BP awards $50,000 to PUC’s Center for Science & Technology Education

To advance energy, science, technology, mathematics and environmental education, energy company BP has donated $50,000 to Purdue Calumet’s Center for Science & Technology Education.

The gift will support a City of Hammond initiative also involving Purdue Calumet to develop an urban academy. BP’s support will underwrite the associated costs of developing challenging energy, science, technology, math and environmental curricula at the prospective academy.

Purdue Calumet’s Center for Science and Technology Education is administered by the university’s School of Education. The Center’s role is to support the prospective academy by using expertise to develop energy, environmental, math and science curricula; providing program, leadership and policy development; and offering teacher training and research.

“Science education and math education are among the most challenging and important areas of middle and high school curricular development,” Purdue Calumet Chancellor Howard Cohen said. “Our Center for Science and Technology Education is positioned to play a major role in advancing such curricula. We appreciate and welcome BP’s gift for enabling our Center to do so.”

BP Whiting Business Unit Leader Dan Sajkowski said, “BP is proud to play a major role to assist in funding this urban academy through its Fabric of America Program. Funding through the Fabric of America Program is designed to provide opportunities to fund local programs that enhance education and economic development programs that build and sustain community capacity in the communities in which we operate.”

The gift is similar to other investments BP has made in Indiana and Illinois to advance and enrich energy, science, technology, math and environmental education, as well as professional development for teachers.

News Release Date: March 7, 2008