BASF stirs up excitement for chemistry with local high school students

MCINTOSH, AL, May 26, 2021 – Nineteen high school juniors and seniors in Washington County recently attended BASF's Teens' Lab, a two-day program hosted at the University of South Alabama in Mobile. The program is attended by students who are interested in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) careers.

"Through this joint effort with the University of South Alabama, BASF is showing students how chemistry and engineering concepts are utilized in a college and professional setting," said Marcus Pezent, Site Director for BASF in McIntosh. "The return of Teens' Lab after a year off due to the global pandemic has allowed our local students to further explore a future in a STEM career.”

On the first day of the program, students and their families learned about the college application and scholarship process, participated in a virtual tour of BASF's laboratory facilities and gained advice from BASF professionals on college and career choices.

On the second day, participants conducted hands-on experiments in a University of South Alabama chemistry lab. They learned to identify the composition of certain materials using their physical and chemical properties. The students concluded the day with a tour of the University of South Alabama's campus.

“Teens’ Lab took us out of the classroom and into the lab to work hands-on with the professionals,” said Reilli Byrd, student at McIntosh High School. “My favorite part of the experience was coming together with the students from surrounding schools and working together as a team.”

The Washington County school district identified the Teens' Lab participants from a group of high school juniors and seniors currently or previously enrolled in chemistry. Students who complete the program are eligible for a University of South Alabama scholarship and a summer internship at BASF's facility in McIntosh.

“Our collaboration with BASF provides an opportunity to connect with some bright high school students through a common interest in science, particularly chemistry,” said Dr. Christy Wheeler West, Associate Professor of the Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering Department at the University of South Alabama. “The program exposes the students to potential careers in chemistry and chemical engineering and offers a sense of how to get started on that path through a college education. In the years since we started Teens' Lab, I have also had the pleasure of teaching some of the participants in my courses in chemical engineering. That's especially gratifying, and a testament to the program's effectiveness."

For more information about careers at BASF, visit www.basf.us/alabama.

About BASF

BASF Corporation, headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, is the North American affiliate of BASF SE, Ludwigshafen, Germany. BASF has approximately 17,000 employees in North America and had sales of $18.7 billion in 2020. For more information about BASF’s North American operations, visit www.basf.com/us.

At BASF, we create chemistry for a sustainable future. We combine economic success with environmental protection and social responsibility. More than 110,000 employees in the BASF Group contribute to the success of our customers in nearly all sectors and almost every country in the world. Our portfolio is organized into six segments: Chemicals, Materials, Industrial Solutions, Surface Technologies, Nutrition & Care and Agricultural Solutions. BASF generated sales of €59 billion in 2020. BASF shares are traded on the stock exchange in Frankfurt (BAS) and as American Depositary Receipts (BASFY) in the U.S. Further information at http://www.basf.com.