Acton, MA – Discovery Museum and Natick Math today announced their continued partnership to bring the museum's traveling science workshops to classrooms across Massachusetts and beyond during the 2023-2024 school year. This is the 14th consecutive school year that MathWorks has invested in the school outreach program.
Traveling science workshops (TSW) are small-group classroom workshops, aligned with the state curriculum, that use simple, everyday materials and a hands-on approach to allow students to be scientists by exploring, observing, asking questions, and sharing discoveries. Museum educators teach twenty-three STEM topics, including sound, weather and climate, physical changes of matter, and force and motion, to give elementary and middle school students direct experience with how things work in the physical world. It is the only in-person program of its kind in Massachusetts.
MathWorks has partnered with Discovery Museum since 2010 to bring TSW to school classrooms, supporting the growth of the program and developing virtual workshops and distance learning resources for teachers. MathWorks also supports community access to the Museum by funding free admission on Friday nights and a week of reduced admission price in the fall. MathWorks volunteer groups also conduct on-site projects several times a year.
For the 2022-2023 school year—the 30thth year of traveling science workshops: Discovery Museum delivered more than 2,600 workshops to more than 51,000 students in its classrooms, a notable 28% increase in the number of workshops and a 26% increase in the number of students served over the previous school year. For the first time, demand exceeded staffing capacity and a waiting list had to be created. For the 2023-2024 school year, the Museum has increased its teaching capacity and expects to serve more than 54,000 students.
“The impact of putting STEM explorations in the hands of students at an early age cannot be overstated,” said Kevin Lorenc, director of corporate communications at MathWorks. “Opening young minds to observing and 'doing' science in their everyday lives helps students better understand their world and can spark early interest in a STEM-based educational and professional career. “We have partnered with Discovery Museum for 14 years to bring STEM to students because it is important to them and the communities they will ultimately contribute to.”
“The world we are passing on to our children will require them to be creative thinkers and problem solvers, yet they build, create and explore much less than their grandparents or even their parents,” said CEO Neil Gordon. “Thanks to the continued impactful support of MathWorks, we continue to expand our Traveling Science Workshops program to bring science into the hands of more children, spark their interest in the world around them, and build confidence in their own problem-solving abilities. “
About the Museum of Discovery
Discovery Museum is a hands-on museum that combines science, nature and play, inspiring families to explore and learn together. The museum and its accessible outdoor Discovery Woods nature park and giant treehouse combine the best of STEAM (Science, technology, Engineering, Art and Mathematics) learning on a beautiful 4.5-acre campus bordering 180 acres of conservation land in Acton, MA, about 20 miles west of Boston. Originally founded in 1982 and expanded to two museums in 1987, the museum reopened in a single 16,000-square-foot accessible building after a complete renovation and expansion in early 2018. Hands-on, open-ended exhibits developed by professional educators inspire curiosity and exploration. providing a fun and engaging experience for children and adults to discover their world together. Serving families and schools in towns throughout the region, the museum is dedicated to informal education that enhances classroom learning. Discovery Museum is committed to accessibility and is a proud recipient of the Massachusetts Commonwealth Award, the only winner in the access category, and a LEAD® Community Asset Award from the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Discovery Museum was also recognized in 2023 as a finalist for the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) National Medal, the highest honor in the museum field. For more information please visit discoveryacton.org. Discovery Museum is a community-supported nonprofit organization, funded in part by a grant from the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency.
About MathWorks
MathWorks is the leading developer of mathematical computing software. MATLAB, the language of engineers and scientists, is a programming environment for algorithm development, data analysis, visualization, and numerical computing. Simulink is a block diagram environment for simulation and model-based design of integrated, multi-domain engineering systems. Engineers and scientists around the world rely on these products to accelerate the pace of discovery, innovation and development in the automotive, aerospace, communications, electronics, industrial automation and other industries. MATLAB and Simulink are essential teaching and research tools at the world's best universities and learning institutions. Founded in 1984, MathWorks employs more than 6,000 people in 34 offices worldwide, with headquarters in Natick, Massachusetts, USA. For additional information, visit mathematics.com.
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