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The Amgen Foundation announced on June 20 an increased commitment to LabXchange, an online science education platform that provides users with access to high-quality science education resources at no cost. As LabXchange’s founding and lead sponsor, Amgen has committed $30 million, in addition to $13 million previously contributed, to enhance science learning opportunities for students and educators around the world.
LabXchange was launched in January 2020 as an online community for learning, sharing, and collaboration in the sciences. It was based on the vision of the late Robert Lue — a scientist and educator, professor of the practice of molecular and cellular biology, and UNESCO Chair on Life Sciences and Social Innovation at Harvard — who sought to make science education accessible to everyone. LabXchange connects students and educators with curated and personalized online lab experiments, interactive lessons, and videos to complement in-person science education and offers opportunities for sharing and engagement. Now led by faculty co-directors Alain Viel and Xiao-Li Meng, it currently offers over 16,000 resources to build science literacy and inspire the next generation of scientists.
LabXchange sits within Harvard’s Office of the Vice Provost for Advances in Learning (VPAL), which seeks to shape the future of education by discovering new ways to build the competence, curiosity, and confidence of learners on campus and around the world.
Amgen’s commitment will allow LabXchange to expand and deepen collaborations with STEM organizations worldwide and pursue opportunities to serve more learners, particularly in underserved communities. It will allow LabXchange to develop content in priority areas such as data science, biotechnology, and environmental studies. It will also fund the translation of LabXchange’s content into 30 languages, the launch of a new teacher ambassador network, and increased content offerings addressing racial inequity in health care, education, and STEM.
For more information on LabXchange’s mission, content offerings, and future development plans, visit the LabXchange website.
