About

BioBus helps K-12 and college students discover, explore, and pursue science. We focus on students excluded from the scientific community due to factors such as race, gender, economic status, and physical access. Through this work, we envision a world where all people have the opportunity to reach their full scientific potential. We’ve reached 400,000 students at more than 1,000 schools and community organizations since 2008, primarily NYC public and charter schools and as far away as New England, California, and even Rwanda, Egypt and Jordan. BioBus students connect with scientists from diverse backgrounds, learn lab and research skills, practice science communication, and take steps to become the next generation of scientists and problem-solvers, making the world better for all of us. Our students access and become part of the scientific community through introductory science labs aboard our mobile labs at their schools; after school, weekend, and summer programs; and year-long internships. We offer programs city-wide with a focus on Harlem, the Bronx, and the Lower East Side.

Learn more in our most recent annual report, and connect with us on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and YouTube. For media inquiries, please refer to our press kit.

Students discover the excitement of hands-on science aboard our Mobile Labs, equipped with $75,000 microscope and staffed by scientists. Parked in front of a school, entire classes of pre-K through twelfth-grade students climb on board for inquiry-based, hands-on, standards-aligned lab sessions.

After 45-minutes aboard a BioBus Mobile Lab, students have more positive attitudes towards science and want to do more. Eight to twelve week BioBus “Explore” programs at existing schools and community centers provide the students opportunities to develop their own research practice. At the same time, BioBus scientists build site staff's capacity to run inquiry-based research programs, as well as help equip sites with hardware and supplies.

We further support our students in becoming tomorrow’s scientific leaders through our “Pursue” paid internships for high school and college students. BioBus interns develop an independent science research project while serving as mentors to many of our younger students through teaching. "Pursue" and some "Explore" programs are located at BioBase Harlem @ Columbia's Zuckerman Institute. At this community lab, students work side-by-side with BioBus scientists and use the same advanced research microscopes found aboard our mobile labs.

BioBus is not a museum. BioBus is not a classroom. BioBus is not a fairground ride. BioBus is not even (always) a bus. BioBus is the research science lab that is in front of your school, at your block party, in front of your neighborhood park, in your summer camp, and at the college you want to attend. From the time you are four years old until college and beyond, BioBus supports your journey to make science part of your life, wherever that journey leads.

Mobile science laboratories have been identified as an important part of improving science education by NYC elected officials,¹ the National Institutes of Health,² and the National Academy of Sciences.³ 80% of our staff are from groups underrepresented in STEM fields, an important factor in inspiring the primarily black, Hispanic, and female students with whom we work.^4,5 95% of teachers requesting return visits from the BioBus because of the passion for science it ignites in their students. 65% of our students are African American or Latino. Over two­-thirds of the schools the BioBus visits serve low­-income communities. Internal and external research­-level evaluations show significant positive impacts on student attitudes towards science following BioBus programs. Eighty­-four percent of teachers rate the BioBus as "equally," "more," or "much more" valuable to their students as compared to a visit to the American Museum of Natural History, the New York Hall of Science, or the Liberty Science Center. Survey results and conversations with parents confirm that many students experience a dramatic positive shift in their attitudes towards science as a result of enrolling in BioBase courses.

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BioBus is grateful for the support of generous donors and partners, including:

Columbia University's Zuckerman Institute
Con Edison
Glenn W. Bailey Foundations
Exploratorium
Flu Lab
Harvard University
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
LifeSci NYC
Bronx, Manhattan, and Queens Borough Presidents
Manton Foundation
Metlife Foundation
National Science Foundation
Science Education Partnership Award (SEPA) at the National Institutes of Health
New York City Council
NYC Economic Development Corporation
New York State Assembly
New York State Senate
New York University
Northeastern University
NYC Public Schools (Department of Education)
NYC Department of Youth and Community Development
Overdeck Family Foundation
Regeneron
Richard Lounsbery Foundation
RTW Charitable Foundation
Science Sandbox, an Initiative of the Simons Foundation
The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation
The Pinkerton Foundation
Upper West Strategies
West Harlem Development Corporation

BioBus also relies on the generosity of many individuals like you. Thank you.

Learn more at donate.biobus.org.

View past annual reports.