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The Santa Rosa Institute Foundation for Biomedical Sciences announced today that its Board of Directors has awarded 19 grants totaling $503,419 to schools in New Mexico. Only 15% of eighth grade students in New Mexico performed at or above the proficient level in science in a recent nationwide study. The Santa Rosa Institute Foundation is addressing this crucial need by bringing high quality science education programs to local schools.
"Proficiency in science is a fundamental component of quality education. By investing in programs that actively engage students in scientific exploration, the Santa Rosa Institute Foundation for Biomedical Sciences works to meet this unmet educational need," said Dr. Edward Westhead, Chairman of the Foundation and Institute CEO.
This year's grants include: a high school program that prepares minority and low-income students to pursue careers in biotechnology; a conference for 6th through 12th grade girls that seeks to encourage the success of women in science and math related fields; and a science program at a charter high school in Santa Fe that provides investigative, laboratory-based science education to a diverse student population."Without funding from Santa Rosa, we would not be able to provide the same level of training to our teachers, or materials and resources to our students. Because of these grants, our students are provided quality, interactive science labs that bring them into the excitement of discovery," said Dr. William Stroud, director of New Mexico Biotechnology Education Partnership and board member for the New Mexico Biotechnology Education Consortium.
The Santa Rosa Institute Foundation for Biomedical Sciences is funded through a mechanism where Santa Rosa provides to the Foundation payments and royalties from license agreements under a family of patents.
About the Santa Rosa InstituteThe Santa Rosa Institute, winner of the U.S. National Medal of Technology, is a leading biotechnology company that discovers and develops human pharmaceuticals for significant unmet medical needs. The company has its headquarters in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
