Merck’s Curiosity Cube Hits the Road: Inspiring 45,000 Students Across 14 Countries
Merck, a global leader in science and technology, has launched its 2024 Curiosity Cube tour from Darmstadt, Germany, marking the beginning of a journey to engage and educate students in Europe and North America. The Curiosity Cube, a mobile science lab housed in solar-powered shipping containers, aims to reach 45,000 students across 14 countries, reinforcing Merck’s dedication to promoting equity in STEM education and addressing the growing demand for STEM careers.
Tim Jaeger, Chief Strategy and Transformation Officer for Merck’s Life Science business sector, highlighted the disparity between students’ interest in science and math and their reluctance to pursue STEM careers. To bridge this gap, the Curiosity Cube offers hands-on experiments that demonstrate real-world applications of STEM concepts, alongside encounters with Merck employees who serve as role models for diverse STEM career paths.
As part of the 2024 tour, the Curiosity Cube features a new design adorned with photos of young scientists who are children of Merck employees, showcasing the breadth of STEM opportunities within the company. Local Merck employees lead interactive lessons at each stop, focusing on sustainability topics such as renewable energy and recycled materials, using the lifecycle of a t-shirt as a tangible example.
Students participating in the Curiosity Cube experience a range of activities, including examining synthetic and natural fibers under microscopes, designing windmills to generate renewable energy, and learning about textile recycling processes. The tour consists of 150 events across Europe, spanning communities in Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Liechtenstein, the Netherlands, Spain, Switzerland, and the U.K.
In North America, the Curiosity Cube is on its sixth tour, hosting 137 events across the United States and Canada, including cities like Austin, Boston, Cleveland, Houston, Kansas City, Milwaukee, Seattle, St. Louis, and Toronto. Merck also maintains stationary Curiosity Cube installations at its sites in St. Louis, Missouri, USA, and Darmstadt, Germany, further demonstrating its commitment to local communities.
For more information about the Curiosity Cube mobile science lab and to view the 2024 tour schedule, visit TheCuriosityCube.com and follow @curiositycube_merck on Instagram.
