Broad Minds

To inspire a love of science in the next generation of researchers, we have set up research labs for children and adolescents. We also provide schools with materials for exciting lessons and offer continuing education to teachers. Because music and literature inspire people, we moreover promote a number of cultural initiatives worldwide. Creativity and curiosity are the bedrock of science, culture and art and also underpin our holistic approach.

Boredom? That's so yesterday!
As part of SPARK, our global volunteer program, employees from our Life Science business sector share their skills and experience with students. The goal is to ignite a passion for science and inspire them to consider a Science, Technology, Engineering or Mathematics (STEM)-related career. SPARK activities include our Curiosity Labs™ program, which engages students through dynamic, interactive lessons. In 2019, the program reached more than 8,000 students from around the world. In 2019, as part of SPARK, our Life Science business ran its third year-long Curiosity Cube™ tour across North America. Consisting of a shipping container retrofitted into a mobile science lab, the Curiosity Cube™ provides a learning environment that immerses visitors of all ages in specific science topics through hands-on experiments and state of-the-art technology. The 2019 Curiosity Cube™ was equipped with digital microscopes, 3D printers and virtual reality gear. In total, the Curiosity Cube™ traveled 48,000 kilometers across North America in 2019 and engaged students in 99 communities. Throughout 2019, over 2,300 of our employees volunteered more than 19,400 hours via the overall SPARK Global Volunteer Program that also includes the Curiosity Cube™, engaging over 66,500 students worldwide.

Discover our Projects Worldwide!

Classical music has a very long tradition at our company. The Deutsche Philharmonie Merck is our musical ambassador. It is an integral part of cultural life in Darmstadt (Germany) and the local region and regularly tours internationally, performing in Moscow (Russia), in April 2019. In 2019 alone, approximately 21,000 people attended their concerts. The Deutsche Philharmonie Merck gave its 31st charity concert in January 2019, raising a total of € 50,000. Via the “Echo hilft!” initiative, the proceeds went to help five community projects in the Darmstadt area.

Literature gives people food for thought. It motivates and inspires, and can even stimulate scientific and social change. As a forward-looking science and technology company, we seek to leverage this potential, for culture can make people more receptive to new research while also increasing its visibility. This is why we award or support five literary prizes around the world. These awards particularly recognize authors who build bridges between cultures, as well as between science and literature.