Iowa State University welcomed more than 7,000 students this week for the Iowa FFA Leadership Conference, and for a group of curious young leaders, the experience included a hands-on dive into the invisible world of microbes.
Inside the Food Science and Human Nutrition (FSHN) teaching lab and research space, Dr. Melha Mellata, Associate Professor of Molecular Microbiology, and her graduate student, Caleb Skow, hosted an engaging microbiology outreach event to connect classroom science with real-world agriculture and food safety.
The visit began in the teaching lab, where students were introduced to the basics of food microbiology, learning the difference between beneficial microbes, such as yeast, and harmful foodborne pathogens. Using simple, relatable explanations, Dr. Mellata connected complex scientific concepts to everyday experiences, helping students see how microbiology plays a role in everything from baking bread to preventing foodborne illness.
A highlight of the experience was a yeast fermentation demonstration. Balloons placed over containers with yeast, water, and sugar, inflated at different rates depending on sugar concentration, creating a visual and memorable representation of microbial activity. Students quickly grasped the concept, smiling and even turning the experiment into a game as they predicted outcomes and compared results.
“Students realized that some activities we do in the kitchen resemble scientific experiments,” Skow noted, emphasizing how hands-on learning helps make science feel accessible and engaging. “By making this connection, students will understand that science is both accessible and easy to engage with. They may have already observed the yeast fermentation reaction, but today they learned about the science behind it.”
The group also toured Dr. Mellata’s research lab, where they explored the tools and techniques scientists use to study bacteria such as Salmonella and E. coli. Students were walked through ongoing research focused on improving poultry health and reducing foodborne diseases, topics directly tied to agriculture and food production. Students examined laboratory equipment, viewed research posters, and even guessed the purpose and cost of various instruments, sparking curiosity and conversation.
Throughout the visit, connections to real-life experiences, like food poisoning or disease outbreaks, helped students better understand the importance of microbiology in everyday life. These moments, Mellata explained, are exactly why outreach matters.
“I enjoy sharing my microbiology knowledge with people outside of class,” she said. “Many individuals are unaware of the research we are conducting here at ISU. It’s important to engage high school students and inspire some of them to pursue these fields.”
By breaking down complex science into approachable, interactive experiences, the outreach event offered more than just a lab tour; it gave students a glimpse into the role microbiology plays in agriculture, food safety, and global health.
For these FFA students, the visit wasn’t just educational; it was a reminder that science is all around them and that their future in agriculture could include not only fields and farms but also labs, research, and discovery.