BASF supports STEM education with $5,000 donation to Ascension Parish’s High School Robotics Team

- BASF presented a $5,000 donation to Ascension Parish’s High School Robotics Team to help it prepare for the national For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology (FIRST) Robotics Competition in 2014.

The donation is part of BASF's ongoing effort to promote and improve science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education in schools. Along with the donation, engineers from the BASF Geismar site will interact with the students and serve as mentors for the robotics team.

“Robotics is an exciting field that challenges students to combine academics and creativity in team projects that have a direct link to real-world industry applications," said Tom Yura, Senior Vice President and Manager of the BASF site in Geismar, Louisiana. “This is a great example of how industry can support STEM education and inspire the next generation of scientists, researchers, inventors and innovators."

FIRST is a multinational non-profit organization that is working to promote science, math, engineering, and technology. The FIRST program provides teens with the opportunity to explore science in competition against thousands of other students.

Every year, a new game with new challenges is presented to the teams, which then design and build a robot to compete. In addition to demonstrating proficiency in science and math, the team members are also required to perform community services, mentor new teams and act as ambassadors for the program. Winning teams can qualify for nearly $10 million in college scholarships. The parish’s "Robot Ascension" team made it to the FIRST Robotics Competition state quarterfinals in 2012.

“Through BASF’s continued support of school based initiatives like our high school robotics program, our students are able to gain hands-on knowledge and experience in STEM, preparing them to be ready for post-secondary education and a career,” said Ascension Parish Superintendent Patrice Pujol. “It is through the generous support of our business partners like BASF that help to make Ascension Parish Public Schools one of the top rated school systems in the state of Louisiana.”

BASF - The Chemical Company

BASF Corporation, headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, is the North American affiliate of BASF SE, Ludwigshafen, Germany. BASF has more than 16,600 employees in North America, and had sales of $18.5 billion in 2012. For more information about BASF’s North American operations, visit www.basf.us.

BASF is the world’s leading chemical company: The Chemical Company. Its portfolio ranges from chemicals, plastics, performance products and crop protection products to oil and gas. We combine economic success with environmental protection and social responsibility. Through science and innovation, we enable our customers in nearly every industry to meet the current and future needs of society. Our products and solutions contribute to conserving resources, ensuring nutrition and improving quality of life. We have summed up this contribution in our corporate purpose: We create chemistry for a sustainable future. BASF had sales of €72.1 billion in 2012 and more than 110,000 employees as of the end of the year. Further information on BASF is available on the Internet at www.basf.com.