BASF and Louisiana Art & Science Museum continue to create chemistry with local schools and community

Museum offers popular BASF Kids’ Lab classes

BATON ROUGE and GEISMAR, LA, June 8, 2015 - BASF and the Louisiana Art & Science Museum will again provide BASF Kids’ Lab classes to area schools and the community. BASF is funding the award winning Kids’ Lab chemistry program and offering new class experiments in 2015.

“BASF encourages an interest in science at an early age,” said Tom Yura, Senior Vice President and Manager of the BASF site in Geismar. “Our goal is to have kids interact with the basics of chemistry and the products that surround them daily so that they can explore the connections to chemistry in their world. Through Kids’ Lab we provide hands-on learning that helps today’s students become the innovators and leaders of the future.”

Support of the museum is part of the company’s ongoing effort to promote and enhance science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education in the region.

“BASF has supported the Art & Science Museum in many ways, from sponsoring our First Sunday free programs for the public, to showcasing experiments at our annual Engineering Day,” said Carol Gikas, Executive Director of Louisiana Art & Science Museum. “But the Kids’ Lab initiative is truly where BASF shines.”

BASF Kids’ Lab programming is offered to students and museum visitors at no cost. Over the last four years nearly 6,000 fourth-graders from East Baton Rouge and Ascension parishes, well as 4,300 visitors to the museum, have experienced hands on chemistry through the BASF Kids’ Lab at Louisiana Art & Science Museum. In each instructor-led Kids’ Lab workshop, participants explore chemistry through safe and engaging experiments and interactive demonstrations. Each participant receives a lab apron, a certificate of participation and a pouch filled with other takeaway items.  

“By combining the resources and subject matter expertise of BASF and the fun, informal learning environment of the museum, we have seen whole families take interest in STEM,” said Gikas. “Studies about preparing our future workforce for STEM careers confirm what Louisiana Art & Science Museum and BASF have already witnessed – schools cannot do it alone. It takes communities, families and good corporate citizens to cultivate a culture for the love of life-long learning.”

BASF developed its global Kids’ Lab program to encourage children ages 6 -12 to gain a better appreciation of and interest in the dynamic world of chemistry.

In North America, BASF supports several programs that encourage students to pursue an interest in science and explore career possibilities in STEM related fields.  In 2013, the Baton Rouge chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals recognized BASF as Corporate Philanthropist of the Year for the Kids’ Lab program.

For press photos, please click on the following links:

https://www.basf.com/press-photos/us/en/photos/2015/06/06-08-15_BASFLASMPartnershipRenewed1.jpg
Suggested caption: BASF Geismar Site Leadership Member Dana Scott assist a museum patron in creating a cotton ball catapult at the 2015 Louisiana Art & Science Museum Engineering Day.

https://www.basf.com/press-photos/us/en/photos/2015/06/06-08-15_BASFLASMPartnershipRenewed2.jpg
Suggested caption: BASF offers multiple Kids’ Lab programs, such as Energy Loves Produce, to the public throughout the year at Louisiana Art & Science Museum. 

Louisiana Art & Science Museum

Housed on the banks of the Mississippi River in downtown Baton Rouge, the Louisiana Art & Science Museum enhances the understanding and appreciation of art and science for general audiences and students by presenting unique, educational and entertaining experiences that encourage discovery, inspire creativity, and foster the pursuit of knowledge. More information on Louisiana Art & Science Museum is available on the Internet at www.lasm.org.

About BASF

BASF Corporation, headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, is the North American affiliate of BASF SE, Ludwigshafen, Germany. BASF has more than 17,000 employees in North America, and had sales of $20.6 billion in 2014. For more information about BASF’s North American operations, visit www.basf.us.

At BASF, we create chemistry – and have been doing so for 150 years. Our portfolio ranges from chemicals, plastics, performance products and crop protection products to oil and gas. As the world’s leading chemical company, we combine economic success with environmental protection and social responsibility. Through science and innovation, we enable our customers in nearly every industry to meet the current and future needs of society. Our products and solutions contribute to conserving resources, ensuring nutrition and improving quality of life. We have summed up this contribution in our corporate purpose: We create chemistry for a sustainable future. BASF had sales of over €74 billion in 2014 and around 113,000 employees as of the end of the year. Further information on BASF is available on the Internet at www.basf.com.

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