Chief Science Officers Visit Pharma Companies

Sophomores Benjamin Sampson, Julia Ball, Jonathan McClenny and Lillian Ganz, the Cheltenham High School Chief Science Officers (CSO), attended a program at the Spring House Innovation Park yesterday, where they met with about 50 CSOs from seven other local school districts from across Montgomery County. The Cheltenham group toured pharmaceutical company labs and networked with professionals from Organon, KCAS Bio, Roquette Pharmaceutical Solutions, Merck and Thermo Fisher Scientific. 

At the end of the event, all of the CSOs divided into three groups for student-led discussions on the topics of talking to administration,” which Sampson led; logistics using the acronym F.A.S.T. (feasibility, audience, sustainability and timing); and Communication Styles while presenting.

The Montgomery County CSOs are student leaders from middle and high schools who work to improve STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) education and innovation in their schools and community. They are part of a statewide and international program that fosters leadership skills, organizes STEM projects, and advocates for science education. The program is supported by the Montgomery County Intermediate Unit (MCIU).