STEM Education

Inspiring the next generation of innovators

Every student has the potential to become an innovator in STEM. We ignite young people’s passion for these topics by providing dynamic learning opportunities that inspire promising academic journeys and impactful professional careers, especially among populations who continue to be underrepresented in STEM fields.

By advancing equitable access to STEM for students from all backgrounds, we can increase opportunities and foster a future workforce that more fully represents the diverse world around us, ultimately driving innovation that will improve lives while building more resilient communities. 

Early STEM exploration 

Our programs and partnerships begin with young students in elementary school, as these formative years are crucial for nurturing and maintaining a lasting interest in STEM subjects. Through hands-on activities and purposeful collaborations in academic and out-of-school environments, our colleagues can demonstrate and reinforce real-world STEM applications in students’ daily learning and routines. 
  
For example, our colleague-developed signature STEM programs--Innovation Nation, STEM Design Challenge, STEMcredible Kits and Career Connections--engage students’ sense of wonder while highlighting the capabilities of Thermo Fisher technologies and making connections to STEM careers.  
  
We also partner with organizations who share our commitment to STEM access and equity. For instance, since 2016, we’ve worked with Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA) to connect more students from underrepresented groups with high-quality learning experiences that can propel them into thriving STEM careers. In 2024, our CACs supported youth at more than 20 Boys and Girls Clubs across the US, including "Day in the Life of a Scientist" events at two Thermo Fisher sites, where Club youth engaged in hands-on STEM activities, toured labs and explored biotech careers. 


Watch our colleagues in action as they inspire the next generation of innovators.

Innovation Nation

We have customized several of our Innovation Nation activities to allow them to be conducted in the home environment. Take advantage of free Innovation Nation worksheets and instructional materials, which explain the science behind each activity and include discussion questions and connections to careers. To connect your community with Thermo Fisher volunteers, contact responsibility@thermofisher.com. 

• Strawberry DNA Extraction: worksheet, instructional video 
• UpCycle a Garden: worksheet 
• Chemistry of Slime: worksheet, instructional video 
• Paper Chromatography: worksheet, instructional video 
• Bubbling Lava: worksheet, instructional video 

STEM competitions

Compared to classroom education, hands-on problem-solving through STEM research competitions offers opportunities for students to more deeply apply their curiosity and talents, develop relationships with mentors and network with like-minded peers. 
 
Thermo Fisher Scientific Junior Innovators Challenge™

The Thermo Fisher Scientific Junior Innovators Challenge (Thermo Fisher JIC) is the premier middle school STEM competition in the US, reaching more than 65,000 students nationwide through hundreds of science fairs affiliated with our partner, Society for Science. During fair season, Thermo Fisher CACs, colleagues and local leaders serve as volunteers, judges, award presenters and STEM activity facilitators to support and engage with local students and their families.  
  
Colleagues and leaders also participate in Thermo Fisher JIC Finals Week, where 30 finalists compete for $100,000 in prizes by defending their research and showcasing their communication, creativity, collaboration and leadership skills in team-based STEM challenges—including ones that feature Thermo Fisher technologies and experts.  

• After winning the Thermo Fisher JIC in 2023, Shanya Gill was named a TIME™ Kid of the Year™ Honoree in 2024. Her invention, a novel fire detection system, could one day save more lives and property than traditional smoke detectors. Shanya maintains an open-source approach to her software so she can innovate collaboratively with others and make her fire detection system as globally accessible as possible. Read more here. 

• 2024 Thermo Fisher JIC winner Tina Jin connected with more than one million viewers of the American TV program “The Kelly Clarkson Show” over her invention of a nearly zero-cost water filtration system developed from natural and household materials. Tina encourages young students to start their STEM journey by exploring how math and science can solve even the smallest everyday problems. Watch the full segment. 

Supporting post-secondary STEM success 

We’re passionate about serving students throughout their academic journey, extending our commitment to higher education institutions and learning communities. Our post-secondary programs and partnerships aim to open doors to meaningful career pathways while nurturing a dynamic ecosystem of STEM talent—a key lever for fueling innovation that will solve the world’s greatest challenges.  
 
Ireland Apprenticeship Programme  
Our Cork, Ireland site has been recruiting STEM talent through its Apprenticeship Programme for nearly a decade. The four-year, paid experience is delivered in partnership with SOLAS, Ireland’s state agency for workforce development, and includes on-the-job training and curriculum modules in areas like mechanical and electrical engineering. Many apprentices join the company as full-time colleagues upon successful completion of the program — in fact, apprenticeship graduates now comprise more than 20% of the site’s Engineering Operations team. 

“As an apprentice, you really feel like you’re part of the team here in Cork. The team works closely together to support each other and to provide the very best training for the apprentices. I'm really enjoying this programme and would recommend it to anyone looking for a hands-on route into a practical career.”
Caoimhe Ryan, 3rd year electrical and instrumentation apprentice, with Thermo Fisher Scientific  
  
InCube Challenge  
We were proud to support the winning team at the 2024 InCube Challenge, a global, team-based innovation competition for university students. Over five days, teams collaborate to tackle pressing global issues from inside a glass cube. Our sponsored team developed an AI-driven solution to optimize clinical trials and advance our goal of net-zero emissions by 2050. Partnering with these talented students enhances their development and offers new perspectives that can strengthen our industry leadership.   

“I think it’s really nice to have an industry partner behind this. Whenever you work on the abstract problem you kind of keep in your mind hey this is going on in the real world. You have a real use case in your mind and it’s something everybody profits from that’s really nice.” Roger Csaky-Pallavicini, Computer Science Master’s candidate, ETH Zurich and InCube participant, Thermo Fisher Cube  
 
Women in STEM: University collaborations in China   
This was our third year supporting the "Her Science" Female Scientist Program, a collaboration between Thermo Fisher and the China Women's Development Foundation (CWDF), which aims to inspire female students and researchers to persevere in science and grow their impact on the world. This program provides a platform for outstanding female scientists to share their stories, encouraging more women to realize their full potential.  

“I’m so proud of Thermo Fisher’s commitment to promoting diversity and inclusion on a global scale. Through initiatives like the "Her Science" program, we will inspire more female scientists and ultimately, support them in making our world healthier, cleaner and safer.”
Miguel Faustino, President China, Asia Pacific and Latin America   
 
“Participating in the event of the 'Female Scientists Development Program' was truly inspiring. As a doctoral student in the field of life sciences, I am even more convinced that gender is never a boundary to exploring truth; rather, it is an opportunity to provide multidimensional perspectives in research. In the future, I aspire to follow in the footsteps of my predecessors, delving into the microscopic world of laboratories while also daring to set a direction in the wave of scientific independence and self-reliance, building together with the 'power of her' the warmth and height of scientific illumination.”
Bao Linjun, student, Peking University School of Life Sciences


Digital leaders of the future

Our hands-on approach to STEM learning also extends to university collaborations. Thermo Fisher cybersecurity teams design relevant and engaging programs to contribute to practical skill-building and employment opportunities for future digital leaders. In 2024, one of our hackathons was with North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University where students focused on addressing real-world challenges around electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure. The contributions from that session inspired innovative app-based EV charging solutions now being developed for our corporate headquarters.