Community Outreach

Cubist, in partnership with the New England Patriots Radio Network, 98.5 The Sports Hub, has selected Sean Muller, a science teacher at Merrimack High School, in Merrimack, New Hampshire, to receive the Cubist Pharmaceuticals Science Education Leadership Award. This award culminates Cubist and the New England Patriots Radio Network's recognition during the course of the football season of nine "Teachers of the Week", who are innovative science teachers in middle schools and high schools throughout New England. Mr. Muller was chosen from that group and was recognized at the New England Patriots game on January 1st.

As part of Mr. Muller's award, Cubist will present the Merrimack High School science department with a $5000.00 check after the football season, along with a visit from a Patriots alumnus player and a representative from Cubist.

Mr. Muller received several nominations, one in particular capturing the spirit of the Science Education Leadership Award: "Mr. Muller was my honors chemistry teacher four years ago. I am now in my junior year at the University of Connecticut studying Material Science Engineering, which is the study of different materials and why they exhibit certain mechanical characteristics, which can be used to create new materials. As you can imagine, most of my courses are a mix between physics and chemistry. Even now, I find myself using different tools and tricks that Mr. Muller taught me. Mr. Muller is a creative and engaging teacher who can spark the interest of many different students."

Throughout the season, Cubist and the New England Patriots Radio Network have recognized science teachers leading the way in the classroom. During the New England Patriots season, teachers were selected as the Cubist Pharmaceuticals "Teacher of the Week" and announced during the New England Patriots radio broadcast. In addition to Mr. Muller, the weekly qualifiers were Jason Tower (Wachusett Regional High School, Lianne O’Hara (Rumney Marsh Academy), Peter Nichol (Concord Carlisle High School), Jessica Digianfelice (Peabody Veterans' Memorial High School), Beth St. George (Hopkinton High School), Tim Maguire (Hopedale High School), Nancy Gifford (Harwich Middle School), and Shawlette Howard-Smith (South Lawrence East Middle School).

Steve Gilman said in the press release announcing the winner, "Mr. Muller is an outstanding example of leadership in science education. Science education must be a priority for society to prosper, and I was gratified to read in this year's nominations of the many dedicated science teachers innovating in the classroom, creating interest in students at the middle- and high-school level, and motivating them to pursue careers in science. Needless to say, all of the nominees and teachers who are demonstrating leadership and innovation in the classroom on a daily basis deserve our collective support for all they are doing to prepare the next generation for challenging jobs in science and technology and in other fields of endeavor."

Click here for past winners

On June 8, 2011, more than 30 juniors from King Philip Regional High School in Wrentham, MA spent the day in Lexington job-shadowing Cubist employees as part of the second annual statewide Biotechnology Job Shadow Day. The event was co-sponsored by the Massachusetts Biotechnology Education Foundation (MassBioEd) and the Massachusetts Biotechnology Council (MassBio) as a means to increase student interest in STEM areas (Science, Technology, Engineering, & Math). Students learned about Cubist, toured various labs, and were paired with Cubist mentors from departments across the company.

The highlight of the day involved one-to-one discussions between students and mentors, who were matched based upon students' desire to learn more about a particular career or job. Mentors described their functional area and chosen profession, an overview of their career path to date, the skills they have learned along the way, and the kind of personal satisfaction they get from their job. In turn, students asked questions about job requirements, career history, educational experiences, and any personal insights mentors have gained on their path to the present day.

Cubist fielded two teams of employees for the May 22, 2011 Boston Great Strides Walk to support the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. The teams raised more than $30,000, thanks in large part to successfully meeting a fundraising challenge from Cubist President & CEO Mike Bonney, who made a personal donation to the cause.

For the fourth consecutive year, the Cubist booth proved one of the most popular attractions (at least among participants aged 15 and under) at the FREE Science Carnival , held at the Cambridge Public Library on May 7, 2011. Cubist volunteers enjoyed a fun, four-hour frenzy demonstrating chemistry and states of matter by mixing a mild water-borax solution with colored glue to make silly slime (…a very sticky, but highly satisfying and harmless polymer) for “children of all ages.”

The science carnival included nearly 100 free exhibits and demonstrations hosted by local companies and institutions and was but one of many events organized for the nine-day Cambridge Science Festival , which is described on cambridgesciencefestival.org as “a celebration showcasing Cambridge as an internationally recognized leader in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). A multifaceted, multicultural event, the Cambridge Science Festival makes science accessible, interactive and fun, highlighting the impact of STEM in all our lives.”

March 18, 2011 — Cubist is proud to announce this year's Corporate Giving grant recipients, many of which are repeat grantees.

2011 Grant Recipients (Visit a website to learn more)

• Biomedical Science Careers Program
• Citizen Schools
• College Bound Dorchester
• The Fulcrum Institute - Tufts University
• Massachusetts Biotechnology Education Foundation
• Massachusetts State Science and Engineering Fair
• MATCH Charter Public School
• Minuteman Career & Technical High School
• Museum of Science
• New England Wildlife Center
• Science Club for Girls

In 2008, Cubist established the Corporate Giving program to reflect the philanthropic interests of our employees. Each year since then, Cubist has awarded grants to non-profit organizations with programs focused on middle- and high-school STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) education. In addition to providing financial support, the program encourages employees to volunteer with the recipient organizations and aims to provide enduring benefits to the target populations and other organizations supported by our employees.

On January 28, 2011, a dozen teens from College Bound Dorchester (CBD) came to Cubist to learn about what we do, but left with unexpected, valuable lessons that will affect their daily lives, and perhaps, their future lives as college graduates.

In just a few short hours outside their normal classroom routine, the seventh- and eighth-grade students learned about lab safety, got "hands-on" instruction on effective hand-washing techniques, toured a lab in full safety apparel, and practiced serial dilutions and isolations streaks (using grape juice and Jell-O).

Perhaps the most influential moments of the day occurred when the students listened to a lunchtime panel of employees tell tales of triumph from their varied college experiences. Panelists shared revealing and intimate stories, which in most cases were paths filled with uncertainty, sacrifice, and obstacles. The panelists eventually achieved success and found Cubist, while the students hung on their every word.

Cubist Sr. Vice President and Chief Financial Officer David McGirr presented a case study on making facilities-based decisions as part of a January 26, 2011 Massachusetts Biotechnology Council (MassBio) informational seminar called "Facility Decision Making: Grasp the Facts First." The event, which targeted life sciences companies, drew more than 40 registrants to MassBio's headquarters in Cambridge.