ranging from food poisoning
to cancer. The Great Pacific Garbage Patch is estimated
to be twice the size of Texas. 1 This is only one of the
five gyres found in the oceans. They get bigger on
a daily basis due to the constant waste that enters
the oceans. Ecosystems found within the gyres are at
risk. Since the early 1970s, researchers have collected
plastic from beaches and oceans around the globe. 5 At
the International Pacific Research Center in Honolulu,
Maximenko and his colleagues have taken major
steps in understanding how marine debris travels the
oceans’ currents .6 He and his team have developed a
computer simulation that can project the behavior
of floating items at sea. By using drifter buoys
and satellite data, the model indicates how trash
accumulates in the oceans. Designers and engineers
have proposed marine drones and waterborne kites,
even huge artificial drains for the gyres. 7 While these
solutions help address some of the obvious dangers
of gyres, there are still massive challenge in the cost of
surveying and cleaning up micro plastic waste.
METHODOLOGY
The initial planning phase began with a design
which was three times the size of our final product.
The machine was large and strong enough to hold
approximately 3 pounds of trash, but it required
many building materials, which is why a smaller
design was implemented. This resulted in a machine
that was unable to suitably hold the necessary
components for piloting the device. In the third trial,
a machine was developed with symmetrical parts and
a section dedicated for the electronics. This design
ended up being ideal, as it allowed our machine to
be able to collect underwater trash and still return it
to the surface effectively. The robot mainly focuses
on targeting the waste that is in the ocean and
disposing of it properly, so the ocean will not accrue
more toxins. First, the vehicle frame of the robot with
was developed with cut pipes and elbows. Holes
were drilled into specific locations of the pipes to
allow water to be drained. A payload net was added
to the bottom to aid in picking up trash. Motors
were mounted to help the robot move underwater.
Ultrasonic motors help to detect the trash in the the
robot’s trajectory 10.
We strive to
reduce the waste
accumulated in the
world’s gyres
with an underwater
waste retrieval drone.
RESULTS
While the device worked effectively for the situations
provided, some improvements are needed to make
it applicable in an ocean setting. Small vehicles are
more dependent of the environment and currents
can easily deviate them away from their desired path.
For future references, measurement of the readings
of the global flow speed should be incorporated into
the vehicle’s navigational system to compensate for
the currents. This technology should avoid turbulent
and obstruction by objects. In twenty years, we hope
to reduce the environmental footprint as a whole.
We hope to implement these underwater remote
operated vehicles to aid in ocean waste management.
It should be sustainable at a low cost and also
capture micro plastics. It would consists of a platform
with a story hull and processing equipment, liked a
shredder, on a solar-powered deck. The plastic would
be shipped to land, where it can be converted into
energy or recycled. Our goal for the underwater robot
is to remove waste entering oceans, limiting the Great
Pacific Garbage Patch.
DISCUSSION
The massive challenge in cleaning up the ocean’s
trash is the cost and microplastics. 5 Our design is
significantly smaller and more cost effective than
current surveying machines, and with minimal
alteration, it would be suitable for collecting micro
plastics as well. The National Atmospheric and
Oceanic Administration has estimated it would take
68 ships an entire year to survey just 1 percent of the
North Pacific 7 . Additionally, ocean activist Charles
Moore estimates that to clean all five garbage patches,
1,000 boats would need to filter the water 24 hours
a day for 79 years, and that’s only if the technology
catches up 12 . Using our more cost-effective design, the
effort to clean up ocean gyres would be substantially
improved.
CONCLUSION
In conclusion, underwater waste is still increasing
and the proposed solution from the underwater
robot can minimize this problem. With the problems
between chemical compounds and non degradable
microplastics. We currently have three major goals to
accomplish: the ability to hold large amounts of trash
and still operate successfully, be big enough to hold
the trash, and still move while underwater.
WORKS CITED
[1] Sue, Caryl; Great Pacific Garbage Patch.
National Geographic, Sept. 29, 2014. http://www.
nationalgeographic.org/encyclopedia/great-pacificgarbage-patch/
(accessed April 18, 2017).
[2] National Ocean Service. Surface Ocean Currents;
March 28, 2008, 3-4. http://oceanservice.noaa.gov/
education/kits/currents/05currents3.html (accessed April
18, 2017).
[3] The Ocean Cleanup. The Largest Cleanup in History;
2017. https://www.theoceancleanup.com/ (accessed
April 18, 2017).
[4] Takada, Hideshige; Microplastics and the Threat to our
Sea Food. Ocean Health Index, May 10, 2014. http://www.
oceanhealthindex.org/news/Microplastics (accessed April
18, 2017)
[5] Krieger, Anja; Why Innovative Tech Solutions to Clean
Up Oceanic Plastic Trash Are Simply Not Enough. Alternet,
Feb. 25, 2016. http://www.alternet.org/environment/whyinnovative-tech-solutions-clean-oceanic-plastic-trashare-simply-not-enough
(accessed April 18, 2017)
[6] International Pacific Research Center Russian Ship
Encounters Tsunami Debris [online], December 2011;
pp. 14-15 http://iprc.soest.hawaii.edu/newsletters/iprc_
climate_vol11_no2.pdf (accessed April 18, 2017)
[7] Krieger, Anja. What Will it Take to Get Plastics Out
of the Ocean. Green Voice. March 2016 pp. 10 http://
cmsenvis.nic.in/qnewsletter/2016_Jan_Mar.pdf (accessed
April 18, 2017)
[8] National Ocean Service. What are Microplastics?; June
27, 2016
[9] Nurlansa, Osiany, Dewi Anisa Istiqomah, and
Mahendra Astu Sanggha Pawitra. AGATOR (Automatic
Garbage Collector) as Automatic Garbage Collector
Robot Model. International Journal of Future Computer
and Communication [online] October 5, 2014 http://
www.ijfcc.org/papers/329-CS3004.pdf (accessed April
18, 2017)
[10] Kavanaugh, Catherine. Study: Cleaning Ocean Plastic
Now Will Catch Big Pieces before They Degrade. Plastics
News [online] August 25, 2015 http://www.plasticsnews.
com/article/20150825/NEWS/150829953/study-cleaningocean-plastic-now-will-catch-big-pieces-before-theydegrade
(accessed April 18, 2017)
DESIGN BY Sahana Prabhu
Icons and Images from Icons8 and Pixabay
Fonts from GoogleFonts and Makerbook
5 | EUREKA

INTRODUCTION
BABY
STILL
ON
BOARD
FIGHTING
FORGOTTEN
BABY SYNDROME
by Andrea Garcia, Wendy Leal,
Cristal Rodriguez, & Michelle Valdez
Introduction
Forgotten Baby Syndrome describes the
psychological phenomenon describing a
parent walking away from their car without
realizing that their child was left behind.
Unfortunately, each year, many families
experience the death of a child by heat
stroke due to Forgotten Baby Syndrome
(FBS). This issue is very relevant today with
were twenty-five deaths in 2015 and thirtynine
in 2016. [1] Background
Physiologically, children are far more
likely to experience heat exhaustion than
adults because their bodies have fewer
sweat glands and thus are unable to
adapt quickly to temperature changes .
[2]
When heat exhaustion is not quickly
treated, it can escalate to a heat stroke
and eventually death. This can occur when
internal body temperature reaches at least
104°F. Heat stroke is extremely serious
on its own, with potential to cause shock,
brain damage, and even organ failure.
Methodology
The HSPS will have two components: the
seat and the key fob. The seat will have
a pressure sensor situated under the
padding so that it will not interfere with
the child’s usual activities and also will not
make the seat uncomfortable. The key fob
will be slightly bigger than an average key,
a little over two inches long, a little under
an inch wide, and half an inch thick. It will
have different types of features built in to
warn parents, including vibration, flashing
lights, and a loud alarm. The reason for
having multiple types of responses on the
key fob is so that the seat can be offered
to a wide audience, including parents
with disabilities such as deafness. All
three responses will be triggered if the
child is left behind. This is based on two
conditions, the first being pressure applied
to the seat and the second that the key
fob is out of range of the car (around five
meters away). Each component of the
HSPS will be powered by a small battery,
because batteries are easily replaceable,
affordable, and able to work without
regular charging.
Discussion
The proposed Heat Stroke Prevention
Seat is not the only device that is designed
to help and protect children from dying
of heat strokes. Jim Friedman and Fadi
Shamma, two dads from Tampa, Florida
created another solution named Sense-
A-Life in order to make sure parents do
not forget to check their child’s car seat.
[3]
Their device uses a sensor pad system.
One of the pads is placed under the child’s
car or booster seat and the other is placed
under the driver’s seat. The second sensor
detects when the driver’s door is opened.
When the door is open it alerts the person
by playing out the message, “Please
remove the child from the seat”. It also
sends an alert via an app to the driver’s
phone. After two minutes if the child is not
removed from the car seat it sends a text
message to emergency contacts. While this
device and other concepts are similar in
several ways, they lack the same simplicity
and accessibility. [4] The HSPS improves on
this idea by removing the phone from the
system and replacing it with a component
that is attached to the car keys. This
removes the possibility of leaving the
phone behind along with the child
(removing the possibility for an alert) and
also extends its use to anyone who is not
comfortable working with a smartphone.
Conclusion
This device would reduce the burden on
parents who are at risk for forgetting their
children in several important ways. First, it
would provide the key fob as a dependable
physical reminder that can be attached
along with other keys. Second, it can work
in the absence of any other technology
or network connectivity. This would be
an improvement over current devices
that rely on other technology and would
expand the number of potential users.
Finally, its simple and reliable low-cost
design would reduce the requirements
for caretakers to successfully operate this
technology, making it simpler and more
accessible. These characteristics would
allow this device to greatly reduce the
number of child heatstroke deaths.
Works Cited
[1] McLaren, Catherine, Jan Null, and James
Quinn; “Heat Stress From Enclosed Vehicles:
Moderate Ambient Temperatures Cause
Significant Temperature Rise in Enclosed
Vehicles.” Pediatrics 116.1 (2005): e109.
Web.
[2] Schmitt, Barton D.; Heat Exposure and
Reactions. Seattle Children’s Hospital.
Sept. 1, 2012. (accessed May 2017).
[3] Sense a Life | Child Saving Smart
Technology. Sense a Life | Child
Saving
Smart Technology. (accessed May
2017).
[4] Network, Lori Grisham; Widely
Endorsed Device to Prevent Hot
Car Deaths Remains Elusive. USA
Today. Gannett Satellite
Information Network. Aug. 1,
2014.
(accessed May 2017).
DESIGN BY
Priscilla Li
EUREKA | 6

STEMming
FROM ROBOTICS
STEMming
by Brittany Alvarado,
Courtney Dubuclet,
Jasmine Rocha, Janet
Santacruz
ABSTRACT
There are many careers that do and will require
STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and
Mathematics) related skills. However, there are
not enough people qualified to fill the demand
for these positions. Exposing students to STEM in
school at an early age will increase the interest in
pursuing STEM related careers in the future. One
way of introducing younger students to STEM is
through robotics classes in school. In our study
we surveyed 125 students in sixth through eighth
grade to determine if they had taken a robotics
class already and if their interest in having a
STEM career had changed as a result of taking
the robotics class. With our survey, we found
a statistically significant correlation between
previous enrollment in a robotics class and an
interest in pursuing a future career in STEM.
INTRODUCTION
Science, technology, math, and engineering are
fields of study that have exploded in the last
few decades. With the surfacing of plentiful
job opportunities across numerous fields and
careers, the need for qualified employees
must be addressed. The President’s Council of
Advisors on Science and Technology states, “the
United States would need to increase its yearly
production of undergraduate STEM degrees by 34
percent over current rates to match the demand
forecast for STEM professionals.” 1 However, not
enough students are receiving the education
in STEM fields that would ultimately prepare
students for technical careers. Many K-12 schools
in the United States have yet to include STEMspecific
subjects in their curriculum.
The public education system is rigorous and
integrating robotics into a curriculum is difficult,
but many teachers try to integrate robotics into
their class while following regulations. In a review
of scholarly articles focused on how robotics
could be used in schools as a learning tool, results
show the effectiveness of robotics as a teaching
tool and discuss the future of educational
robotics. 2 The review looked at different studies
and compared their purposes, content, how
robotics have helped enhance learning in most
cases, and the results. The article investigates a
way to integrate STEM in the curriculum through
interesting but practical applications. These
methods can also be used for future teachers to
perhaps change the teaching standards.
Bringing engineering into K-12 classrooms will
require modifications of programs for teachers of
science and mathematics. 3 This can be addressed
by teaching teachers engineering concepts and
demonstrating how they can integrate these
concepts into the classroom. There are two
suggested ways to bring engineering to schools:
have a class specifically for engineering or integrate
engineering into the overall curriculum. 3 Both of
these approaches could work, but there are issues
that come with each approach. The pressure
to implement academic content standards and
associated high-stakes statewide assessments were
barriers to the degree to which science instruction
and the curriculum can be modified. Furthermore,
teachers have to have certain qualifications in order
to observe the quality of teaching.
Bringing engineering into
K-12 classrooms will require
modications of programs for
science and math teachers.
Increasing interest in STEM is becoming more
common is STEM and Magnet schools. The
impact of robotics and the technologies of
the area in middle school learning and their
attitudes toward learning STEM. In one study of
STEM learning, one group of students attended
a 40 hour STEM camp, while the other group of
students attended a similar 3-hour STEM camp. 4
The researchers found that the longer the camp
was, the more the students learned; however
the group who attended the shorter camp had a
greater improvement in attitude and motivation
towards STEM-related fields. The results also
demonstrated that the camps increased STEM
learning and problem solving skills in students.
These results help show the importance of
robotics classes in impacting students learning
STEM.
Robotics may have an impact on performance
in school the impact of science and technology
curriculum with robotics on students ages of 9-11
in an after-school program. 5 The study compared,
using STEM evaluations, the scores of students
before the program and the scores of students
after the program. The results showed an
increase in scores after the program. The study
demonstrates how programs with technology
and robotics help improve students’ test scores,
ultimately benefiting the school overall. “LEGO”
7 | EUREKA

has your interest in a stem
career changed since the start
of your robotics class?
40
30
20
10
if you haven’t taken a robotics
class, how do you feel about
stem?
60
45
30
15
0
no a little yes
0
like it indifferent don’t like it
currently not past
training, a form of robotics training, also
affects performance in school. 6 It is thought
that knowledge is better constructed by
active learning, so the researchers applied
a logistics model to their data to observe
whether the “LEGO” training improved
performance skills. Preliminary studies
showed that those more inclined to math
were more likely to learn from the “LEGO”
training, eventually performing better in
school. 6 This demonstrates that robotics
can significantly affect the performance
of students with predetermined interests
in STEM, like math, after establishing an
interest in STEM subjects, it is important to
continue to engage students with robotics
to increase performance.
METHODS
The survey was conducted via Google
Forms, consisting of 8 questions asking
about the student’s grade level, their
favorite subject, whether they were
interested in STEM, and if they have
taken a robotics class and if that changed
their views on having a STEM career in
the future. The survey was sent to 11
middle schools in central Houston. It
was distributed by the instructor of the
Scientific Research and Design class at
Young Women’s College Preparatory
Academy. In total, there were 125
responses and the students had 3 months
to respond. To organize the collected data,
a t-test was conducted to compare the
interest in STEM of students who had taken
a robotics course and those who hadn’t.
RESULTS
The survey showed that 66 of the 125
middle school students had either taken
or were currently taking a robotics class
like STEM. Out of the students who had
not taken a robots class, 22 students
liked STEM. Twenty-five of the students
who took a robotics class either felt
indifferent or didn’t like STEM. Twelve of
the students who had not taken the class
either felt indifferent or didn’t like STEM.
Students who took the robotics class were
significantly more likely to like STEM than
those who hadn’t (t = 3.535, p < .05).
Twenty-nine of the students who had
taken a robotics class either in the past
or currently reported that their interest in
STEM changed while 22 students said it
had stayed the same. Out of the students
who had not taken a robotics class, 3
reported that their interest in STEM had
changed while 19 said their interest had not
changed. Students who took the robotics
class were significantly more likely to have
increased interest in STEM compared to
Offering a robotics course
would help students figure
out what career they want to
pursue at a young age.
those who hadn’t (t = 3.865, p < .05).
DISCUSSION
By doing this project we can give an insight
to teachers and parents on how to get
their student or child interested in a STEM
career. Offering a robotics course would
help students figure out what career they
want to pursue at a young age, and what
classes they need to take to achieve that
goal. Our study supported the findings
of previous studies which showed that
when younger students take STEM-related
courses they’re more likely to be interested
in STEM and pursue a STEM related career.
The study conducted at present did
include various flaws. The survey had
wording that may have been difficult for
middle school students to understand and
interpret; many subjects surveyed didn’t
seem to understand the questions. The
sample of students was also not entirely
representative: one of the school’s surveys
was an all girls school, which may have
impacted the results. We also could have
used a different survey format, since some
of the questions we asked the students
would answer them even though they
didn’t need to. For example, we had a
question that was specifically for students
that haven’t taken robotic classes and
students that did take them or is currently
taking them still answered the question.
Having a different survey format would
provide us with more accurate data.
Future studies could include an exploration
of how STEM classes affect middle school
students and their future career choices.
These studies could analyze whether there
is a gender difference in STEM interest for
robotics students. By knowing the gender
of the students taking the survey it would
help teachers in co-ed schools learn how
to get their students male or female into
STEM. This would increase the number of
students that want to have a STEM career
in the future as well as make sure equal
numbers of boys and girls are involved in
early STEM learning.
WORKS CITED
[1] Xue Y & Larson R.C, STEM crisis or
STEM surplus? Yes and yes, Monthly Labor
Review. Bureau of Labor Statistics. United
States Department of Labor, 2015
[2] Benitti , Computer & Education 2011,
58(3), 978-988.
[3] Rockland et. al, The Journal of
Technology Studies 2010, 36, 1.
[4] Nugent et al., Journal of Research on
Technology in Education 2014, 42(4), 391-
408.
[5] Barker & Ansorge, Journal of Research
on Technology in Education 2014, 39(3),
229-243.
[6] Hussain et.al , Journal of Educational
Technology & Society 2006, 9(3), 182-194.
DESIGN BY Katrina Cherk
EUREKA | 8

SHATTERING BLEMISHES:
THE SKIN ANALYZING MIRROR
By Alexis Castillo, Jennifer Garcia, Leah Lewis, Sadie Randall
Abstract
One problem associated with the treatment
of acne is the overuse of treatment products.
Despite brands that create products to
treat certain skin problems, overuse of acne
products occurs, which leads to increased
irritation of the skin. Acne is a problem, not
only because of skin health, but because it
can result in low-self esteem or depression
caused by a negative perception of one’s body
image. In addition, teens who suffer from
acne know which product ingredients are best
suited to treat their skin conditions, and how
much to use. This problem resulted in the
theoretical design of the Skin Analyzing Mirror
(SAM), to better treat acne among teenagers
and to not only improve skin health, but also
mental health.
Introduction
Acne is a common skin problem faced by both
children and adults. About 70%-80% of all
people experience acne during their lifetime. 1
Several factors which cause mild, moderate,
or severe acne are clogged hair follicles,
irregular hormone levels, and bacteria.
For the treatment of this acne, common
ingredients such as retinol and benzoyl
peroxide are often used in topical treatments,
or oral antibiotics in severe cases. 2 Teenagers
ages 11-18 years old are the primary audience
for this research due to the higher hormone
imbalance and higher amount of physical
activity at those ages. 3
Background
Causes of Acne
Though there are many factors that cause
acne, the two main causes are hormonal
imbalances and clogged hair follicles that
become clogged with oil and dead skin cells. 3
Hair follicles are connected to oil glands,
which secrete sebum, an oily substance
that lubricates hair and skin, and are highly
concentrated on the face, neck, chest, back
and shoulders. 3 When the body produces
an excess amount of sebum and dead
skin cells, the two can build up in the hair
follicles. They form a soft plug, creating an
environment where bacteria can thrive. If
the clogged pore becomes infected with
bacteria, inflammation results. Blockages
and inflammation that develop deep inside
hair follicles produce cyst-like lumps beneath
the surface of your skin. 3 Caused by bacteria
that lives on the skin, acne comes to life due
to the oil produced by hormones, “Our skin’s
oils are a wonderful environment for acne
bacteria to thrive in, unfortunately,” says Dr.
Robert Anolik, clinical assistant professor
of dermatology at the New York University
School of Medicine. Add dead skin cells,
dirt, and stress that can cause further oil
production, irritation from everything from
diet to skin products, and a breakout is going
to result. 4
Acne is a problem, not only
because of skin health, but
because it can result in lowself
esteem or depression
caused by a negative
perception of one’s
body image.
Types of Acne
There are three main categories that
dermatologists use to define the severity
of one’s acne: mild, moderate, and severe. 1
After identifying the severity of the patients
acne, using how much skin is infected and
the type of acne the patient has, it is easier
for dermatologist to determine which facial
products would work best for their patient. 1
To treat mild acne, benzoyl peroxide,
retinoids, or other typical treatments are
used. 5 Benzoyl peroxide cleans pores and
is an antibacterial; however, overuse of this
ingredient can cause dry skin. Retinoids,
derivatives of Vitamin A, reduce inflammation
and acne scars. Overuse can lead to skin
irritation such as redness, burning, and
peeling of the skin. 6 For the treatment of
moderate acne, a combination of benzoyl
peroxide and retinoids are often used. 2
Lastly, for severe acne, a combination of oral
antibiotics, benzoyl peroxide, retinoids, and
sometimes topical antibiotics are used. 5 Over
$1 billion is spent on acne products annually,
yet 40% of acne sufferers have found that
their condition has not improved.This shows
that a more effective solution to treating acne
must be found.
Methodology
To help the treatment of acne among
teenagers and young adults, the Skin
Analyzing Mirror (SAM), a smart mirror that
will be able to scan skin tissue to detect
blemishes on and beneath the skin, and
prescribe the appropriate products for
treatment was designed. Resulting in the
elimination of the effects of acne. 7 Facial
Recognition technology will be used in the
SAM to recognize the different types of
acne that are present in the face. When the
mirror is scanning the face, there are certain
focal points that the mirror will recognize. 8
The use of Deep Face Program is needed
in SAM. Deep Face Program is used to
recognize the face as a whole; the mirror will
have to know where each physical feature
is located. 9 By recognizing multiple photos
of the individual’s features, the mirror will
recognize their specific facial structure. The
use of a smart mirrors is a new technology
that hasn’t been fully introduced. Panasonic
created a smart mirror that can point out
wrinkles, redness, pores, and sun damage. 10
After the mirror points out the blemishes, it
will suggest cosmetic for goalducts that can
help diminish acne within the skin. Our mirror
will point out pores mostly because, SAM.
will provide the correct prescriptions based
on the acne conditions that are present. is to
help those that suffer primarily from pimples,
whiteheads, blackheads, scars, and dark
spots.
9 | EUREKA

Results/Findings
With the Skin Analyzing Mirror, teenagers
nationwide will be able to regain control of
their acne. SAM will be able to grant teens
quick and easy access to solve their personal
acne situation. This more easily accessible
prescription method will relieve the stress
that accompanies acne for teenagers.
Discussion
Over the course of this project, research
was gathered by dividing different topics
amongst a team. The different topics
assigned to each member were: causes of
acne, diagnosis of acne, acne treatments,
and the technology behind our design.
As information was gathered, academic
journals and papers regarding the different
forms of acne, statistics concerning those
who are affected by acne, and available
treatment were evaluated. With future
technological advancements by companies
and manufacturers, SAM can go beyond
application solely in the cosmetics area,
and reach the medical field, such as to aid
in identifying skin cancer by screening for
tumors. The Skin Analyzing Mirror could also
be able to scan a person’s face, and allow
users to select the area they wish to change
for plastic surgery. Then, by accessing a
database of images, they would be able to
select a desired look and have SAM. display
an image of the predicted results of the
surgery. In addition, our smart mirror could
be useful in the treatment of burn victims.
Conclusion
Overall, there are multiple characterizations
of acne, that many teenagers face. Whether
they suffer from mild, moderate, or severe
acne, oral antibiotics or topical treatments
which include retinol, salicylic acid, or benzoyl
peroxide are usually prescribed. Because over
using these products, or use of the incorrect
product for the different acne conditions
can worsen them, the theoretical design of
the Skin Analyzing Mirror can prevent this
problem and better treat acne. Acne is within
a large market base of companies in the
United States which the mirror is targeted
towards, this technology can become a
possibility.
Work Cited
[1] Eichenfield, L. F. et al. J. Amer. Acad.
Pediatrics. 2013. Vol. 131, S163-S186 http://
pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/
pediatrics/131/Supplement_3/S163.full.pdf
(Accessed March 01, 2017)
[2] Dawson, A. L.; Dellavalle, R. P. Brit. Med. J.
2013. Vol. 346, No. 7907, 30-33. http://www.
jstor.org.libaccess.hccs.edu:2048/stable/
pdf/23494950.pdf (Accessed Feb. 28, 2017)
[3] Bethesda, MD, What is Acne, U.S.
Department of Health and Human Services
Public Health Service, 2014, 1-3
[4] “Differin Gel: An Over-the-Counter
Retinoid for Acne.” What Is Acne? Know the
Enemy. N.p., 10 Mar. 2017. Web. 04
Apr. 2017.
[5] Purdy, S.; Berker, D. Brit.
Med. J. 2006. Vol. 333, No.
7575, 949 - 953, http://
www.jstor.org.libaccess.
hccs.edu:2048/stable/
pdf/40700752.pdf
(Accessed March
01, 2017)
[6] Schlosser, B.
J. Amer. Acad.
Dermatology.
Hormonal
factors
key to
understanding acne in women 2016.
https://www.aad.org/media/newsreleases/hormonal-factors-key-tounderstanding-acne-in-women
(Accessed
March 16, 2017)
[7] Maddin, S. (Ed.). (2004, Aug. & Sept.).
Skin Therapy Letter.skintherapyletter.com
Retrieved March 27, 2017, from http://www.
skintherapyletter.com/download/stl_9_7.pdf
[8] Author. M. Seema and C. Saurabh [Online]
2016, Vol 4 Issue 8, pg. 5778. (accessed March
23, 2017).
[9] Taigman, Y. Yang, M. Ranzato, M.A.
DeepFace: Closing the Gap to Human-Level
Performance in Face Verification https://
www.cs.toronto.edu/~ranzato/publications/
taigman_cvpr14.pdf
[10] Hua, K. Panasonic’s New Smart
Mirror Shows You Your Flaws and Helps
You Fix Them. Forbes. October 7, 2016
DESIGN BY Kaitlyn Xiong
EUREKA | 10

MAKEUP
THE COST
OF BEAUTY
by Sequoia Cooke,
Rebecca Castelan,
and Tyria Stewart
INTRODUCTION
This article examines the correlation
between makeup and skin cancer and
makeup’s potentially harmful on skin.
We hypothesize that if selected brands
of makeup are placed on a variety of
preserved skin cells, deleterious effects
can be observed. Based off the short term
consequences, the long term effects can
be estimated. Ultimately, the question
“What are the short and long term effects
of makeup on skin and how does that
eventually lead to cancer?” remains to be
answered.
BACKGROUND
In 4000 BCE, Egyptian women began to
apply galena mesdemet, (a mix of copper
and lead ore) and malachite (green paste
of copper minerals) to their face for color.
A combination of burnt almonds, oxidized
copper, different-colored ores, lead, ash,
and ochre became what is called kohl, a type
of eyeliner used to adorn the eyes. From
the beginning of cosmetics, makeup was
comprised of toxic chemicals.
The Chinese stained their fingernails with
gum, gelatin, beeswax, and egg in 3000 BCE
to represent social status. Around these
time women from Greece began to paint
their faces with white lead and used crushed
mulberries as rogue. Oxen hair was used to
apply fake eyebrows, an unsanitary exercise.
Grecian women soon began to apply chalk
or lead as a face powder and a lipstick
developed out of ochre clays laced with red
iron in 1000 BCE. It was after 100 AD that
the more proper, early version of cosmetics
arrived.
Makeup of Elizabethan England prevented
proper circulation and posed as a serious
threat to the health of society women.
Throughout the Renaissance in Europe, only
those of the aristocratic class in 1400 - 1500
AD were allowed the use of cosmetics. Italy
and France began to emerge as the main
centers of cosmetic manufacturing, where
in some instances arsenic was placed in face
powder instead of lead.
In 1500 - 1600 AD, European women wore
white lead paint in order to lighten their
11 | EUREKA

complexion, following the example set by
Queen Elizabeth I of England. Blonde hair
rose in popularity, and mixtures of black
sulphur, alum, and honey were created and
placed in the hair.
During the 19th and early 20th century, zinc
oxide became a widely used facial powder,
replacing the previous toxic combinations of
lead and copper. A certain mixture of white
lead was later discovered to be deadly and
blamed for facial tremors, muscle paralysis,
and death.
In 1900 AD society pressured women,
especially middle-aged women, to appear
as young as possible. Cosmetic use was
a popular, albeit shameful, method of
achieving such beauty. As a result salons
increased in popularity, although most
women entered through the back door to
receive patronage.
Furthermore, many articles highlight
the correlation between makeup and its
detrimental effects on skin, such as creating
acne and harm after continuous wear.
The American Cancer Society associates
cosmetics with carcinogen. 1 Exposure to
cancerous substances can occur through
absorption, ingestion or inhalation.
Carcinogens interact with your DNA and
can alter the rate of cell division. 2 This could
increase the abnormal DNA synthesis and
result in cancer. These same carcinogens
are not only found in the makeup but also
in pesticides and tobacco. Everyday items
such as toothpaste, shampoos, conditioner,
deodorant, and house cleaning products
may also include the chemicals ‘PEG’ and
‘-eth’ 3 , which can lead to cancer in the long
run.
METHODS
Due to its similarity to human skin and
its use in other studies, pig skin was used
as a replacement for human skin. Age of
makeup ranged from new to nine years old,
with various brands. Two pounds of pigskin
was obtained from a local meat market.
Sanitation materials were collected and
used to sanitize the work station and rid
any preexistent bacteria. The pigskin was
then cut into 2x2 in squares, large enough
to apply adequate amounts of makeup but
small enough to place in containers and
create more trials. Strips were placed into
large containers and brought into a cool and
shaded room, where they were observed
twice a day. Data would be collected two
days from initial experiment to allow
bacteria to fester and grow.
“...articles
highlight the
correlation
between makeup
and its
detrimental
effects on
skin...
Everyday
items...may
also include
the chemicals
‘PEG’ and
‘-eth’, which
can lead to
cancer in the
long run.”
RESULTS
Pig skin spoiled on the morning of the
second day, and was thrown away.
Observations and analysis were unable
to take place, and resulted in fruitless
replacements for skin-like materials. Data
and previous research showed the oldest
eyeliner/mascara, lipstick, and foundation (in
said order) theoretically would have caused
the most harm on one’s skin. Mascara and
eyeliner are directly placed one one’s eye,
a sensitive organ where aged makeup can
cause bacterial infections and later on,
cancer.
DISCUSSION
Findings were inconclusive, due to the
spoiling of the pig skin and improper
refrigeration. For future trials, a reevaluation
of our methods has led to the
approximation of 8 - 12 hours for future
trials, to stimulate the average person
wearing makeup in a day. Errors included
the amount of time we set the stimulated
skin in contact with the makeup, proper
labeling, and an unfit observation timeline.
CONCLUSION
While the experiment itself yielded no
practical results, based on our initial
research, we have come to the conclusion
that prolonged exposure to old makeup will
be harmful for skin. Prior research indicates
that older makeup is more prone to bacteria
than newer makeup, and will therefore be
more likely to damage the skin.
WORKS CITED
[1] American Cancer Society. Cosmetics. May
28, 2014. https://www.cancer.org/cancer/
cancer-causes/cosmetics.html (accessed
January 26, 2017).
[2] WebMD. Skin Cancer: Melanoma,
Basal Cell and Squamous Cell Carcinoma.
September 30, 2016. http://www.webmd.
com/melanoma-skin-cancer/melanomaguide/skin-cancer
(accessed January 26,
2017).
[3] Noble, Brittany; Dermatologist says
certain
makeup ingrediaents may cause cancer.
NBC 25 News. October 27, 2011 http://
nbc25news.com/news/local/dermatologistsays-certain-makeup-ingredients-may-causecancer
(accessed January 26, 2017).
DESIGN BY Juliana Wang
Images from openclipart & clipartbarn
EUREKA | 12

CHEWS
PAIN RELIEF
MADE
ACCESSIBLE
BY JASMINE BURRELL, JORDAN LOCKRIDGE, & FALLON JONES
Until now, the support for individuals
who struggle with swallowing pain
relievers was non-existent. Chews
helps individuals who cannot swallow pills,
offering an alternative of a gummy pain
reliever rather than large pill. Despite there
being other gummy alternatives, such as
vitamins, there has never been an alternative
way to take pain relievers. 1 This problem has
negatively impacted adults and children who
are unwilling, or physically unable to swallow
traditional pills. The team’s hypothesis is
that a gummy form of a pain reliever is more
efficient compared to the tablet form. The
overall goal of Chews is to bring support and
help make pain easier to control.
Finding the top pain relievers, which pain
relievers were able to be crushed, and
figuring out how to actually create a gummy
was the beginning of our research. Finding
alternative forms of medicine delivery was
the first avenue that was examined to figure
out if making a gummy pain reliever was
the best option for our project. The team
also found out what was the best process
for making a candy like gummy 2 and how to
make sure that the medicine is distributed
evenly throughout the gummy and eventually
throughout the bloodstream. 3 The conclusion
was made that the best way to distribute the
medication would be to mix the powdered
form with gummies before they were set.
After several failed experiments regarding
the texture of the pain reliever, the shelf
life of the pain reliever, and the density of
the reliever there was finally a successful
experiment. The best way to create the pain
reliever is to dissolve the crushed medication
in the gelatin mixture. After finding out that
only certain medicines can be crushed, the
team figured out what medicines to use
to test the gummies. The medicines that
were decided to be used for the project
were Ibuprofen, Naproxen Sodium, and
Acetaminophen. The initial experiment that
was created required only flavored gelatin,
crushed pills, and lego molds.
Unfortunately, this was not an effective
process since the resulting gummy pain
relievers were sticky, grainy, and falling apart.
To make the initial batch it was thought that
we could create a regular gelatin recipe and
then add the crushed medications at the
end however, that was not the case. It was
observed that just using flavored gelatin
alone would not allow the gummies to set
up as had hoped and our methods had
to change. For the second batch of pain
relievers, unflavored gelatin was added to the
recipe. Using this gelatin in the second batch
of pain relievers resulted in significantly
better gummies than the first batch because
they were not grainy nor sticky to the touch.
The second batch of pain relievers were firm,
colorful and similar to legos.
Chews is an innovative
type of technology
that will change the
lives of the millions of
Americans that cannot
currently swallow pills.
The next trial found that dissolving the
medicine in the heated gelatin solution
worked for removing the grittiness of the
pain reliever but once they had cooled the
team found that they fell apart rather quickly.
The pain reliever did not stand up to much
movement because the little details in the
legos caused the pain reliever to deteriorate.
As a result, the next step was to find a way
to heat the pain reliever to a certain point
before cooling them to peak firmness. It was
found that by heating the gelatin solution
until just before it starting boiling and
allowing it cool before adding it to the mold
and placing it in the freezer gave us the best
results as far as firmness. However, the taste
still lacked in the gummies.
In the third trial of gummies, it was observed
that the gummy pain relievers held together
and were relatively smooth and opaque for
their entire shelf life which was very short,
about one week. It was observed that the
pain reliever began to mold rather quickly
in the process. The pain relievers developed
two different types of mold: Stachybotrys
mold and another form of food mold
that could not be identified. Once it was
discovered that mold was developing on the
gummies, the decision was made to invest
in a food preservative. The preservative
selected was potassium sorbate, which is
commonly used in food and candy making. 4
The potassium sorbate did not make any
drastic changes to the composition of the
pain reliever and permitted the pain reliever’s
shelf life to be elongated by several weeks.
The most successful batch, in terms of
texture and shelf life, was the fourth and final
batch that was created using the unflavored
gelatin and potassium sorbate, as well as
perfecting the timing and heating of the
recipe. This batch was successful because
it lasted for five weeks after its creation
whereas previous batches had only lasted
one to two weeks. These pain relievers also
had the most consistent texture throughout
the gummy. It was relatively smooth and
when cut there were not large pieces of
medication trapped in the gummy which
would ruin the texture of the overall gummy.
There are still many individuals today who
still cannot swallow pills, and until there is a
solution to this problem, these individuals
will continue to struggle. With Chews the
world is one step closer to fixing this issue
and making it easier for people to take
medicine orally. Chews is an innovative type
of technology that will change the lives of the
millions of Americans that cannot currently
swallow pills. With the increase of shelf life as
well as the smooth texture and great taste,
Chews will be a better way for people to take
medications.
WORKS CITED
[1] Nordqvist, Christian. A History Of Medicine.
Medical News Today [Online], Aug 9, 2012. http://
www.medicalnewstoday.com/info/medicine
(accessed Jan 27, 2017).
[2] Drugs. (charcoal) medical facts; Jan 10, 2017.
(accessed Jan 27, 2017).
[3] WebMD. Cotazym-S oral : Uses, Side Effects,
Interactions, Pictures, Warnings & Dosing (accessed
Jan. 27, 2017)
[4] The Medical Futurist. 20 Medical Technology
Advances: Medicine in the Future – Part I; Aug 23,
2014. https://medicalfuturist.com/20-potentialtechnological-advances-in-the-future-of-medicinepart-i/
(accessed Jan 27, 2017).
DESIGN BY Priscilla Li
13 | EUREKA

PARTNER WITH US
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RICE UNDERGRADUATE SCIENCE RESEARCH JOURNAL
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EUREKA | 14