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BASF hosts SPE Junior Researchers with STEM aspirations
WYANDOTTE, MI, May 1, 2023 – On April 14, BASF hosted students from the Society of Plastics Engineers (SPE) Junior Researchers Program along with other students in the community for hands-on learning experiences in the labs at the BASF site in Wyandotte.
The students explored BASF’s urethanes and composite materials to learn about how they are used in footwear, automotive and sports equipment applications, and participated in conversations with BASF researchers, scientists, and technicians.
In 2022, BASF partnered with the SPE Foundation and Ecotek Lab in Detroit to collaborate on the SPE Junior Researcher Program, a competitive program that awards $500 research stipends to students in 8th through 12th grade. The students perform applied research or investigation into polymer science or plastics engineering at the lab.
“BASF is passionate about chemistry and science education. The opportunity to work with the SPE Foundation and set up the BASF Junior Researchers program was something that we could not pass up. These students have the passion to be future scientists and innovators, and we are excited to see what they do next,” said Susan Jackson, BASF Head of Communications, Performance Materials North America.
About BASF’s Performance Materials division
BASF’s Performance Materials division is at the forefront of the much-needed sustainability transformation in plastics. Our products are co-created with customers around the globe to bring innovations to four major industry sectors – transportation, consumer goods, industrial applications, and construction. Our R&D focuses on all stages of the plastics journey: Make, Use and Recycle. The MAKE phase is about improving how plastics are made, from product design to the choice of raw materials and the manufacturing process itself. The USE phase enhances plastics’ strengths such as light weight, robustness, and thermal resistance. At the end of the product lifecycle, the RECYCLE phase looks at how to close the loop to achieve a circular economy. In 2022, the Performance Materials division achieved global sales of €8.5 billion. Join #ourplasticsjourney at: www.plastics.basf.com
About BASF
BASF Corporation, headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, is the North American affiliate of BASF SE, Ludwigshafen, Germany. BASF has approximately 16,000 employees in North America and had sales of $25.7 billion in 2022. 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 111,000 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 comprises six segments: Chemicals, Materials, Industrial Solutions, Surface Technologies, Nutrition & Care and Agricultural Solutions. BASF generated sales of €87.3 billion in 2022. BASF shares are traded on the stock exchange in Frankfurt (BAS) and as American Depositary Receipts (BASFY) in the United States. Further information at www.basf.com.
