Amgen Kicks Off 18th-Annual Science Grants for K-12 Teachers

• By David Nagel
• 11/04/08

Biotechnology developer Amgen has launched its 18th-annual Amgen Award for Science Teaching Excellence. This year's program will award 34 individual teachers with $5,000 each in unrestricted cash grants, plus $5,000 in restricted grants for those teachers' schools to expand or enhance science resources on campus.

The program this year will honor 34 teachers who "significantly impact their students through exemplary science teaching," according to Amgen. Winners will be judged based on a submitted lesson plan that the applicant has incorporated into classroom instruction. (Submitted lesson plans may be shared with other teachers via the Web.) The plans will be judged for creativity, effectiveness, and innovation. Applicants will also be judged on their plans for using the grant money to improve science education in their schools.

The Amgen Award for Science Teaching Excellence is open now through Feb. 2, 2009 to K-12 teachers in California, Colorado, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, Washington, and parts of Canada (Alberta, British Columbia, Ontario, and Quebec). Winners will be notified within the first half of 2009.

Further information about the awards program, including an online application, can be found here.

About the Author

David Nagel is editorial director of 1105 Media's Education Technology Group and editor-in-chief of THE Journal and STEAM Universe. A 25-year publishing veteran, Nagel has led or contributed to dozens of technology, art and business publications.

He can be reached at dnagel@1105media.com. You can also connect with him on LinkedIn at or follow him on Twitter at @THEJournalDave (K-12) or @CampusTechDave (higher education).