Colorado BioScience Association (CBSA) is honored to announce the Amgen Foundation’s grant of $25,000 to the Colorado BioScience Institute (CBSI) in support of the Research Experience for Teachers (RET) program in Colorado’s science classrooms. The RET program is an intensive, 4 week, hands-on program in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) for 7th-12th grade teachers.

1. Colorado BioScience Association Recognizes Amgen Foundation’s $25,000 Investment in
STEM Education in Colorado’s Classrooms
Colorado BioScience Association (CBSA) is honored to announce the Amgen Foundation’s grant of $25,000 to
the Colorado BioScience Institute (CBSI) in support of the Research Experience for Teachers (RET) program in
Colorado’s science classrooms. The RET program is an intensive, 4 week, hands‐on program in Science,
Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) for 7th‐12th grade teachers.
Denver, CO – July 21, 2014 – The Colorado BioScience Association (CBSA) is honored to recognize the Amgen
Foundation’s grant of $25,000 to the Colorado BioScience Institute (CBSI) in support of the Research Experience for
Teachers (RET) program, in addition to funds provided by others including The Anschutz Foundation. The announcement
is made by CBSA/CBSI President & CEO April Giles, who says, “We are honored to receive these grants for our RET
program and know it will make a positive impact in Colorado’s science classrooms.”
The RET program is an intensive, 4 week, hands‐on program for 7th‐12th grade teachers. This inaugural year, four
teachers were selected to participate. The RET program places teachers in local life science companies to provide them
with hands‐on lab experience to bridge real‐world skills to back the classroom.
The goal is to help build long‐term collaborative partnerships between, industry scientists, and the local university
research community by involving the teachers in real bioscience research and helping them translate their research
experiences and new knowledge into classroom activities.
2014 RET Hosting Companies:
Biodesix, Inc., Aurora, Boulder
Molecular diagnostics advancing personalized medicine
www.biodesix.com
iC42 Clinical Research & Development, Aurora
Contract research services for integrated solutions to systems biology
www.bioanalytics.us
Sharklet Technologies, Inc., Aurora
Engineers surface technologies (Sharklet™) that controls the growth of dangerous bacteria
www.sharklet.com
Surefire Medical Inc., Westminster
Developing a novel infusion system for the interventional radiology market www.surefiremedical.com
The program provides experiential opportunities, along with professional development, classroom implementation
planning time and authentic materials. Together, these elements provide teachers with practical knowledge and
experience to enhance their content understanding and classroom practice, especially related to Science, Technology,
Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). “We hope to build on our first year of success and expand the program next
year,” Giles explains. “There is a proven need to encourage more students in STEM ‐ (Science, Technology, Engineering
and Mathematic) to secure our future workforce pipeline.”
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About Amgen Foundation
The Amgen Foundation seeks to advance science education, improve patient access to quality care, and strengthen the
communities where Amgen staff members live and work. To date, the Foundation has donated more than $200
million in grants to nonprofit organizations throughout the United States, Puerto Rico and Europe that impact society in
inspiring and innovative ways, and those that provide disaster relief efforts both domestically and internationally. For
more information, visit http://www.amgen.com/citizenship/overview.html and follow us on
http://www.twitter.com/AmgenFoundation.
About Colorado BioScience Institute
The Colorado BioScience Institute (the Institute) is a 501(c)3 non‐profit that provides biotech education, workforce and
career development, innovation support and resources for life science professionals, companies, students and educators
related to the bioscience industry in Colorado. For more information, visit: http://www.CoBioInstitute.org.
About Colorado BioScience Association
CBSA is a not‐for‐profit organization providing services and support for Colorado's bioscience industry. With more than
350 members, CBSA actively works to promote the growth of the industry by advocating for a better business
environment, growing the state's biotech workforce, fighting for policies that support a strong bioscience industry in the
state, and speaking with a single voice on behalf of the industry. For more information, visit
http://www.cobioscience.com.
CBSA also is found on these social media sites:
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/COBioscience
LinkedIn Group: http://www.linkedin.com/groups?about=&gid=98468&trk=anet_ug_grppro
Facebook Fan Page: http://www.facebook.com/ColoradoBioScienceAssociation
Blogger: http://coloradobio.blogspot.com
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/COBioscience
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/COBioscience
Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/101998361861247247369/posts
Tumblr: http://cobioscience.tumblr.com
Instagram: http://instagram.com/coloradobioscience
Contacts:
Mae Desaire, Director of Marketing, Colorado BioScience Association ‐ http://www.cobioscience.com –
720‐382‐5918, mdesaire@cobioscience.com
Maggie Chamberlin Holben, APR, Absolutely Public Relations ‐ http://www.absolutelypr.com ‐ 303‐984‐9801,
maggie@absolutelypr.com