On Tuesday, January 30, the Bazinga Squad welcomed Houston Biodiesel owner, Chris Powers, to share his knowledge and background in creating biodiesel. Eighteen years ago, he began his business as a home biodiesel brewer, at a time where the emphasis on renewable resources grew. He helped the junior cohort make their own biodiesel through the process of transesterification, a process where a catalyst and alcohol combine to neutralize the acidity of the oil used. The oils used in the lab mimicked the variety of oils biodiesel can be produced from, which can vary from animal fat to soybean oil. During the Bazinga Squad's PBL, the students will answer the question, "How do we transition to sustainable energy sources?" With Chris Powers, the students participated in the Engineering aspect of the project by producing biodiesel from waste oils. In U.S. History, topics including the Gilded Age and Progressive Era showed the evolution of energy sources in the country. In Environmental Science, students identified the environmental impacts of fuel sources and their life cycles. Finally, using information from each class, the juniors will write an argumentative essay concerning the future of energy sources. Which will be entered into the Clean Tech Competition.

On Thursday, February 1st, freshmen from the AC/DC cohort welcomed Professor Daniel Levin, a professional in the film-making and cinema industry. The professor helped them answer the driving question for their projects, "How can individuals make a difference in global sustainability?" His provided invaluable guidance and support to the students. Professor Levin conveyed the idea of storytelling and plot structure, as both support the creation of documentaries and films. During his lecture, he highlighted the importance of structure because it is generally regarded as the backbone of any film. In addition, he covered various filming techniques, such as sound, camera angles, and background, which are used to evoke certain emotions and make the audience feel what the filmmaker wants them to feel. The fundamental advice he gave to the students for creating their films was to find a character or narrator who is passionate about sustainable energy, or someone that has been impacted by energy and wants to promote change.