Dr. Peng Li was the first instructor on the ABE Mainland China team and is a mentor to newer instructors. Peng put tremendous effort and expertise into preparing and refining the ABE Foundations of Biotech materials to ensure they fit the knowledge background of the students. He optimized the step of protein purification in the Foundations of Biotech labs, replacing the hydrophobic interaction chromatography with ion-exchange chromatography. Not only is this a lower-cost solution and easier to carry out, but it is also simpler for upper-secondary school students to understand the concept of chromatographic columns. We can see that this change has sparked the spirit of exploration and innovation for students!

Peng’s class is always full of passion. He is devoted to promoting inquiry-based science education. With a background in educational psychology, he knows where to pause and throw out enlightening questions. He tries to translate obscure and abstract scientific questions into easy-to-understand real-life examples. When talking about protein denaturation, instead of simply repeating what the book says, he described the result of protein denaturation in the form of egg drop soup, which is commonly consumed in Chinese cuisine. In such a lively and interesting classroom, students are fully engaged in exploring the mysteries of natural science.