Our STEAM commitment
We have a longstanding commitment to inspire and equip the next generation to love science and pursue a career in science, technology, engineering, the arts and mathematics (STEAM). Our STEAM education programs are all about getting young people excited about science early in life and showing them how fun and rewarding a career in our industry can be. Working with local educators and community organizations, we are intentional about creating opportunities for young women and students of color who have been traditionally underrepresented in biotech.
We have a longstanding commitment to inspire and equip the next generation to love science and pursue a career in science, technology, engineering, the arts and mathematics (STEAM). Our STEAM education programs are all about getting young people excited about science early in life and showing them how fun and rewarding a career in our industry can be. Working with local educators and community organizations, we are intentional about creating opportunities for young women and students of color who have been traditionally underrepresented in biotech.
“Our STEAM education programs are not just about the facts students might learn or the experiments they might do. It’s about helping them connect with a teacher and introducing them to the scientists who work here. And I think that makes it real for them, that they could do it, too — and that's hope. That’s opportunity.”
David Altshuler, M.D., Ph.D.
Executive Vice President, Global Research, and Chief Scientific Officer
Our STEAM initiatives
Our programs in Boston, San Diego and Oxford, U.K., have year-round opportunities for underresourced students in our communities, no matter where they are in their educational journey.
Creating space for learning
We bring science to life in our three on-site Learning Labs by taking classroom concepts and applying them to real-world problems. Our labs also give students access to technology and resources beyond what's available in school.
Supporting STEAM in the community
We partner with local educators and organizations to bring hands-on learning opportunities to more students in our communities.
Developing careers
We equip students with the tools they need to succeed in a STEM career beyond the classroom. This includes scholarships, mentorships with Vertex employees and internships in our labs.
Our Learning Labs
Our employees in Oxford love welcoming students to our research site, and we’re actively expanding our STEAM activities and outreach to support the local community.
Oxford Learning Lab
Established and launched in 2021, our Oxford Learning Lab is a dedicated lab space for local students to meet Vertex employees and conduct hands-on, real-world experiments.
Developing careers
Internships
In 2021, we launched a new paid, three-week Summer Program for Year 12 students located in Oxfordshire and London. The program allows students to explore the business of biotech, strengthen their STEAM skills and knowledge, and cultivate a professional network. Prior to 2021, we hosted our annual Work in Science Week in July, when more than 20 students from local schools joined us on-site for a week of learning about the drug discovery process.
STEAM partners
Vertex and the Vertex Foundation support nonprofit organizations that help expand STEAM opportunities to more students in Oxford, including:
STEM Learning: We partner with STEM Learning, a partnership of government, charitable trusts and employers dedicated to providing STEM education and career support. The Vertex Foundation supports their ENTHUSE program, which is a two-year program that combines teacher development with student activities to provide ongoing support to local schools.
Science Oxford: Our support of Science Oxford, an independent charitable trust focused on encouraging and facilitating STEM programs, enables students to explore their love of science and appreciate its positive influence on society.
We started a first-of-its-kind partnership with Boston Public Schools in 2012 to bring more STEAM education opportunities to students.
Thomas M. Menino Learning Lab
The Thomas M. Menino Learning Lab is a 3,000-square-foot classroom and lab space in our Fan Pier site where Boston Public School teachers bring their students to meet and interact with Vertex employees and conduct hands-on experiments.
Developing Careers
Science Leaders Scholarship
We started the Vertex Science Leaders Scholarship in 2014 as a fully funded scholarship for students pursing a STEAM degree at any University of Massachusetts campus. The award also includes mentoring from a Vertex employee and summer internships while they pursue their degrees.
Our partners at Bottom Line, a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping low-income and first-generation-to-college students get to and through college, also provide mentorship and support to our scholars.
Internships
For aspiring, young STEAM professionals, real-world lab experience is crucial — but can be hard to come by.
In 2021, we celebrated the 10-year anniversary of our High School Summer Internship program for Boston Public School students, run in partnership with the Boston Private Industry Council and the Mayor’s Summer Jobs Program. The program allows students to explore the business of biotech, strengthen their STEAM skills and knowledge, and cultivate a professional network.
In the same year, we also launched our new Bridge-to-STEM Careers program, a 10-week paid after-school internship program for high school sophomores, juniors and seniors in Boston and San Diego. The program runs in the Winter and Spring.
STEAM partners
Vertex and the Vertex Foundation support nonprofit organizations that help expand STEAM opportunities to more students in Boston, including:
San Diego is where our cystic fibrosis medicines were discovered and where we’re actively expanding our STEAM activities and outreach to support the San Diego community.
San Diego Learning Lab
Established in 2018, the San Diego Learning Lab is a 1,500-square-foot lab where students from the San Diego Unified School District can meet our scientists and conduct hands-on, real-world experiments.
Developing careers
Internships
For aspiring STEAM professionals, real-world lab experience is crucial—but can be hard to come by.
In 2021, we launched a new paid, six-week High School Summer Internship program for San Diego Unified School District students. The program allows students to explore the business of biotech, strengthen their STEAM skills and knowledge, and cultivate a professional network.
In the same year, we also launched our new Bridge-to-STEM Careers program, a 10-week paid after-school internship program for high school sophomores, juniors and seniors in Boston and San Diego. The program runs in the Winter and Spring.
Supporting STEAM in the community
We have sponsored the San Diego Festival of Science and Engineering since its inception in 2009, which reaches 26,000+ students and parents each year. In 2020, we helped bring STEM Week to San Diego with the help of our partners at i2 Learning.
STEAM partners
Vertex and the Vertex Foundation support nonprofit organizations that help expand STEAM opportunities to more students in San Diego, including:
