Battelle Donates to Washington State STEM Education Foundation; Lou Von Thaer, Steven Ashby Quoted

Battelle has donated $1 million to the Washington State STEM Education Foundation to advance science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education in the Tri-Cities, the company announced Thursday.

“It’s part of Battelle’s mission to help develop the next generation of scientists,” said Lou Von Thaer, president and CEO of Battelle and five-time Wash100 awardee. “We are proud of our long-standing presence in Richland and the Tri-City area, and even more proud of the global impact that we have on the health and safety of the world. We hope this gift contributes to future, fantastic scientific advances.”

Battelle has managed and operated Pacific Northwest National Laboratory for the Department of Energy. The donation will fund the launch of a regional STEM Nexus that will develop and fund experiential learning programs for underrepresented and underserved students in rural communities.

The Nexus will provide new STEM learning experiences. Battelle has also contributed $1.5 million to create Delta High School, the Tri-Cities first STEM school and more than $2 million to fund the REACH Museum. Battelle has continued to support the Washington State STEM Education Foundation.

“For decades, Battelle and PNNL have provided financial support, community leadership and mentors for STEM education efforts that have had an enduring impact. This gift will continue this tradition by focusing on the development and expansion of transformative STEM education experiences in the region, especially for historically underrepresented and underserved populations,” said Steven Ashby, Battelle senior vice president and PNNL director.

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