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Futurelab+

Launched in 2022, Futurelab+ aims to increase the number and diversity of students receiving a quality high school biotech education by offering a free, equity-centered curriculum designed by and for teachers. The industry- and standards-aligned curriculum provides educators with classroom resources and embeds biotech professionals in classrooms. This powerful combination helps students better understand the real-world applications of what they’re learning and gain exposure to various career options available within the biotech industry.

Just 35% of U.S. high schools offer biotech as part of their curricula, and most schools are located in higher-income districts.¹ This limits the potential for students – especially those from low-income schools and communities historically underrepresented in STEM – to gain the exposure, skills and experiences that can eventually lead to well-paid careers in science and medicine. In addition, high school science classes often focus on lab-based activities and rarely cover the full product development life cycle, which prevents students from understanding and experiencing the breadth of careers they might pursue across the biotech industry.

To address these challenges, we’ve invested an additional $10 million to create Futurelab+, an initiative to scale the impact of our successful South San Francisco-based Futurelab science education partnership. Building on our more than $37 million investment in South San Francisco schools since 2015, Futurelab+ aims to reach 1.5 million more high schoolers across the U.S. by 2026 with innovative resources and tools, including:

The Futurelab+ Curriculum: The centerpiece of Futurelab+ is a new, industry- and standards-aligned high school biotech curriculum written by and for teachers. The curriculum covers three years of instruction combining the latest scientific concepts across the full product life cycle – from molecule discovery to medicine development, manufacturing and delivery – and includes hands-on labs that are easy to execute without expensive equipment. Lessons feature interactive resources, career exploration tools, and groundbreaking content addressing health equity and the importance of advancing inclusivity and representation in clinical research – both key focus areas for Genentech and critical issues to introduce to young people contemplating careers in STEM. The modular and flexible curriculum is free to teachers across the U.S. – an innovative open-source approach that can serve as a model for other education and industry initiatives to build on.
Volunteerism: Futurelab+ connects teachers and students to biotech professionals to enhance the curriculum. with virtual classroom visits to share real-world applications of biotech concepts, help students develop industry-aligned skills, and guide exploration of the full range of career opportunities available in science and medicine.

Since launching in September 2022, the Futurelab+ biotech curriculum has already helped teachers reach more than 690,000 high school students, including 62% from low-income Title I schools.

See how educators are using the Futurelab+ curriculum and associated resources to facilitate important biotech lessons in the classroom, and flip through the slideshow below for photos and perspectives from teachers who helped design and implement the curriculum.

Our Partnerships

AIR is one of the world's largest behavioral and social science research and evaluation organizations. Founded in 1946 as a not-for-profit organization, AIR’s overriding goal is to use the best science available to bring the most effective ideas and approaches to enhancing everyday life. All work by AIR is conducted with strict independence, objectivity and non-partisanship. Intellectual diversity of employees enables AIR to bring together experts from many fields in the search for innovative answers to challenges that span the human life course.

Bay Area Bioscience Education Community (BABEC) is a community nonprofit founded by high school science teachers in 1996 to increase access and equity in science education. BABEC believes in enhancing all students’ critical thinking, scientific curiosity, and career exploration and preparation through the development and support of a teacher community of practice. Through curricula, reagent kits, equipment kits, and professional learning, BABEC is working to advance biotechnology education for classrooms and communities everywhere.

The mission of the California Academy of Sciences is to explore, explain, and sustain life to students of every age. The Academy is an aquarium, planetarium, rainforest, and natural history museum in the heart of San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park – and a powerful voice for biodiversity research and exploration, environmental education, and sustainability across the globe. From field research to field trips, the Academy believes in the power of science to transform individuals, communities, and ecosystems.

Discovery Education is the worldwide edtech leader whose state-of-the-art digital platform supports learning wherever it takes place. Through its award-winning multimedia content, instructional supports, and innovative classroom tools, Discovery Education helps educators deliver equitable learning experiences engaging all students and supporting higher academic achievement on a global scale. Discovery Education serves approximately 4.5 million educators and 45 million students worldwide, and its resources are accessed in nearly 100 countries and territories. Inspired by the global media company Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc., Discovery Education partners with districts, states, and trusted organizations to empower teachers with leading edtech solutions that support the success of all learners. Explore the future of education at www.discoveryeducation.com.

Ignited Education provides unique Professional Learning opportunities for teachers, company employees, university researchers, and nonprofits. Founded in 1985 by 13 Silicon Valley CEOs and UC Berkeley, Ignited has created thousands of experiences that have transformed how teachers see companies, understand STEM in the workplace, and teach these critical skills to their students. “Careers in every classroom” is more than just a tagline – it’s a way of energizing careers, opening new doors for students, and improving lives.

Jobs for the Future JFF drives change in the American workforce and education systems to promote economic advancement for all. JFF concentrates on three areas that strengthen the workforce and increase success for individuals and employers: Ensuring Equity in Advancement, Meeting Employer Needs, and Preparing for the Future of Work. By focusing on today's most urgent issues while preparing for the future, JFF accelerates the alignment and transformation of the American workforce and education systems to ensure access to economic advancement for every community.

References

1 Asking the Wrong Questions About American Science Education: Insights from a Longitudinal Study of High School Biotechnology Lab Instruction. https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.11.29.470152v1.full.

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