Museum of Science and MathWorks Team Up to Bring Engineering is Elementary® to Haverhill Public Schools

BOSTON – The Museum of Science, Boston will bring an award-winning STEM curriculum to elementary students in Haverhill Public Schools with support of a grant from the Natick-based software company, MathWorks. The $15,000 grant will support 15 elementary teachers from Haverhill in learning to implement the Engineering is Elementary® (EiE®) curriculum.

"The Museum of Science is committed to expanding the access to high-quality engineering education for students worldwide," says Museum President and Director, Ioannis Miaoulis. "With the help of a generous gift from MathWorks, we can continue to do this right in our own backyard, helping teachers in Haverhill prepare to inspire the next generation of STEM learners."

A critical piece of the MathWorks/EiE Scholarship program is the professional development workshop the teachers attend to prepare them to teach the EiE curriculum, which will take place on November 7^th at the Consentino School in Haverhill.

“Our district works tirelessly to develop confident problem solvers who are ready to tackle any challenge that comes their way. With EiE’s proven success in engaging students and teachers, I am certain that we will be able to reach and inspire all of our learners. We are thrilled to expand our implementation of such high-quality STEM curriculum,” said Haverhill Superintendent of Schools James F. Scully.

This is the second year of the MathWorks/EiE Scholarship Program. Last years’ scholarships supported teachers in Haverhill, Lowell, and Brockton and resulted in Brockton implementing engineering education district-wide this school year.

“Sparking a student’s interest in STEM is critical at an early age,” said MathWorks’ Director of Education Marketing, P.J. Boardman. “That interest is catalyzed by teachers who engage students in creative ways with hands-on learning, discovery and exploration.”

EiE is the nation’s most widely used elementary engineering curriculum, reaching over 13.5 million students to date. The curriculum consists of 20 units that integrate science topics with different engineering fields through inquiry-based learning. The units are introduced by storybooks about children from different cultures and backgrounds around the world who are trying to solve engineering problems; students then solve a similar problem using a five-step engineering design process.

The Museum also announced recently a MathWorks’ gift of $10 million to fund the design, fabrication, and maintenance of a new exhibit in the Museum’s Blue Wing based around the popular exhibit, Engineering Design Challenges.  A longstanding Museum supporter, MathWorks has been a corporate member since 1991, sponsored the Mugar Omni Theater at the Museum since 2005 and, since 2009, has underwritten “Free Film Fridays.”

About Engineering is Elementary

• EiE is a project of the Museum of Science, Boston, developed with support from the National Science Foundation.
• The EiE curriculum includes 20 units that integrate science topics with a specific field of engineering.
• Through the use of storybooks, EiE introduces students to children from different cultures and backgrounds who are trying to solve engineering problems.
• EiE students as young as six years old conduct their own experiments to collect the data needed to solve a similar problem using a five-step engineering design process.

About the Museum of Science, Boston
One of the world's largest science centers and New England's most attended cultural institution, the Museum introduces about 1.5 million visitors a year to STEM via programs and interactive exhibits. An extraordinary variety of learning experiences span the Yawkey Gallery on the Charles River, Hall of Human Life, Thomson Theater of Electricity, Charles Hayden Planetarium, Mugar Omni Theater, Gordon Current Science & Technology Center, 4-D Theater, and Butterfly Garden. The Museum's National Center for Technological Literacy® curricula, including the award-winning Engineering is Elementary, have reached an estimated 13.5 million students and 122,400 educators. The Museum sparks teens worldwide to use digital technology via The Clubhouse Network and has led a $41 million National Science Foundation-funded Nanoscale Informal Science Education Network of science museums. Visit: http://www.mos.org.

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 3500 people in 15 countries, with headquarters in Natick, Massachusetts, USA. For additional information, visit mathworks.com.

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