South San Francisco, CA — September 26th, 2022 —
Genentech, a member of the Roche Group, today announced the launch of Futurelab+, a $10 million national expansion of the South San Francisco-based Futurelab program, a science education partnership with the South San Francisco Unified School District that has introduced more than 8,000 K-12 students annually to biotechnology concepts and careers since 2015.
Through Futurelab+, science educators can now introduce biotechnology skills and experiences that deepen students’ understanding of the full product life cycle, empower them with information about health disparities and how to address them, and help them prepare for the wide range of rewarding career opportunities available to them in science and medicine.
By 2026, Futurelab+ aims to reach two million more high school students across the Bay Area, California and beyond – many from Title I schools1 and schools that serve communities that have been historically underrepresented and excluded from STEM careers.
Futurelab+ is comprised of three core elements:
“At Genentech, we know firsthand the promise and power that biotechnology holds to help people and create a better world,” said Ragnar von Schiber, principal, Corporate Citizenship & Engagement and head of K-12 STEM education initiatives, Genentech. “We heard from teachers that they needed more than just lab-heavy lesson plans that rely on expensive equipment. With Futurelab+, we set out to create project-based, cutting-edge tools that make biotechnology real, hands-on and relevant to students of all backgrounds – without a huge cost to schools.”
Futurelab+ was developed as a collaboration with Discovery Education and was further supported by a network of partners including BABEC (Bay Area Bioscience Education Community), Jobs for the Future (JFF), Ignited, The American Institutes for Research (AIR) and California Academy of Sciences.
“Immersing students in hands-on science and authentic career learning helps nurture a collaborative, creative and compassionate future workforce,” said Amy Nakamoto, general manager of Social Impact, Discovery Education. “We are honored and excited to partner with Genentech and our other collaborators to provide high school students and educators with innovative and flexible digital resources designed to inspire engagement in STEM from anywhere.”
More information about Futurelab+ is available at futurelabplus.com.
Media Contact:
Aisha Hauser
Senior Manager, Corporate Relations
[email protected]
References
Title I is a federal education program that supports schools where low-income students make up at least 40 percent of enrollment.
Founded more than 40 years ago, Genentech is a leading biotechnology company that discovers, develops, manufactures and commercializes medicines to treat patients with serious and life-threatening medical conditions. The company, a member of the Roche Group, has headquarters in South San Francisco, California. For additional information about the company, please visit http://www.gene.com.