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AMGEN

BIOTECH

EXPERIENCE

ABE brings critical hands-on biotechnology learning experiences into classrooms in select Amgen locations across the globe

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THE ABE

PROGRAM

ABE introduces secondary students to the excitement of scientific discovery.

ABE provides access to cutting-edge science through four key areas:

1. Teaching Resources & Equipment

2. Teacher Professional Learning & Community

3. Connecting Scientists to Classrooms

4. Equity & Access in STEM

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OUR HISTORY

ABE was developed in Los Angeles in 1990. Since then, we have expanded to 27 program sites in 16 countries and reached more than 1 million students around the world.

Million Students

27

16

Countries

1990

2024

1+

Program Sites

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Sites are in the order in which they joined the ABE program.

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PROGRAM IMPACT

Evaluation studies indicate that ABE is effective with both teachers and students and is unique and valuable because it includes hands-on, real-life science.

An evaluation of student outcomes found that:

Students improve their abilities to interpret experimental results and their knowledge of biotechnology skills.
Students gain new ideas about what happens in science laboratories and what science is.
Students increase their interest in science and science education.

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TEACHER BENEFITS

PROFESSIONAL COMMUNITY

TECHNICAL SUPPORT

TRAINING

ABE teachers are part of a global community with opportunities for high-quality professional learning and leadership, access to Amgen staff and industry partners, and connections to ABE teachers globally.

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Develop lifelong engagement & interest in STEM for student participants

Increase teacher capacity to implement ABE curriculum effectively

COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE

Develop site capacity to support effective ABE implementation within schools

ABE program site staff engage in a global community of practice that helps them to:

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FOUNDATIONS OF BIOTECH

EXPLORING PRECISION MEDICINE

LABORATORY-BASED INVESTIGATIONS

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BIOETHICS OF

GENE EDITING

SAVING

A LIFE

BIOINFORMATICS

& DIABETES

RESPONDING TO A MYSTERY ILLNESS

WEB-BASED INVESTIGATIONS

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ABE EQUIPMENT & MATERIALS

PROGRAM SITES PROVIDE TEACHERS WITH RESEARCH-GRADE EQUIPMENT AND REAGENTS.

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Increases teacher capacity to implement the ABE curriculum effectively

1

TEACHER CAPACITY

2

3

Develops site capacity to support effective ABE implementation within schools

Develops lifelong engagement and interest in STEM as students become members of the future workforce and active civic participants

SITE CAPACITY

STUDENT ENGAGEMENT

ABE PROFESSIONAL LEARNING

ABE supports sites and teachers through high-quality professional learning experiences, access to a global community of practice, and implementation resources.

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ABE PROFESSIONAL LEARNING & LABXCHANGE

The LabXchange platform can be a useful asset to educators who look to build, review, and expand their biotechnology skills.

ABE Foundations of Biotech and Exploring Precision Medicine are available on the LabXchange platform.

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Context:

Schools without much equipment in their labs
Teachers with conceptual inaccuracies about molecular biology
Students rarely consider taking a good higher education course in the Science field

ABE BRAZIL

Supported by

At ABE Brazil, our actions happen at the Mackenzie Presbyterian University in São Paulo, and it counts with the support of Sincroniza Educação, which is a company that specializes in connecting educational products to schools and universities in Brazil.

To talk about what we have been doing, please allow me to give you some context of our science education in the public schools of the country:

Usually, our public schools don't have much laboratory equipment, which constrains the possibilities of practical lessons
There is a large number of teachers who present conceptual inaccuracies regarding molecular biology, once they graduated a long time ago, way before all the gene manipulation techniques we use today were invented
Usually, students at public schools come from poor families, and they rarely consider taking a good higher education course in the Science field, because these are expensive courses without much certainty on how fast all the investment will return.

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Expansion plans:

Conducting workshops to local Science Museums
Partnering up with the State Education Department
Taking ABE to another Mackenzie Campus

Our impact:

We invite teachers to take professional development courses with us
We then invite them to bring their students to the university

ABE BRAZIL

So, what we are doing to create a positive impact in this scenario is:

First inviting teachers for professional development sessions with us
Then inviting them to bring their students to the University

In this process, some challenges have appeared, like convincing individual teachers to come and conciliating the school and the University's lab availability

To overcome these challenges, we are planning new ways to expand the program, such as?

Conducting workshops in Science museums
Partinering up with the State Education Department
Taking ABE to another Mackenzie Campus

With this, we expect to be able to present the project to more and more teachers and engage them in taking the professional development session, that is our first step to take biotechnology discussions to the classes.

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ABE BRAZIL

Students are learning about scholarship programs

Our results so far

Students are reconsidering a career in Science

Teachers from different subjects are learning about biotechnology and considering interdisciplinary projects

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ABE

South Africa

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ABE South Africa

Sci-Bono Discovery Centre, located in Johannesburg, South Africa is a premier science and technology centre dedicated to promoting science education & awareness.

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ABE South Africa

Southern Africa’s Largest Science Centre.
Interactive hands-on learning experiences.
Exhibitions, events, activities & web-based education programs.
Provide curriculum support, Career Guidance ICT Skills Development & Teacher Training with the aim of Inspiring the next generation of Scientists.
Stimulating curiosity, developing inquiring minds & making Science accessible to everyone especially those from disadvantaged communities.

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ABE South Africa

Dynamic & innovative program aligned to our vision of empowering society through innovative & interactive STREAM education that fosters curiosity & discovery.
Aligned to our goal of: Advancing equitable access to STREAM education serving disadvantaged schools & communities.
We are the Flagship Science Centre in Southern Africa offering innovative programs for teachers and learners to improve teaching & learning in the classroom. - “It just makes sense!”
Provides exposure to equipment learners will only get to experience at University, fostering early interest and appreciation for the Biosciences.
Brings the text book Science to life enhancing understanding of concepts in the local curriculum, making it more relevant & exciting.
Assists with the building of relationships with research institutions, universities & the local Amgen Office opening up opportunities.

Why ABE?

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ABE South Africa

Being affiliated to our local provincial education department enables easier access to teachers & learners.
Partnered with our local Amgen Office who supports our PDIs.
Hold Personal Development Institutes (PDIs) for teachers at our Life Science Lab.
Facilitate ABE activities with learners at their schools.
Showcase ABE activities at expos & events to promote the program e.g. National Science Week.
Facilitate ABE activities with the general public visiting the centre as part of holiday program activities and weekend programs.
Present ABE Program & LabXchange platform at the annual Southern African Association for Science & Technology Centres (SAASTEC) Conference which we will do so again this year.
Provide ongoing support to teachers conducting activities with them & their learners until they are confident

How we implement ABE?

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ABE South Africa

Support from our local provincial Education Department to roll out ABE to schools.
Buy in from Life Science Subject Exam Specialists to have their teachers involved.
Established relations with local Amgen Office.
Finding a local service provider to source the equipment.
Established relations with Wits University & University of Johannesburg.
Established relations with the local Council for Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR).
Successfully running a launch event of the ABE SA Site & 3x Educator PDI’s thus far.

Successes

Finding a local service provider to source the equipment.
Competing schedules with Education Department meetings/trainings clashing with planned PDI’s.
Teachers confirming attendance but not turning up on the day of the event.

Challenges

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THANK YOU!

amgenbiotechexperience.com