Science survey results announced by Amgen and CTEq

The Amgen Foundation and Change the Equation (CTEq) today announced the results of the "Students on STEM: More Hand-on, Real-World Experiences."

The survey of 1,569 14- to 18-year-old students revealed that a majority of teens like science but need hands-on, real-life experiences such as labs and field trips to make it come to life.

"We are in an era where scientific advances provide the opportunity to make meaningful progress against some of the world's most serious diseases," Amgen SVP and Board of Directors member Raymond C. Jordan said. "To sustain this momentum, we must inspire the next generation of innovators. Through this study, we have seen that teachers are critical catalysts to inspiring a love of science in students."

The survey found that teaching from the book is the least effective method of instilling a love of science in teens. Only 37 percent of teens liked their science classes "a lot," although 81 percent are interested in science and 73 percent in biology. Students aspiring to biology careers place their teachers and science classes on nearly the same level of importance as their parents when making career decisions.

While students are interested in science, lack of resources, extracurricular science activities and career planning help are barriers to science careers, especially for low-income students. Only 32 percent of students know an adult working in the field of science.

"Students who pursue a STEM education today are the innovators who will solve the world's greatest problems tomorrow, whether or not they become scientists or engineers," CTEq CEO Linda P. Rosen said. "Change the Equation is pleased to partner with the Amgen Foundation to help uncover how we can ensure all U.S. students, regardless of income level or location, have access to the right resources."