Morristown, New Jersey

The Consumer Care Division of Bayer HealthCare and its Making Science Make Sense program support several science initiatives throughout New Jersey.

In fall 2007, Bayer announced a new $19,000 Making Science Make Sense® (MSMS) grant to the Girl Scouts of Northern New Jersey. The grant will underwrite three 2008 “Super Science Fun Days,” aimed at increasing girls’ self-confidence in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields. The special daylong workshops are designed to develop critical thinking skills through hands-on experiences, like creating a catapult or hovercraft, exploring the world of fiber optics and optical illusions, or studying their own DNA.

During the past several years, Bayer Consumer Care scientists have worked side by side with teachers in school districts including Dover, Cedar Knolls, Chester, Hanover, Morristown, Roxbury and Whippany.

In 2006, more than 250 third graders at North Dover Elementary School and Academy Elementary School in Dover, N.J., put their science textbooks aside for a special hands-on lesson in mixing and solutions from MSMS volunteers. When they are not conducting experiments in the classroom, Bayer volunteers serve as judges at science fairs and speak at Career Day events.

With a strong commitment to science education, Bayer Consumer Care has also sponsored the Morris Museum’s Outreach Program since 2000. This program brings science, history and art programs to students across NJ who are unable to visit the Museum. The museum's outreach educator engages children in discussion, easy-to-handle objects and activities that support classroom science curriculums.

For the past five years, Bayer has also sponsored the Morris Museum’s Portable Planetarium program, which travels to almost 100 schools in Northern and Central New Jersey throughout the school year.