Discovery Museum and MathWorks Partner Once Again to Bring STEM Workshops into New England Classrooms

Discovery Museum announced today that it will continue its partnership with Natick-based MathWorks to bring the museum’s Traveling Science Workshops program to classrooms throughout New England during the 2018-2019 school year. This is the ninth consecutive year that MathWorks has supported the program.

Traveling Science Workshops (TSW) is a state curriculum-based program that brings hands-on science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) concepts into pre-K through grade 8 classrooms throughout the region.

Traveling Science Workshops served more than 35,000 students in 1,700 classrooms during the 2017-2018 school year, a 12% increase over the prior year and the eight year of sustained program growth.

TSW is the only classroom-based program of its kind in Massachusetts. Age- and grade-appropriate workshop topics support state science curriculum standards and the new Science, Technology, and Engineering standards. The set of 23 workshop topics include Force & Motion, Chemistry Lab, Earth Science, Light & Lasers, Sound, Magnets, Green Engineering, Dinosaurs, Weather & Climate, Bubbles, and Physical Changes of Matter, among others. Fun, hands-on discovery activities demystify science concepts, strengthen problem solving skills, and reinforce the scientific method. Classroom teachers and parents receive follow-up activities to reinforce learned concepts.

Discovery Museum has piloted many new and reconfigured workshops over the last two years to best align with the new Massachusetts Science and Technology/Engineering Curriculum Standards. Teacher feedback shows that the workshops support student learning and reinforce curriculum connections and goals, important for teachers who are in their first or second year of adopting and implementing the state’s changed requirements.

“Nothing beats immersive, hands-on activities for sparking a student’s interest in science, math, technology, and engineering,” said Kevin Lorenc, director of corporate communications at MathWorks. “Early and repeated participation in these engaging workshops can make a big difference in how students see their world and their own abilities. Our long-running partnership with the Discovery Museum underscores how important we think it is to try and inspire students at an early age through interactive STEM programs.”

“MathWorks continued and generous support of TSW enables us to bring hands-on science to classrooms in many more communities than we could otherwise,” said Neil Gordon, Discovery Museum CEO. “We have a shared belief that early STEM can make a lasting impact on kids, and we’re working together to make it happen.”

Besides supporting Traveling Science Workshops, MathWorks has also funded accessibility programs at the museum, and MathWorks employees complete several employee volunteer days at the Museum each year. The two organizations received a 2014 Partners of the Year award from the Boston Business Journal, which recognizes for-profit and non-profit partnerships that have an impact on the community.

About MathWorks

MathWorks is the leading developer of mathematical computing software. MATLAB, the language of technical computing, is a programming environment for algorithm development, data analysis, visualization, and numeric computation. Simulink is a graphical environment for simulation and Model-Based Design for multidomain dynamic and embedded systems. Engineers and scientists worldwide rely on these product families to accelerate the pace of discovery, innovation, and development in automotive, aerospace, electronics, financial services, biotech-pharmaceutical, and other industries. MATLAB and Simulink are also fundamental teaching and research tools in the world's universities and learning institutions. Founded in 1984, MathWorks employs more than 4000 people in 16 countries, with headquarters in Natick, Massachusetts, USA. For additional information, visit mathworks.com.

About Discovery Museum

Discovery Museum is a hands-on museum that blends science, nature, and play, inspiring families to explore and learn together. The museum and its Discovery Woods accessible outdoor nature playscape and 550sf treehouse blend the best of STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math) learning on a beautiful 4.5-acre campus abutting 180 acres of conservation land in Acton, MA, about 20 miles west of Boston. Originally founded in 1982 and expanded to two museums in 1987, the museum reopened in a single, 16,000sf accessible building after a complete renovation and expansion in early 2018. Hands-on, open-ended exhibits developed by professional educators inspire curiosity and exploration, providing a fun and engaging experience for children and adults to discover their world together. Serving families and schools from towns throughout the region, the museum is devoted to informal education that enhances classroom learning. Discovery Museum is committed to accessibility, and is a proud recipient of the 2017 Massachusetts Commonwealth Award, the only winner in the Access category, and a 2018 LEAD® Community Asset Award from The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. For more information please visit www.discoveryacton.org. Discovery Museum is a community-supported non-profit organization.

Discovery Museum programming is supported in part by a grant from the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency.

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