American Chemical Society’s Project SEED Program
Through a recent Bayer USA Foundation grant, Bayer Corporation has helped bring the Project SEED program to two new communities in Texas – Houston and Tyler.
Established in 1968, Project SEED is an American Chemical Society (ACS) program for high school students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds who have an interest in pursuing science as a career. The program provides an opportunity for students to participate in scientific research and learn what it is like to work in science-related fields through on-the-job experience.
Students work in academic, industrial or governmental laboratories for eight-to-10 weeks and are provided with projects that give them the opportunity to do meaningful research. The projects are suggested by scientist-mentors and reviewed by an ACS committee. Many of the projects involve learning about making new compounds, testing and usage of lab instruments and analyzing data.
Every year, more than 400 students participate in Project SEED at more than 100 institutions. In addition, some 300 volunteer scientist-mentors participate in the program (no mentor has more than two students). Since 1968, more than 9,000 high school students have participated in Project SEED. Approximately 70 percent of the students are from underrepresented groups in the sciences, primarily African-American, Hispanic American and Native American. In addition, 62 percent are female.
A comprehensive project evaluation confirms that Project SEED is a pivotal experience for students in shaping their career goals and aspirations. Of the students surveyed:
- more than 50 percent decided to attend college only after their Project SEED experience;
- some 70 percent reported that they have obtained a degree in a science field (and additional 10 percent earned degrees in non-science fields) and credited their experience in Project SEED as a factor in their career planning;
- and 63 percent obtained B.S. degrees, 13 percent M.S. degrees, 7 percent Ph.D.s and 9 percent other degrees
To learn more about Project SEED, click here.
