Abbott Laboratories Offers Local Students A Foundation for Science Discoveries
- Science Day to Include Experiments With PBS 'Newton's Apple' Host David Heil -
Local 8th grade students may have something to look forward to this fall at Abbott Laboratories. Abbott's leading scientists, middle school teachers from local school districts and David Heil, the host of the Emmy award-winning PBS science series, "Newton's Apple," have joined forces to offer a program entitled "Operation Discovery: Exploring Science and Engineering at Abbott Laboratories."More than 100 junior high students from area school districts [Gurnee, Kenosha, Zion and Lincolnshire] will participate in "Operation Discovery" scheduled from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. at Abbott's headquarters in Abbott Park, Ill. Hands-on activities throughout the afternoon will include experiments from selected fields in chemistry, biology and engineering developed by Abbott's Hospital Products Division. In addition, 120 children of Abbott employees in the 6th, 7th and 8th grades participated in a similar event held yesterday.
David Heil, former PBS "Newton's Apple" host and a team of Abbott scientists will be demonstrating several experiments, which will be available to local districts as a compliment to their school-based curriculum. Teachers will then be able to use these experiments as a basis for their own classroom curriculum. Each student will be given a workbook for further studies inside and outside the classroom. The workbook contains background on the experiments conducted at Abbott and information on some of the applications of these topics within the scientific field.
"I'm very pleased to join Abbott and be a part of this program. Abbott is one of the few companies who have initiated a program where kids can engage in their own creative discovery, generating excitement and personal context by using real-life science and technology as a backdrop for their learning," said Heil. "Students will be able to ask questions, pose new problems and find their own solutions. Making observations and discovery first hand is what science is all about!"
Abbott's top scientists will provide insight on core science concepts and explain how classes taught in schools relate to their own careers in science and engineering fields. Students participating will be able to discover DNA extraction, view the electromagnetic spectrum, work with microscopes and explore engineering careers with Abbott scientists.
"'Operation Discovery' is an emerging program that creates interest in science and the discovery process through National Science Education Standards, and it is our hope that this program will help inspire future scientists not only in Lake County, but nationally," said Jeffrey M. Leiden, M.D., Ph.D., president, chief scientific officer, Pharmaceutical Products Group. "Abbott's focus is cutting edge research and innovation, and in order to continue to recruit the best talent, we must reach out to our youth in the community to sustain the development of future scientific talent."
Abbott is committed to its communities and offers many different programs in addition to "Operation Discovery" to support excellence in math and science, such as "Camp Invention." "Camp Invention" is a summer science day camp conducted in Abbott communities across the country in partnership with local school districts and the National Inventors Hall of Fame.
Abbott Laboratories is a global, diversified health care company devoted to the discovery, development, manufacture and marketing of pharmaceutical, diagnostic, nutritional and hospital products.
Abbott's news releases and other information are available on the company's Web site at www.abbott.com .
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