Curiosity Cube™ Mobile Science Lab Completes 2018 Tour

From San Diego to Rockville, Maryland and dozens of stops in between — MilliporeSigma’s Curiosity Cube™ mobile science lab brought hands-on science to many communities and young minds across North America in 2018. Through 118 events during the second annual tour, the Curiosity Cube™ mobile science lab aimed to spark students’ curiosity in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). This year’s schedule included a stop in Toronto as part of the mobile science lab’s first visit to Canada.

In 2018, the Curiosity Cube™ mobile science lab featured advanced technology — such as virtual reality, high-tech microscopes and nanobots — to help visitors learn how cells work. MilliporeSigma is dedicated to bringing this technology and lab equipment to students who may not otherwise have access. In fact, 94 percent of the schools the Curiosity Cube™ mobile science lab visited are classified as Title 1 schools.

This year, the retrofitted shipping container reached 36,310 visitors through 44,610 lessons at schools and public events. Among those surveyed:

• 94 percent of students increased their knowledge of life science terminology.
• 74 percent of students expressed interest in being a scientist following the visit.
• 100 percent of schools would like to participate in the Curiosity Cube™ again.

MilliporeSigma employees led the experiments, playing a vital role in teaching students STEM concepts and giving them the opportunity to connect with real-life scientists. Helping students see that a scientist doesn’t need to be a particular gender, age, orientation or race is a crucial element in igniting their scientific interest. This exposure to the diverse spectrum of scientists in today’s workforce helps break down barriers and opens the door for future careers in STEM.

This year, 907 MilliporeSigma employees volunteered a total of 5,806 hours at the Curiosity Cube™. This experience proved to be just as valuable for the volunteers as the students:

• 100 percent of volunteers would like to volunteer at the Curiosity Cube™ mobile science lab again.
• 78 percent of employees learned or improved skills as a result of volunteering.

Check out the video to experience the 2018 tour for yourself and stay tuned for where the Curiosity Cube™ mobile science lab will be in 2019.