As one of the world’s foremost biotechnology companies, Amgen is keenly aware of the value and importance of science education. That is why we support science education programs aimed at encouraging bright young minds to explore a future in science. By improving access to resources for students and teachers and raising the community’s understanding of the value of science literacy, Amgen is doing its part to develop the scientists of tomorrow.
Amgen and the Amgen Foundation support local and national organizations that spark students’ interest in the sciences through inquiry-based hands-on science experiences and that offer professional development opportunities for teachers.
Amgen Scholars is a $34 million, eight-year program supported by the Amgen Foundation that provides pivotal research experiences for undergraduate students interested in pursuing a graduate degree and a career in science. The program launched in the summer of 2007 with approximately 250 undergraduate students from nearly 100 different colleges and universities across the United States. In 2009, the program expanded to Europe, and with this, the program supports the participation of over 300 Amgen Scholars each year across the U.S. and Europe. Over 80% of program alumni who have completed their undergraduate studies are now pursuing an advanced degree or career in a scientific field. more >
The Amgen-Bruce Wallace Biotechnology Lab Program is an educational outreach program that transforms classrooms in middle and high schools by introducing students to the excitement of real-world science. The program integrates a hands-on, inquiry-based molecular biology curriculum that explores the steps involved in creating biotechnology medicines. In addition to intensive professional development for teachers, the program provides state-of-the-art resources and materials that enable teachers to implement the curriculum in their classrooms. Each year, over 35,000 students and hundreds of teachers have the opportunity to participate.
The Amgen Foundation is Teach For America's Founding National Math and Science Partner. Since 2004, the Amgen Foundation has contributed more than $7 million to Teach For America to advance math and science education in America’s underserved public schools.
Through the collaboration, Teach For America has more than tripled the number of corps members teaching math and science, from 800 in 2004 to more than 2,600 today. These committed math and science teachers are impacting more than 166,000 students across 39 regions. Additionally, 2,200 math and science alumni continue to advocate for educational equity as leaders in a variety of professional fields.
The National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) and the Amgen Foundation joined forces to improve highly-effective science teaching and learning in schools across the country. Through a $1.5 million, three-year commitment, the Foundation supports sciences teachers who choose to obtain National Board Certification, the most prestigious credential in the teaching profession. The grant provides certification fee support for over 500 science teachers in the following locations: Ventura County and San Francisco Bay Area in California; counties along Colorado's Front Range; Jefferson County in Kentucky; Middlesex and Suffolk Counties in Massachusetts; Puerto Rico; Rhode Island; and King and South Snohomish Counties in Washington. In addition, the grant supports the development of two new online professional development courses to improve science teaching for middle school and high school teachers across the nation.
The Amgen Award for Science Teaching Excellence (AASTE) is an annual awards program sponsored by the Amgen Foundation that recognizes extraordinary contributions by educators across the United States, Puerto Rico and Canada who are elevating the level of science literacy through creativity in the classroom and motivation of students. An independent panel of judges selects the winners based on a variety of criteria including a teacher’s ability to effectively engage students while deepening their scientific understanding, the plan for the use of grant money to improve science education resources in their schools, and a letter of recommendation. Since the program’s inception in 1992, Amgen has awarded more than $3 million to public and private school science teachers, grades K-12, who work in communities in which Amgen operates. more >
