Mobil investing in science equipment for Mount Maunganui students

Science students at Mount Maunganui College are getting another high-tech hand-up from Mobil, almost $9,000 all up for the purchase of new laboratory equipment for the school.

Mobil donated $5,000 to the college last year so it could buy 20 microscopes and three electronic balances for its science department.

Mobil has again pledged almost $4,000 more to allow the college to buy three more balances plus a package of scientific probes, primarily for use by its senior earth science students.

Justin Jones, Mobil’s Mount Maunganui Terminal Manager, says the donations are part of Mobil’s ongoing support of science and maths education.

“As a science and technology focussed company, Mobil recognises the importance of education,” says Mr Jones. “We want kids to get involved in these subjects and by making these donations to Mount Maunganui College we’re ensuring its students have access to the equipment they need to succeed.”

Mount Maunganui College Head of Department Science, Rose Burggraaf says the equipment bought with last year’s donation has allowed the school to offer new internal assessments to its students.

“Our students are now using the kind of lab gear they’d be using at university or on the job, and it means we’re capable of offering different internal assessments in Level 2 Biology,” says Ms Burggraaf.

“The students each need a microscope so they can look at and draw biological material with up to a 400x magnification. And the electronic balances are accurate to two decimal places so students can now do a practical investigation which requires them to weigh biological material with accuracy.”

Mobil’s latest donation takes the total amount donated to New Zealand schools for new science, maths and technology equipment to $95,000 over the past three years. That includes $5,000 given to both Mount Maunganui Primary and Omanu School last year.

"As an oil and gas company with a keen interest in technology, we want to nurture the scientists of the future, and help out where we can,” concludes Mr Jones.

For further information please contact:

Simone van Asbeck, Network Communication
Phone: 09 306 5809, 027 331 8012
Simone.vanAsbeck@networkcommunication.co.nz