Bayer Corporation Names Fox Chapel Area High School Student As Its First-Ever Bayer Making Science Make Sense Scholar; Student to Attend Astronaut’s International Science Camp, Tackle Global Issues 6/15/2004
From: Rebecca Lucore of Bayer Corporation, 412-777-5200 PITTSBURGH, June 15 -- Collin James Dever, a ninth-grader at Fox Chapel Area High School, has been named Pittsburgh's first-ever Bayer Making Science Make Sense (MSMS) Scholar and will spend his summer vacation tackling important global issues with fellow students from around the world, Bayer Corporation announced today. As the Bayer MSMS Scholar, he will attend former astronaut Dr. Mae C. Jemison's international science camp The Earth We Share (TEWS) at Willamette University in Salem, Oregon, from July 2 through July 30, 2004. Collin is one of about 40 students attending TEWS '04 who represent Alaska, Texas, Florida, Canada, Ghana and Sierra Leone, among other places in the United States and around the world. By attending TEWS as a Bayer MSMS Scholar, Collin believes he will be able to develop new ideas to overcome community apathy, particularly when it comes to environmental issues, and let people know that "anyone can make a difference" in this world. "We at Bayer are delighted to award Collin this inaugural scholarship and a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to interact with peers from different corners of the globe," said Dr. Attila Molnar, president and CEO, Bayer Corporation. "With the TEWS camp deeply rooted in the MSMS cornerstones of problem solving, critical thinking and team work, the experience will surely help to hone Collin's science literacy skills and show him just how important science literacy is for all students today." During the four-week residential camp, Collin and the other students will use an experiential science curriculum to solve current global dilemmas, such as "How many people can the earth hold?" "What do we do with all this garbage?" and "Design a non-fossil fuel energy source for the world," among others. Designed to strengthen middle and high school students' science literacy and its associated skills, the TEWS curriculum is based on a hands-on learning philosophy. "Based on his outstanding application, we are confident that Collin will be a real asset to this year's TEWS camp, bringing to it a very unique vision and approach," said Dr. Mae C. Jemison, scientist, physician, the nation's first African-American female astronaut and Bayer's national MSMS science literacy advocate, who founded TEWS in 1994. She said choosing one winner from Pittsburgh "proved a challenge for us at TEWS because of the very high caliber of the applications. All Pittsburghers should be proud of their motivated and talented young people who are clearly engaged in their surrounding community." The Bayer MSMS Scholar search provides an all-expenses paid scholarship to attend TEWS to one winning seventh through 11th grade student in the Pittsburgh area counties of Allegheny, Beaver, Butler, Washington and Westmoreland. It is the newest component of MSMS, Bayer's companywide initiative that advances science literacy through hands-on, inquiry-based science learning, employee volunteerism and public education. Bayer's Pittsburgh headquarters is one of 15 Bayer sites around the country that operate local MSMS programs that feature a national volunteer corps of more than 1,200 employees. In Pittsburgh, more than 200 Bayer volunteers visit more than 175 classrooms, reaching more than 3,500 students in the region. Bayer Corporation, headquartered in Pittsburgh, is the U.S. holding company of the worldwide Bayer Group, an international health care and chemicals group based in Leverkusen, Germany. Bayer employs 23,300 in North America with net North American sales of $11 billion in 2003. Bayer's four operating business areas -- HealthCare, CropScience, Polymers and Chemicals -- produce a broad range of products that help diagnose and treat diseases, purify water, preserve local landmarks, protect crops, advance automobile safety and durability and improve people's lives. The Bayer Group has 115,400 employees. Its stock is a component of the DAX and is listed on the New York Stock Exchange (ticker symbol: BAY). For 2003, the Group recorded sales of 28.6 billion euros and a group net loss of 1.4 billion euros. Capital expenditures totaled 1.7 billion euros, and 2.4 billion euros was invested in research and development. The Earth We Share, founded in 1994, is a project of The Dorothy Jemison Foundation for Excellence, a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization established by Dr. Mae C. Jemison, the nation's first African-American female astronaut, to honor and implement the teaching principles and life accomplishments of her late mother, who was a teacher in the Chicago Public Schools for over 25 years. The Foundation is located in Houston, Texas. For more information, please visit http://www.jemisonfoundation.org. For more information or to learn how to apply for next year's Bayer Making Science Make Sense Scholar Search, please call the local MSMS hotline at 412-777-5791 or visit Bayer's Web site at http://www.BayerUS.com/msms. ------ BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH COLLIN JAMES DEVER PITTSBURGH'S FIRST-EVER BAYER MAKING SCIENCE MAKE SENSE SCHOLAR Collin James Dever -- Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA: 15 years old; will enter 10th grade in the fall at Fox Chapel Area High School. Parent: Kim and Jim Dever. Collin plays rugby and ultimate Frisbee at school, participates in the QUEST program and volunteers at the National Aviary. An amateur photographer with an interest in nature and landscapes, he also likes to mountain bike. In fact, recently, Collin worked with a group to clean and fix up local bike trails. By attending The Earth We Share as a Bayer Making Science Make Sense Scholar, Collin believes he will be able to find new ideas to overcome community apathy, particularly when it comes to environmental issues, and let others know that "anyone can make a difference" in the world. His future plans include attending college. |