STEM Industry Teams Share Joy of Science

Newsletter

October 2021

Thank you to all of our partners & employee volunteers from East Bay companies and public agencies for your participation, donations, and support! What a year! Our private industry partners stepped up to our call to action and made it possible for thousands of students learning from home last school year to get their hands on real science activities and imagine their own futures in science and engineering fields.

“CRS has helped my students expand their knowledge in science and also see that scientists come in all colors, genders, from everywhere in the world. If they can see it, then they can be it!”
–Elementary Teacher, Fairmont School District

Now, as students and teachers are back in-person this school year, science is in danger of being pushed aside as elementary schools struggle with many challenges. It will take community support from those who understand the critical importance of science education to ensure strong learning opportunities are available for today’s young learners.

The gaps in science education, particularly for Black and Latinx students, have gained national attention over the course of the pandemic, and we are proud to include a broad range of scientists, engineers, and employees from STEM industries in our outreach efforts.

“The past year has demonstrated the need for everyone to understand science at its most basic levels…It is apparent that the country needs millions of trained, creative scientists and support technicians, and it is apparent also that large numbers of world-class scientists are not a substitute for an entire citizenry that understands and embraces science.”
-National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine 2021

2020-2021 At a Glance: How Private Industry Partners Made Science Happen

More than 750 local scientists and engineers participated in virtual outreach during the last school year.. Most come from UC Berkeley, and others are employees at local STEM-focused companies. Together, they inspired more than 20,000 K-8 students learning from home– bringing excitement to students in a year without field trips or recess.

Now, we are eager to keep the momentum going, whether students are in school or learning from virtual academies.

A very special thank you to the following employer-based teams who have joined our efforts to support science teaching and learning:

American Society of Heating, Refrigeration, and Air-Conditioning Engineers
Amyris
Bayer
Clorox
Genentech
Maze
NGM Bio
OneHealth
Port of Oakland

And of course we are so grateful for the additional private-industry based individuals who went above and beyond the call to donate their time to volunteer with us.

Here are just a few examples of the amazing impact these volunteers have had:

Oakland Aviation Day, an event with the Port of Oakland, Oakland Airport and the FAA that taught 250 fifth grade students about the forces of flight!

Sowing seeds of science, literally! Thousands of East Bay students will be doing experiments with seeds, and tinkering with circuits, and noting their observations and data in science notebooks, all thanks to Genentech and Genentech employees. Thank you for assembling science kits, inscribing science notebooks, and donating science-themed books — all of these items will be making their way into local schools to inspire and engage students this year.

*Sowing seeds of science courtesy of Genentech*

In Berkeley classrooms, thousands of students will enjoy learning about the childhoods and discoveries of scientists and inventors of color, thanks to a major donation of storybooks and science notebooks from Bayer. Together with volunteers at the Berkeley Public Schools Fund, Bayer employees sorted books and inscribed notebooks that were sent out to every Berkeley elementary school.

*Storybooks & Science Notebooks thanks from a donation by Bayer*

What’s Ahead this year?

We have ambitious goals for this school year, and welcome more teams from Cal and from STEM industry to join our outreach programs. Whether leading BASIS (Bay Area Scientists Inspiring Students) lessons with a team, or serving as a Science Ambassador to one class for multiple visits, we’ll provide the coaching and logistical support to make a great experience for volunteers and students alike.

Ready to get started? Email Tyler (tyler@crscience.org) and let us know which of these opportunities is best for you.

The mission of CRS is to empower teachers and STEM professionals serving schools in historically marginalized communities to activate TK-8 students’ curiosity about the world, foster critical thinking, and inspire children to imagine future career pathways. We envision a community of educators, scientists, families and partners working together to build school cultures that equip all children to explore the world around them and build the skills needed to become innovators, problem solvers, environmental stewards, life-long learners and leaders. CRS leads a dynamic network, fostering relationships and collaborations that leverage expertise and resources to transform science teaching and learning toward greater equity, opportunity, and success for all students.

Our goal is simple: help teachers give students more opportunities to “do science” – to ask questions, test ideas, get their hands on real science activities. We need to inspire the next generation of thinkers, makers, problem solvers, and leaders!