Mirasola just recently completed a workshop with biofuels expert David Thornton of Clemson University to prepare for teaching the Biofuels I course in January. Mirasola said while the chance to teach students about this emerging science is exciting, she’s more enthused about what other lessons the course will offer her students.

“We really want to expose these kids to problem solving skills,” Mirasola said. “Research shows 60 percent of all fifth-graders are going to have jobs that aren’t invented yet. We want to show these kids, ‘look at what you can do.’

“Biofuels is really just the medium that we’re using to spark some interest in our students to be entrepreneurs. We also think its going to get kids to be in school – if you have a project in which your data matters you aren’t likely to be absent,” she said.

Mirasola has been in education for 10 years. She has a degree from UNC – Wilmington with a concentration in marine science and additional course work at UNC – Asheville.