BACON at UCLA: Support Innovative Science Education

UPDATE: BACON (beta version) is up and running! Please visit: http://bacon.chem.ucla.edu.

While our crowdfunding project has concluded, if you would like to continue to support Professor Garg and the BACON at UCLA project, please visit http://bit.ly/BACONatUCLA and contribute to this incredible project to advance UCLA student's educational opportunities in STEM!

*THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!!!! GIFTS RECEIVED BEYOND OUR 10K GOAL WILL ALLOW US TO MAINTAIN & UPDATE THE B.A.C.O.N. a.t. UCLA WEBSITE FOR YEARS TO COME!!!

The Problem:

While the world is making great achievements in science and technology, our collective future remains uncertain as comparatively few students pursue professions in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) fields.

Students often fear science classes for their extreme difficulty and intense levels of competition. We must overcome these perceptions and encourage young people to embrace the study of science and technology and become the innovators of our global society.

The Solution:

Created by the innovative approach of Professor Neil Garg (who beat out James Franco on Buzzfeed’s “8 Coolest Classes To Take At UCLA” and is known for his popular music video assignment), B.A.C.O.N. a.t. UCLA is a fun, educational, and highly interactive online tutorial where students engage difficult science material by learning about real-life examples of organic chemistry in human health and pop culture!

For example, by inspecting the chemical structures of amphetamines, pseudoephedrine, and the key ingredient in popular vapor inhalers, B.A.C.O.N. a.t. UCLA helps students appreciate how small changes in a chemical structure affect biological function. Students also learn why sales of some over the counter drugs are regulated, which is then connected to the popular TV shows like, Breaking Bad. Screen shots are available here.

We need YOU:

With your support, we hope to expand the content of this online tutorial and provide access to students ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD! The costs associated with this project would initially involve paying computer programmers and web development. Thanks to your tremendous support, we've reached our initial goal in 3 days and have met our expanded goal! GIFTS RECEIVED BEYOND OUR 10K GOAL WILL ALLOW US TO MAINTAIN & UPDATE THE B.A.C.O.N. a.t. UCLA WEBSITE FOR YEARS TO COME!!!

Your gift will be critical in helping B.A.C.O.N a.t. UCLA educate HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF STUDENTS AROUND THE WORLD.

Give and Share!

Please consider a tax-deductible gift and join our BACON at UCLA team support innovative science education!

For gifts $100 and over, we'll send you our super cool BACON at UCLA shirt below!

Please don’t forget to also share our campaign with friends and family on Facebook and Twitter with the hashtag #BaconUCLA! We’ll be sure to give you a shout out!

Who Supports Us:

Our favorite celebrity (hear from her by clicking on her name):

Legendary Bruin Alum and Basketball Great:

Chemistry Community and UCLA Sponsors:

About Prof. Neil Garg

Neil Garg received a B.S. in Chemistry from New York University where he did undergraduate research with Professor Marc Walters. During his undergraduate years, he spent several months in Strasbourg, France while conducting research with Professor Mir Wais Hosseini at Université Louis Pasteur as an NSF REU Fellow. Garg obtained his Ph.D. in 2005 from the California Institute of Technology under the direction of Professor Brian Stoltz. He then joined Professor Larry Overman’s research laboratory at the University of California, Irvine as an NIH Postdoctoral Scholar. Garg joined the faculty at UCLA in 2007. In 2012, he was promoted to Associate Professor and began serving as Vice Chair for the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry. In 2013, he was promoted to Full Professor. He was the recipient of UCLA’s 2014 Award for the Art of Teaching and UCLA’s 2012-2013 BruinWalk.com’s Professor of the Year.

Prof. Garg will be speaking at the 2015 TEDxUCLA, on May 30, 2015.