Inspiring Future Scientists: Amgen's Educational Posters and Science Outreach
Science and technology increasingly shape our lives, yet these fields often lack representation from diverse communities. Recognizing this, Amgen, a leading biotechnology company, and the Amgen Foundation are actively working to demystify science and inspire the next generation of STE(A)M leaders through various educational initiatives, including the creation and distribution of engaging educational posters. The posters, coupled with programs like the Amgen Scholars Program and online platforms like LabXchange, aim to break down stereotypes, showcase diverse STEM professionals, and provide accessible science education resources.
Demystifying STEM Career Pathways
There’s no single path to a career in science. Amgen's initiatives focus on showcasing the diverse journeys of individuals in STEM, highlighting that scientists are people with unique backgrounds, stories, dreams, interests, passions, and journeys. The "I Am A Scientist" initiative, supported by the Amgen Foundation through a grant to The Plenary, Co., exemplifies this approach. This initiative developed 13 profiles of Amgen employees to inspire young people from every background to pursue science.
These profiles challenge the stereotype of scientists as solely "white men in lab coats and glasses," instead revealing the extraordinary stories of Amgen employees who are helping reshape how the world views scientists. This narrative shift celebrates the diverse and dynamic fabric of the Amgen family. The goal is to present scientists as relatable, diverse role models, allowing students to experience firsthand the varied faces of the biotech industry.
"I Am A Scientist" Posters: A Gateway to STEM Careers
The "I Am A Scientist" posters serve as a physical-to-digital access point for teachers, students, and parents. Complete with QR codes, these posters link to online resources, offering a deeper dive into the featured STEM professionals' stories and career paths. These resources include digital hubs, photo galleries, career paths, Spotify playlists, original illustrations, a day-in-the-life vignette, and downloadable slide decks. The flagship posters highlight engaging images and details about each STEM professional, with the aim of fostering inclusive learning and inspiring students.
Launched in 2020, LabXchange is a free online science education platform and the founding sponsor of the Amgen Foundation. LabXchange enables teachers to quickly integrate these career journeys into compelling classroom lesson plans.
Read also: Navigating the Amgen Scholars Program
The Amgen Scholars Program: Hands-on Research Experience
In addition to the "I Am A Scientist" initiative, the Amgen Foundation supports the Amgen Scholars Program, a competitive summer research program that offers motivated undergraduate students hands-on biology-related laboratory research experience. Through the generous support of the Amgen Foundation, Columbia University offers this program to a select group of motivated undergraduate students who will benefit from the opportunity of hands-on biology-related laboratory research. This program provides a chance to experience the joys of discovering something completely new while learning to overcome the challenges inherent in scientific research. Students work at Columbia University (either at the Morningside Heights campus or at the Medical Center campus).
The Amgen Scholars Program is competitive, with awards based on grades, recommendations, and career plans. To be eligible, applicants must be US citizens or permanent residents and currently a sophomore, junior, or non-graduating senior at a four-year college or university in the United States, Puerto Rico, or other US territory. Columbia University undergraduate students who wish to be considered for the Amgen Scholars program should apply to the SURF program and will automatically be considered for both programs. No previous research experience is necessary, and students do not need to be a biology major to apply.
Participants are expected to work full-time for the duration of the ten-week program, making it incompatible with attending summer school or working another job. During the program, students work full-time (about 40 hours/week) on independent research projects under the guidance of a research scientist. Once a week, students gather to hear a scientist describe his or her research, learn about a peer's research, or present their own research to the other Amgen Scholars.
Amgen Scholars are required to write an original research article (due after the program ends) and present their findings orally to their peers. Additionally, all Amgen Scholars participate in the Amgen Scholars National Symposium in California. Columbia students are required to present their work in poster format at a symposium, held the winter after the program. Participants receive a stipend of $5500, $500 in flex, and housing on the Morningside campus of Columbia University.
Developing Scientific Communication Skills
The Amgen Scholars Program also emphasizes the importance of scientific communication. Writing a first scientific paper or creating a first poster can be a complex process. Each Amgen Scholars Program host university has its own project requirements. Students are encouraged to consult these requirements first.
Read also: Cultivating Excellence in Pharma
Key tips for creating effective papers and posters include:
- Setting up the background for a non-specialist: Clearly explain the broader reasoning behind the experiments, avoiding tunnel vision.
- Conducting thorough literature searches: Familiarize yourself with PubMed and do your own literature searches on a regular basis.
- Starting early: Underestimate how much time it will take you to write your paper. At UCLA, students turn in their introductions first. The introduction and discussion are the most challenging sections, and will probably take the longest.
- Deciding where and when to use active and passive voice: While active voice is usually more concise, passive voice may be more appropriate in certain sentences or sections.
- Telling the story: Structure the paper to conceptually connect the experiments and build on one another to support a new or existing scientific idea.
- Avoiding plagiarism: Be vigilant about unintentional plagiarism and seek feedback from mentors.
- Prioritizing visual appeal: The biggest mistake students make with posters is too much text. If you can turn some of your background text into a diagram or picture, that will save space and make your poster more visually appealing.
- Focusing on key experiments: Pick two or three experiments, and write about those.
- Start early: Students tend to underestimate how much time it takes to put together a streamlined poster. Start at least a few weeks before printing.
Addressing Misconceptions and Inspiring Future Leaders
I Am A Scientist’s educational resources are designed to challenge public misconceptions and inspire the next generation of STE(A)M leaders. The Amgen Foundation is guided by the belief that everyone needs science, and science needs everyone. Featured collections are based on either The Plenary, Co.
Biotechnology: A World of Possibilities
Biotechnology is the use of living things, like cells and bacteria, to make useful products like medicines and crops. In the past few decades, researchers have laid the foundation for a new wave of treatments and medications that use insights and innovations from biotechnology.
Discovering and developing new medicines is a complex effort that requires many different types of STEM professionals to work together. There is no one way to STEM. For many, when you think of a career in STEM you imagine a scientist running experiments in a lab. While that’s a critical piece of the puzzle, there are countless other roles that make essential contributions in the STEM ecosystem. STEM is changing every day. With new technology and increasingly complex pursuits, STEM careers are in constant flux. Biotechnology is changing the way we think about medicine.
Diverse Voices Behind the Lens
The visual elements of the "I Am A Scientist" initiative are brought to life by a diverse group of talented photographers and illustrators:
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- Dutch photographer, Alina Milbradt: Combines her love of traveling and meeting new people through portraits and travel pictures.
- Tampa-based photographer, Ashlee Hamon: A vibrant, passionate, and enthusiastic photographer.
- Gritchelle Fallesgon: A Portland-based Filipina American photographer.
- Hala Al-Abbasi: An illustrator at SOLID.
- Idalmiz López: Born and raised in Guaynabo, Puerto Rico, her work embraces spontaneity and captures each person's emotions and personality in her portraits.
- Laurie-Anne: A French freelance illustrator passionate about illustration, photography, vegan cooking, and roller skating.
- NEST Design: A studio based in Toulouse, France.
- Tandem Photo: Run by husband-and-wife team, Allison and Matthew, who prioritize making every headshot session a fun and collaborative experience.
- Nicole Medina: A first-generation Latina American.
- Stephanie Singleton: An illustrator with an interest in all things decorative and surreal, born and raised in Toronto.
A Cinematic Exploration of Biotechnology
The Amgen Foundation also supports cinematic partnerships to further explore the frontiers of biotechnology and health. The film, “Superhuman Body: World of Medical Marvels,” in partnership with MacGillivray Freeman Films, was released in IMAX and giant screen theaters April 12, 2024.
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