STEM education nonprofit ChemTalk receives grant from the Amgen Foundation
ChemTalk will further expand its content and launch a free chemistry live-streaming service called the “LiveLab”.
THOUSAND OAKS CA, May 12th, 2022 ChemTalk, a grassroots 501(c)(3) science education and outreach non-profit based in Thousand Oaks, CA, announced today they were awarded a $75,000 grant from the Amgen Foundation, which will be used for content and outreach programs. ChemTalk has also received donations from several organizational and private donors including the American Chemical Society and CABRI foundation, and a GoFundMe fundraising campaign.
“The Amgen Foundation is proud to support ChemTalk in their mission to make chemistry education accessible and fun for learners. ChemTalk’s modern approach to creating high-quality, freely accessible educational resources will supplement our investment in the LabXchange platform, addressing needs in chemistry learning for millions of users globally. Furthermore, ChemTalk’s innovative LiveLab, based in Amgen’s headquarters community of Ventura County, will explore a promising model of community engagement accommodating both in-person demonstrations and interactive live-streaming for virtual audiences. We are excited to see the continued impact of this young nonprofit as we jointly strive towards an inclusive and approachable STEM education.” – Eduardo Cetlin, President, Amgen Foundation
In the past 12 months, ChemTalk has created one of the most popular chemistry resources in the world, and the website is receiving well over 200,000 visitors every month. In addition, over 1,000 middle schools, high schools and colleges have incorporated ChemTalk’s ad-free and barrier-free content into their online curricula and resources.
“Chemistry needs a catalyst, and that catalyst is ChemTalk. The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, OECD.org, ranks the United States #18 globally in science education, and we know we can do better. ChemTalk is advancing students’ understanding of chemistry and sparking their interest and excitement about science This grant will allow us to bring on the necessary resources to expand our content, launch the ChemTalk LiveLab, and contribute to LabXChange, a free STEM platform.” says executive director Scott Gietler.
ChemTalk has created the world’s first free chemistry “super portal” to educate and inspire the next generation of scientists. ChemTalk creates unique multi-media and written content designed for middle-school, high-school, and college science students – and also the general public. The content includes middle, high school, college & organic chemistry topics, and will be expanded into material science and the life sciences. This unique content is combined with easy-to-read articles and tutorials normally found on disparate platforms.
“I love the way ChemTalk bridges everyday chemistry and classroom concepts and models. High school and college chemistry is brought to life through connections to everyday experience. ChemTalk is likely to appeal to a broad audience, including students at the middle, high school, and college levels as well as members of the general public interested in learning more about chemistry, and how it permeates our everyday lives” says Michael Evans, instructor of chemistry at Georgia Tech University.
ChemTalk is also developing the ChemTalk LiveLab, a revolutionary concept that changes the way students without access to the best facilities can experience science. Launching in 2022, the LiveLab will live-stream experiments and demonstrations over Twitch and Youtube Live, allowing students around the world to interact in real-time, ask questions, and participate virtually.
Over 70 high-school and college students from across North America have participated in ChemTalk’s national internship program, becoming advocates for science while honing their own skills and knowledge.
Social media channels were launched on TikTok, Instagram, Twitter, Youtube, Facebook, and LinkedIn. One video, possibly the first video to show a maze being solved by chemistry using a pH gradient, received over 800,000 views on their new TikTok channel. The ChemTalk podcast has interviewed over a dozen professors, scientists, and Nobel laureates to expose young people to role models, early in their lives.
In addition to fundraising through donors and sponsors, ChemTalk is actively seeking corporate sponsors, product donations for the LiveLab, writers, volunteers, and advisory board members. ChemTalk also has paid internships available.
ChemTalk is a wonderful initiative that inspires young people to gain a broad understanding and practical knowledge of chemistry concepts by leveraging the network effects and promoting collaboration, diversity, and inclusion. It is helping to build the future workforce of the chemical industry” says Dr. Selma Duhovic, a scientist at Kebotix Inc.
Please contact Scott at scottg@chemistrytalk.org for additional information.
About ChemTalk
ChemTalk is a 501(c)(3) public charity non-profit, focused on science education and outreach. Its mission is to make chemistry & related sciences more fun, easier to learn, and more relatable for students and the general public. They also focus on improving the perception of chemistry and inspiring the next generation of our STEM workforce.
Media Contact
ChemTalk
Scott Gietler
Executive Director
scottg@chemistrytalk.org