PPG opens a new STEM Lab at Discovery World

Published : 22-Jun-2023

PPG employees and their children, along with the staff of the Discovery World Museum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, celebrated the opening of a new PPG STEM Lab.  A science and technology center that offers interactive educational exhibits, aquarium, labs, and other programming for the entire family, Discovery World’s mission synergizes with PPG to purposefully and actively engage with young minds to aspire to be the next generation scientists, engineers, and innovators.

“We are so thrilled to be a part of this creative and interactive space at Discovery World,” said Rebecca Liebert, executive vice president, PPG. “At PPG, our mission is to protect and beautify the world and with this investment in Science Technology Engineering and Math (STEM) we are helping to inspire the generation of scientists, chemists and engineers as well as create stronger and more sustainable communities.”

A ribbon cutting event on June 21, 2022 christened the lab space followed by a ceremonial paint roll; an installation of the last coat of paint by Liebert and Discovery World CEO Bryan Wunar, each using different swatch colors representative of the STEM lab space.  “From the second you step into the lab, you feel a connection to the lakefront and the natural world like nowhere else in Milwaukee,” said Wunar.

The PPG STEM lab is multi-purposed — holding STEM-related summer camps, workshops, and family weekends. The space is just over 1,000 square feet, equipped with a state-of-the-art dissection camera, speakers and an 85” monitor to give a clear visual to the students in the classroom as well as those that may be attending virtual classes.

“This is so awesome,” exclaimed event student attendees as they entered the colorful lab space scurrying to look out one of the floor-to-ceiling windows that oversee some of Milwaukee’s most iconic scenes — the Hoan Bridge and Lake Michigan.

“These are the kind of activities that I’m excited to have my kids involved in,” said one parent. “Getting them prepped at an early age to learn about STEM and to have fun while doing it, I couldn’t ask for anything more.”

The PPG STEM Lab at Discovery World is funded by a grant from the PPG Foundation which supports STEM educational programming including afterschool programs, summer camps, robotics competitions, and in-classroom learning experiences. To learn more about our support of science centers, click here.

To see live media coverage of the PPG STEM Lab celebration, click here.