Massachusetts Biotechnology Education Foundation

Results: Currently involved with 177 public schools in Massachusetts, have trained over 600 teachers, and have reached over 30,000 students. Since its inception in 2005, BioTeach has proudly raised and distributed over $6,000,000 in equipment, supplies and services to support secondary science education in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

Target demographics: High School Students & Teachers: We provide up to $8000 in grant money to high schools through our BioTeach program. These funds enable the schools to purchase lab equipment. We also provide professional development training for high school science teachers as a part of the BioTeach Program.

Geographic areas served: Massachusetts

Programs: The bioteach program is massbioed's core program, providing training to public high schools teachers that enables them to implement hands-on laboratory-based lessens to their students. The program also delivers funds for laboratory equipment and consumable supplies. Bioteach also provides participating schools opportunities for students to learn about careers in biotechnology through company visit-based career exploration days and university-based futures in life sciences days. Typically, the bioteach program reaches 10 new schools each year, while providing follow-up programming to past bioteach schools.

the learning center provides fee-based professional development courses to incumbent industry employees in an array of subject areas ranging from "biotech for non-scientists" to "biotechnology project management". These courses (typically 6-8 distinct course offerings per year) are provided using contracted instructors. The courses take place in one-day and multi-day formats at massbio facilities, made available through an mou between massbioed and massbio. In addition to require course materials provided by massbioed, meals are provided to participants.

program development focuses on the development of programs that connect three key massbioed stakeholders: the education and training community, state agencies focused on education and training, and industry. One initiative developed is the massachusetts life sciences education consortium, which has established industry validation of community college biotechnology programs by means of massbioed's extensive work in involving industry experts in the review of community college curricula and facilitating dialogue with community college educators. Program development also is connected with ongoing activity with state government leaders that are developing stem programs across massachusetts.

workforce development