M. Davenport
Aug 21, 2017
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Journal
Chemical & Engineering News
Abstract
Scientific shindigs Mindy Levine once bought a python after hiring a reptile handler for a children’s birthday party.She’s now on the other side of that interaction with her science-themed birthday-party business, Party Elements. That’s not to say she’s prompting people to buy flasks, lab coats, or even snakes, but she is inspiring them to form more intimate relationships with that which powers her parties: chemistry.Levine is an organic chemist at the University of Rhode Island with a history of coordinating volunteer science outreach events for kids high-school age and younger. She recently realized she could bring this skill set to the birthday-party biz and maybe make some money.Levine launched the company in May with the help of chemistry graduate students Benjamin Cromwell and Dana DiScenza, who’s also an MBA student and wrote Party Elements’ business plan. Party Elements provides party people plenty of hands-on chemistry entertainment, including activities like making