ESP Biography
IRENE BROCKMAN, MIT graduate student in Chemical Engineering
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Major: Chemical Engineering College/Employer: MIT Year of Graduation: G |
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Brief Biographical Sketch:
I work in a lab here at MIT where we focus on engineering microbes to produce biofuels and pharmaceuticals. I didn't always know I wanted to do that though. After I completed my undergraduate degree in chemical engineering, I acutally worked for a couple years designing home appliances like washing machines and dishwashers. (There is actually a lot of engineering that goes into those... have you ever tried to spin 20 lbs of clothes at 1000 rpm?) Anyway, I hope I can give you an idea of some of the exciting work that goes on at the interface of engineering and biology. I love learning about and teaching science, and I'm especially fond of experiments involving food! Past Classes(Clicking a class title will bring you to the course's section of the corresponding course catalog)E5970: Microbial Chemical Factories (or How to Win Friends and Influence Microbes) in HSSP Summer 2012 (Jul. 08, 2012)
Come learn about synthetic biology, an exciting field that combines engineering with molecular biology. In class, we’ll aim to answer questions like these: How do we harness the power of microbes and proteins so that we can to produce important chemicals like biofuels and pharmaceuticals from renewable resources? How can we assemble existing biological processes in new and useful ways?
To get there, we’ll be looking at everything from recombinant DNA technology to what laundry detergent has in common with pineapple juice (and how that knowledge can be useful). We’ll also do hands-on demos and experiments that you can use later to impress your friends and family.
E4770: Microbial Chemical Factories (or How to Win Friends and Influence Microbes) in HSSP Summer 2011 (Jul. 10, 2011)
Come learn about synthetic biology, an exciting field that combines engineering with molecular biology. In class, we’ll aim to answer questions like these: How do we harness the power of microbes and proteins so that we can to produce important chemicals like biofuels and pharmaceuticals from renewable resources? How can we assemble existing biological processes in new and useful ways?
To get there, we'll be looking at everything from recombinant DNA technology to what laundry detergent has in common with pineapple juice (and how that knowledge can be useful). We’ll also do hands-on demos and experiments that you can use later to impress your friends and family.
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