Curiosity Cube offers local students hands-on science experience

MilliporeSigma’s Curiosity Cube is a converted shipping container turned into a mobile science laboratory for STEM education. Photo provided

A converted shipping container is helping Center County students gain hands-on science experience while learning about sustainability.

Life science research company MilliporeSigma’s Curiosity cubea mobile science laboratory, will make several stops in the State College and Bellefonte areas on its sixth annual North American tour.

The Curiosity Cube is open to the public on the following dates:

• Saturday, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., at Millbrook Marsh Nature Center, 548 Puddintown Road, State College.

• Tuesday, April 30, 4 to 6 p.m., at Bellefonte Youth Center and Faith United Methodist Church, 512 Hughes St., Bellefonte.

• Wednesday, May 1, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., at Discovery Space, 1224 N. Atherton St., State College.

It will also be available for school-only events in the State College, Bellefonte and Bald Eagle school districts.

The goal of the Curiosity Cube – a 20-by-10-foot retrofitted shipping container turned interactive mobile science laboratory – is to increase access to hands-on STEM education and spark scientific curiosity.

With three interactive experiments led by MilliporeSigma scientists, students will use modular electronics, digital microscopes and other scientific tools to learn more about sustainability.

“To help young minds build the confidence that they are equipped for STEM careers, MilliporeSigma is showing students that science is all around them through the Curiosity Cube mobile science lab,” according to a press release. “The Curiosity Cube is designed to ignite scientific curiosity and passion early – paving the way for a future of innovative breakthroughs and encouraging students to pursue careers in STEM fields.”

MilliporeSigma is Merck’s North American life science company and has a facility in Bellefonte.