Jim Zoellick
SERC has been working with the Lawrence Hall of Science (LHS) at UC Berkeley since 2004 on the Hydrogen Technology and Energy Curriculum (HyTEC) project. The curriculum introduces hydrogen and fuel cells into high school chemistry and science courses. To date we have completed a curriculum module consisting of six activities. The module has been field tested in numerous schools throughout the country. The curriculum module is built around a laboratory kit that allows small groups of students to work with a bench top electrolyzer and fuel cell. Students generate hydrogen via electrolysis, use the hydrogen to operate a fuel cell and power an electric motor, and then measure the efficiency of the fuel cell. In the process they learn about electrochemistry and how a fuel cell works.
SERC developed the bench top kit and is now working with LHS and Lab-Aids Inc. to commercialize the kit. In support of this effort, SERC recently tested various single-cell educational fuel cells to see how well they performed and how well they would fit into our laboratory kit. Later this year we hope to finalize the curriculum with LHS and support them in making the curriculum available nationwide to help educate our future scientists and engineers.
