Chemours Supports STEM Education With "STEAM Machine"

Chemours' commitment to science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education for all extends to even the littlest learners. Now, children in several communities surrounding Chemours’ Washington Works site in West Virginia have access to powerful STEM learning experiences in their schools and neighborhoods, thanks to a new “STEAM Machine” learning mobile unit.

Launched by Discovery World on Market, the Chemours-supported STEAM Machine will help overcome the two most significant barriers to STEM learning in the surrounding communities: cost and time. The mobile STEM learning center is in addition to the over 70 guided and self-guided in-house field trips at the Discovery World on Market that will run from April through May alone. The STEAM Machine's ability to extend Discovery World's reach and inspire even more children to develop a love for STEM and problem-solving early in their education is invaluable.

Chemours helped to fund and outfit the STEAM Machine with mobile STEM technology, so it can travel to communities and schools across the Mid-Ohio Valley and the State of West Virginia, with the aim of spreading the love for STEM and providing youth with opportunities for hands-on learning experiences. The inaugural event for the STEAM Machine will take place in Bridgeport, West Virginia reaching well beyond Discovery World’s original established reach.

The STEAM Machine is already making waves in the local community, with bookings for five major events: Kids to Work Day at Chemours, YMCA Healthy Kids Day, Mid-Ohio Valley Multicultural Festival, and two First Fridays in Marietta, Ohio. These events are anticipated to draw substantial crowds and foster a deeper interest in STEM among young learners. Moreover, Discovery World has shown remarkable success, with total attendance reaching over 48,000 guests in 2024.

Chemours Washington Works' support of the initiative is part of a multi-year STEM education grant for the Discovery World on Market, the Mid-Ohio Valley's only children's museum. Since 2023, the Chemours grant has provided hundreds of museum admission passes for underserved children and their families and helped to fund and execute Science Saturdays. These and many other events have introduced STEM concepts to kids and visitors of all ages in a fun, engaging, and hands-on manner.