Our future needs education
Editors: Kerstin Stenger, Nina Hasenkamp, Nathalie Hornkohl, Sachi Murakami, Nicole Qian, Jinwha Choi, Michael Mackin
A good education for children is important. They are the future of our communities and industries. The earlier they are supported, encouraged, and given opportunities, the better we’ll be. As a company, you have the opportunity to attract students and pupils at an early stage, while educating them about opportunities in their future.
Since 2014, LANXESS has helped to promote science teaching in schools around the world - in part through theme-based project weeks, knowledge competitions, and material as well as monetary donations.
Beneficiaries
We believe that chemistry shapes the world we live in and innovation in chemistry makes our world a better place for generations to come. Moreover, innovation needs scientists, and to become scientists, young people need to develop an interest in sciences at an early age. The LANXESS education initiative aims to contribute to creating this interest, and thus ensure that future innovation shapes our world.
What we do globally:
“Education is the best investment you can do for the next generation. Proper education - on values, on visions - is the best you can do for society, for mankind as a whole. If there’s one thing we like to invest in, it’s in children.”
Educational outreach across the United States has become increasingly important, particularly around STEM education and career readiness at the appropriate age. As LANXESS has grown its footprint and production levels in the U.S. over recent years, our efforts to broaden educational opportunities have also expanded – now reaching from Coast to Coast!
As we expanded our operations into the Pacific Northwest (through the 2021 acquisition of Emerald Kalama Chemical), we immediately worked to embed ourself in the community and bring value to those across the region. One such way was to invest in the region’s future – its students.
In 2022, during a visit to the U.S. by the LANXESS Board of Management, Matthias Zachert – joined by other company leaders – announced a three-year, $75,000 commitment to the region’s future leaders, and hopefully, future LANXESS employees, through a very unique program.
"Career Connect Southwest (CCSW)" is a Washington-based STEM organization focused on ensuring students are equipped with the skills and preparation required in the modern work world. Through a one-of-a-kind partnership made possible by LANXESS’ commitment, CCSW is connecting 50+ high school students with a local employer in a hands-on, paid internship program where they can explore STEM-related fields and job opportunities throughout the region.
Not only is LANXESS sponsoring the program, which is in its first of three years and expected to expand to support 100 students each of the next two summers, but we are also hosting two “interns” from the nearby Kalama School District at the Flavors and Fragrances BU plant just down the road from their classroom.
Emily McBride, R&D Applications Manager with the Polymer Additives business unit, is not only helping to mentor the interns but she has also been appointed to the Board of Directors for Career Connect Southwest. The efforts are near-and-dear to her heart, as it combines her passions for community involvement and furthering STEM Education, while also helping to build a brighter future and more opportunities for her young children growing up in the region.
Technology Days
In Germany, it is becoming increasingly difficult to recruit technical apprenticeship positions. This is one reason why we decided to introduce a new, complementary educational format in 2022: the so-called “Technology Days”. They are currently aimed at students in grades 8-10. The Technology Days were held at the “Sensenhammer” industrial museum which is located in Leverkusen, Germany, where LANXESS calls home. This location connection helped add awareness amongst students (and employees!), while also building excitement around technology and the opportunities presented.
Before the students jumped into the hands-on experiments, they were given a brief theoretical introduction to some mechanical basics, including:
- the construction of a pulley,
- an imploding barrel,
- pendulum experiments,
- and the demonstration of the law of the lever.
International Chemistry Olympiad (IChO)
The International Chemistry Olympiad (IChO) is an annual global competition in which 85 countries currently participate. The IChO aims to spark an interest in chemistry amongst students by asking exciting, fun questions.
More than 1,300 students interested in chemistry take part in the German competition each year. Through several sessions, students work on theoretical and practical questions relating to chemistry in a variety of formats. In the end, a four-member German team is selected for the international round. The requirements are far higher than the German “Abitur” level.
In 2022, 1,500 young scientists competed in the 54th anniversary of the "International Chemistry Olympiad" in China. The best participants from North Rhine-Westphalia took part in the regional seminar – made possible by a 10,000 euro sponsorship from LANXESS – from February 19-23, 2022. The students tackled challenging questions in chemistry and carried out practical experiments, for example on the subject of halide ions.
At the end of the state seminar, the participants were honored at a ceremony in the LANXESS Tower. The next IChO is about to start in a few weeks.
LANXESS Climate Class & Science Workshops for Children
LANXESS Japan began a cooperation with "Save the Children Japan" in 2014 to present a science workshop project aimed at providing supplemental summer programs for students. The focus area has been in the Tohoku region, which is continuing to recover from the impacts of the Great East Japan Earthquake in 2011.
For the past seven summers LANXESS and "Save the Children Japan" have been providing science workshops for children in the Tohoku region on different themes related to science, like powering windmills with PET bottles or making cool packs using super absorbent polymers.
In 2022 "Save the Children Japan" held the first LANXESS Climate Class and Science Experiment Workshop program. Nearly 40 students from first grade through junior high school participated in three sessions.
In the first half of each session, participants learned through lectures with quizzes and movies about various environmental issues such as climate change, and measures that can be taken to combat global warming. In the second half, the children performed science experiments and made cooling gel packs with super absorbent polymers absorbing up to 1,000 times more liquid than their own weight as a way to reduce the consumption of electricity on hot summer days.
“We believe that this unique workshop combining climate education and science experiments gives children an outstanding learning opportunity while stimulating their creativity and curiosity. We hope that the workshop will help nurturing potential talents in the future chemical industry. Through our educational initiative, we will continue to support the Sustainable Development Goal of providing high-quality education for all children.”
“Many things have been put on hold due to the prolongation of the pandemic, but learning should not be stopped. We hope our educational initiatives become opportunities for the youth to arouse their interest in science, and contribute to providing quality education.”
"Science Class" youth initiative in Seoul
The LANXESS "Science Class" program is part of the company’s educational initiative aimed at sparking students’ interest in science and fostering future talents. It is designed to provide quality education to youth with relatively fewer opportunities for science education.
In cooperation with "Seoul Metropolitan Boramae Youth Center", the Science Class sessions have been offered to 1,000 students at 28 community children’s centers and schools since 2018 – even during the Pandemic. We wanted to contribute to closing the education gap as the Pandemic affected after-school care and learning for low-income, vulnerable students. But to best protect the students, the program conformed to social distancing guidelines to reduce the spread of COVID-19.
The classes focus on hands-on experiments in which participants can explore principles of science in a fun way and encourage curiosity. The curriculum covers general science subjects, such as water purification and the principle of humidifiers, as well as topics related to the 4th industry. For example, students learn about water purification process by creating a chemical garden using osmotic pressure and learn electrical circuits and the role of chemicals while making optical fiber flames.
Sangeun Nam, a social worker at Zemma Community Children Center commented, “I saw many students who once dreamed of being a scientist often lose interest by considering science as a boring study. I am glad that the LANXESS program reminded our children that science is fun and important. I hope that more students will be given opportunities to participate and the initiative lasts longer.”
"Climate School" for youth climate and environment education
In Korea, the LANXESS educational initiative includes the "Climate School", which provides students with climate and environmental education to increase climate literacy and help them practice proactive climate action.
The importance of youth climate education is rising in line with the Korean government’s goal of Net Zero by 2050. Therefore, in 2021, LANXESS initiated the program together with the Seoul Metropolitan Boramae Youth Center.
By the end of 2022, about 1,260 students had participated in the Climate School, coming from 26 elementary, middle, and high schools, along with local children's centers and special schools.
The classes consist of theoretical and hands-on sessions tailored to the participants, with the two main themes: “Climate, Environment and Life” and “Climate, Environment and Future”. Students learn about various environmental and climate issues such as climate crisis, biodiversity, resource circulation, renewable energy, green consumption, and carbon footprint, as well as how to put them into practice in everyday life.
For example, they learn renewable energy by making a toy windmill powered by sunlight and practice picking up and sorting trash while plogging (picking up trash while jogging) in the park. Some older students even discuss environmental policies or plan campaigns to promote climate action.
*Boramae Youth Center of Seoul Metropolitan City was founded in 1986 as the very first youth center in Korea and provides comprehensive services from aerospace and science-focused education to counseling on welfare and career path.
“LANXESS’ Climate Neutral 2040 and education initiatives are in line with the sustainability strategy we pursue. We hope the Climate School can contribute to helping the youth growing into members of society who recognize the climate crisis and environment issues and take ownership of climate change.“
“Clean Water for a Better Life ” Students Research Competition
In China, LANXESS pays special attention to issues affecting water. In tapping into university resources, we have been seeking and collecting social research projects on water pollution prevention and control from university students. In 2015, when the State Council issued its Action Plan for Prevention and Treatment of Water Pollution, LANXESS collaborated with China Sustainability Tribune to launch a Water Competition based on its own water treatment business.
“As a company that shoulders social responsibility, LANXESS is committed to providing people with clean water and environmentally sound wastewater treatment solutions. At the same time, LANXESS has always been highly active and persevering in promoting and publicizing the ‘co-building of a sustainable clean water ecosystem’. As a good platform, the Water Competition can not only contribute to the innovation and development of enterprises but also pass the baton of sustainable water resource development to the main force of the new generation.”
Last year, the focus topics of the Water Competition were Urban and Industrial Water Recycling and Water Safety, garnering 43 projects submitted by teams at 28 different universities. The teams delved into questions of environmental and water conservation from various perspectives and across disciplines and regions. Within three months, they completed their respective projects and put forward innovative solutions. The Yuhang Li team at Beijing University of Civil Engineering and Architecture finally won the “Clean Water for a Better Life” competition 2022.
Through the Water Competition, many ambitious young people have started their journey of environmental protection thanks to LANXESS. They have pitched into the water protection and governance industry, and will jointly promote the protection of China's water environment in the future.
“The Taihu Lake Basin is the main water supply source for many cities, so it is particularly important to maintain a health water body. This is related to not only the sustainable development of the ecological environment but also the happiness of many people. We hope that through this research, we can contribute to environmental health and drinking water safety,” Minhao Wang, the first prize winner of the Water Competition, said.
Open-to-Public-Day
In an effort to highlight our transparency and work to attract further interest in science, LANXESS launched Open-to-Public Days, including a 2021 day at the Ningbo site under the theme of “Together for Sustainability and Carbon Neutrality.”
By visiting the plant, the guests were able to gain insights into the operations of a state-of-the-art production site. Besides the plant visit, visitors were also able to participate in offered chemistry classes in which site volunteers introduced the concept, background, and purpose of carbon neutrality to kids. Instructors led participants in chemical experiments on how to synthesize CO2 through chemical reactions and provided examples on how the public can make relevant contributions in daily life and steps. LANXESS assists in its realization during Research & Development and production.
