Thanks to a seven-month collaboration between WSU Vancouver and Hudson’s Bay High School in Vancouver, participating college and high school students gained a better understanding of how science, health, food and art can interact. The multidisciplinary, experiential learning project was created mainly to raise awareness about the importance of gut health while fostering community engagement and interdisciplinary learning.
The collaboration is informally known as the “Microbe Lunch Project,” because the grand finale was a lunch and tasting event featuring microbe-rich fermented foods, such as yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut, natto, miso, gochujang, sourdough bread, olives and many more. Fermented foods promote gut health and are readily available. Because the gut microbiome is linked to various chronic diseases and mental health conditions, healthier food choices can mean not only healthier individuals but also a healthier community.
The work began in April 2024 when the project lead Gunjan Gakhar, associate professor of biological sciences, connected with Hudson’s Bay biology teachers Steven Jones and Brian Caouette. Their partnership created an initiative that would not only educate students about gut health but also inspire them to see science as accessible and impactful.
In May, Gakhar observed two high school biology classes at Hudson’s Bay to better understand the students’ learning styles and needs. This foundational step prepared her for a presentation to Hudson’s Bay students in September on the importance of the gut microbiome—its role in overall health, chronic diseases and mental well-being.
By October, students were ready to dive into hands-on activities. Following an instructional video, high school students made yogurt at home and brought samples of it to WSU Vancouver. There, microbiology students mentored the high schoolers, teaching them how to identify microbial bacteria in the yogurt using a microscope. After serving as mentors, 71% of WSU Vancouver microbiology students reported improved understanding of microbiological techniques, such as gram staining, and greater confidence in using a microscope.
“Our students were so enthralled that they begged to stay in the lab and continue working through their lunch,” Jones said. “I have never seen a high school student refuse to go to lunch, so witnessing that level of engagement was eye-opening for me.”
The culmination of the project was the Microbe Lunch event in October. In preparation, WSU Vancouver microbiology students selected a fermented food and then met weekly with their fellow students in Brenda Grell’s Digital Technology and Culture 201 class to learn how to make effective infographics. Thus, the microbiology students got the chance not only to serve as mentors to the high schoolers but also as mentees learning from their peers.
The infographics on fermented foods were displayed at the Microbe Lunch. Tables were set up for tasting fermented foods in the new Life Sciences Building. About 200 people attended—faculty, students and academic leaders from WSU Vancouver; students from Vancouver iTech Preparatory High School; and students and teachers from Hudson’s Bay High School.
“I love the Microbe Lunch event!” said Christine Portfors, vice chancellor for research and graduate education. “It is so inspiring to see how much the biology students have learned about microbiology by studying a fermented food. In many cases, the students researched a food that was important to their culture, which is a powerful way for them to learn. I was thrilled to overhear one of the high school students saying she didn’t know that college classes could be so interesting and fun.”
The benefits were manifold. Besides the main objective focused on fermented foods and gut health, microbiology students learned to refine their communication skills by simplifying complex scientific information for a broader audience, and high school students got to experience a college environment. And then there were the personal benefits. “One student said that he started consuming more fermented foods, and his mother is now obsessed (in a good way) with making yogurt,” Gakhar said.
She added that many people on the WSU Vancouver campus were instrumental in making the project run smoothly. In particular, she credits Ryan Watson and Dawn Freeman, who supported the project in countless ways “to create a smooth and engaging experience, allowing students to effectively share their work with the broader community.”
The participants expect this successful project to be repeated with other area schools and fermented foods vendors. Narek Daniyelyan, assistant vice chancellor for strategic partnerships, observed, “This is an outstanding example of how community-engaged learning enhances students’ education and adds value to community partners.”