Food Science: The Microbial Menace

Who can attend?

Students entering grades 7-9.

When is it?

June 21-25, 2010

What's covered?

You’ve probably seen the commercial for a pink liquid medicine that goes something like: “…nausea…heartburn…indigestion…upset stomach…diarrhea.” While the jingle is catchy and the commercial is funny, it’s important to realize that diarrhea and other symptoms caused by a foodborne illness are no laughing matter.

In the United States, it has been estimated that there are millions of illnesses, thousands of hospitalizations, and approximately five thousand deaths each year attributed to eating contaminated foods.

Given the global nature and complexity of the food system, identifying the cause of a foodborne illness outbreak is much like finding “a needle in a haystack” and requires CSI detective-like skills of trained food microbiologist to uncover.

In this camp, food microbiologists-in training will be introduced to the food system. They will learn what steps go into harvesting some of our food from plants and animals and what it takes to make our foods safe and wholesome. When things go awry--and they can—food microbiologists-in training will learn the skills needed to determine the source and cause of the contamination including laboratory methods in microbial forensics that are required to identify, track down, and eliminate the offending organism(s). And finally, participants will have the opportunity to participate in a mock trial where they will use their communication skills to convince a judge or jury that their laboratory investigations and resulting evidence will implicate or defend the perpetrator(s) of the outbreak.

Camp fees and registration:

LionSALE (Register before midnight April 30, 2010)

$290 (full day/commuter)
$630 (resident)

LionSHARE Price (register after 12 am May 1, 2010)

$320 (full day/commuter)
$660 (resident)

Full day or residential?

You can choose whether your child attends as a full-day commuter or residential participant.

Full-day option:

9:00 am - 4:00 pm

Please drop your child off from between 8:50 and 9:00 am. Camp ends promptly at 4:00 pm. Please arrange to pick him/her up by 4:00 pm unless you opt for extended care (drop off from 7:45 am; pick up by 5:15 pm).

Residential option:

Students in grades 4-12 can choose to stay at Penn State from Sunday evening (check-in and opening ceremony at 7:00 pm) until Friday afternoon (camp ends promptly at 4:00 pm). Resident campers stay in University Residence Halls. Evening mentors supervise activities and outings.

Extended care (only for campers entering grades 2 -8)

Add $50 per child per week for each child registered
Optional drop-off starting at 7:45 am, pick up by 5:15 pm, Monday -Thursday.
Note: Extended care is not offered on Friday. Each camper must be picked up by 4:15 pm after the closing ceremony on Friday.