Learning about science is a lifelong activity and one that can be approached with joy. At PPG, we believe that science center’s play an important role in spreading a love of exploration and increasing science literacy. While schools are an essential part of STEM education, science centers offer a unique way for the broader community – from students to parents to teachers and more – to learn about scientific topics in hands-on, interactive settings that help develop, and sustain, an interest in science.
Our long-term collaborations with science centers in communities where we are located around the world help us reach thousands of community members every year. Together with our science center partners, we create tangible opportunities for visitors and students to discover the possibilities – and fun – created through firsthand access to experimentation.
How do we bring this to life? Our partnerships have included the co-creation of special STEM exhibits and shows, traveling science exhibitions that extend educational reach outside museums’ walls, teacher training initiatives, and support for the development of chemistry labs inside the centers that equip visitors with opportunities for hands-on experimentation and learning.
We also are continuously seeking ways for PPG employee volunteers to showcase their expertise and science skills. You can often find our employees volunteering at science centers to demonstrate what science means to them and how it infuses their everyday work.
OUR SCIENCE CENTER PARTNERSHIPS
We’re proud to partner with leading science centers that serve PPG communities, including:
- Carnegie Science Center, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
- Center of Science and Industry (COSI), Columbus, Ohio
- Experimenta, Heilbronn, Germany
- Great Lakes Science Center, Cleveland, Ohio
- Greensboro Science Center, Greensboro, North Carolina
- Heureka, Vantaa, Finland
- Houston Museum of Natural Science, Houston, Texas
- Perot Museum of Nature and Science, Dallas, Texas
- Arizona Science Center, Phoenix, Arizona
- Museum of Discovery, Little Rock, Arkansas
- National Museum of Science and Technology “Leonardo Da Vinci,” Milan, Italy
EXPANDING THE FUTURE OF SCIENCE
Over 40 years after our partnership began, PPG, the PPG Foundation and Carnegie Science Center continue to make learning about science possible – and fun! Through captivating educational programming, thousands of Pittsburgh-area visitors are experiencing the life-changing impact of science. In 2023, we celebrated the five year anniversary of the PPG SCIENCE PAVILION, a hub for a diversity of educational events, camps, classes, and hands-on exhibits.
BRITTANY KATOFSKY
PPG chemist and SciTech Days volunteer
"Often times, science careers are overlooked. At SciTech Days (a program in partnership with the Carnegie Science Center), we open the minds of students by connecting science with sports and showing students how PPG technology makes hockey nets chip resistant and pucks change colors in the cold. The students’ faces truly light up when they see first-hand the excitement and fun a STEM career can provide."
CAPTIVATING FUTURE CREATORS IN CLEVELAND
Polymer chemistry, spectrometry, acid/base reactions and stoichiometry. Real-world scientific discovery comes to life in the PPG Labs at the Great Lakes Science Center - a 2021 National Medal for Museum and Library Service finalist. A venue for hands-on, interactive exploration, the labs are home to chemistry-based summer camps, school field trips and more.
HEAD OF DEVELOPMENT
GIOVANNI CRUPI
National Museum of Science and Technology Leonardo da Vinci
"STEM education is a responsibility, a mandate and a priority for our museum. We want to innovate in our labs to better serve our communities. Thanks to PPG, we can create a new, powerful education resource to inspire and engage our guests in science-oriented experiences."