from Baltimore Sun | January 23, 2017 read more >
The MdBio Foundation will unveil Tuesday its new mobile laboratory to travel to high schools throughout the state to provide hands-on science lessons.
The new Mobile eXploration Lab, or MXLab, is an upgrade from the organization’s original mobile laboratory, which has worked with about 150,000 students at 500 schools since hitting the road in 2003.
MdBio will debut MXLab at a ribbon cutting ceremony in Annapolis Tuesday with Gov. Larry Hogan and local business leaders.
The 53-foot-long lab has about 1,000 square feet of interior space and can accommodate about 40 students.
The lab teaches lessons on biology, chemistry and environmental science, and features fold-away workstations, electricity, water and computer equipment and video screens.
It is expected to travel to 35 high schools and work with about 10,000 students a year, starting in September 2017.
MdBio raised close to $1 million for the lab, including $200,000 from the state. Private donors included AstraZeneca, MedImmune, Emergent BioSolutions, CNSI, Northrop Grumman Corp.,The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation, France-Merrick Foundation, Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission, VWR International and Scheer Partners.
MdBio is a nonprofit education organization focused on STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) lessons. The mobile lab is its flagship program.
