MILWAUKEE — A bright yellow shipping container is making its way to schools across Milwaukee.
The goal? To increase access to hands-on STEM education.
The 22-foot by 10-foot container is called the Curiosity Cube. It’s an interactive, mobile, science lab traveling across the country.
“We have a goal of sparking curiosity to as many students as we can around the world through our mobile science program,” Danielle Chavis, a Curiosity Cube Coordinator, smiled.
On Tuesday, the container was parked at the Milwaukee Academy of Science. The school’s fourth and fifth graders took turns visiting the cube where they did a variety of experiments.
“It’s right here in our parking lot so kids can walk out of class like it’s recess and there’s this whole world created for our kids,” Hannah Uitenbroek, the school’s social media manager, said.
Kids got to use virtual reality, digital microscopes, and other tools to learn about different types of contamination.
“All students enjoy it and take something away from it. They are part of the future,” Chavis said.
The Curiosity Cube was created in 2017 by the Life Science business MilliporeSigma. The global company has several facilities in Milwaukee where there are roughly 750 employees.
Tuesday, the experiments were led by local MilliporeSigma employees.
“As AI is developing and coding is developing, there are so many opportunities there. We want to equip our students to be leaders in STEM,” Uitenbroek explained.
STEM occupations are projected to grow two times faster than non-STEM occupations in the U.S., according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
The Curiosity Cube will hold 124 events in communities across the country as part of its North American tour. It’s in Milwaukee from October 24 to 28.
The experience will be free and open to the public Saturday at Discovery World.
For more information, you can visit their website.
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