Amgen Foundation Awards Khan Academy $3 Million to Support Development of Free Comprehensive Biology Lessons

THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. and MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., Oct. 12, 2017 /3BL Media/ - The Amgen Foundation today announced a three-year, $3 million grant to Khan Academy to develop comprehensive new biology lessons. The Amgen Foundation is the exclusive sponsor of Khan Academy's biology content.

With the Amgen Foundation's support, Khan Academy will create new biology lessons for students and teachers worldwide. New videos, articles and practice exercises for ninth-grade biology through Advanced Placement Program®(AP®) biology will complement existing offerings. Like all lessons from the nonprofit Khan Academy, biology lessons are available for free at KhanAcademy.org.

"The Amgen Foundation has demonstrated a deep commitment to science education for many years, and we're honored by the renewed support of Khan Academy's biology content," said Khan Academy founder and CEO Sal Khan. "The Amgen Foundation's funding allows Khan Academy to create new biology lessons that will enrich the classroom experience for students and teachers everywhere."

The new Amgen Foundation funding builds on a 2015 grant partnership that supported the initial development of Khan Academy's AP and other introductory college-level biology content. Khan Academy has grown its biology offering, with the Amgen Foundation's support, to more than 300 videos, 80 exercise sets and 195 articles. Usage of Khan Academy biology lessons has increased to more than one million students monthly. In addition, Khan Academy is now the official practice partner for the AP Program and is partnering with the organization to create biology content that aligns with AP's challenging academic standards. 

"Khan Academy uses the power of technology to achieve meaningful scale and support learners around the world, particularly those who are low-income," said Eduardo Cetlin, president of the Amgen Foundation. "With more than 10 million learners visiting the platform each month, we're excited that students and teachers both in the U.S. and across the globe will have access to high-quality biology content through this partnership."

According to Amgen Foundation research on biology classes, students ranked virtual learning and the ability to choose the topics they would like to explore further among their top preferences. The Khan Academy content supported by the Amgen Foundation can help students master scientific concepts taught in the classroom at their own pace, while allowing teachers to identify gaps in learning and provide tailored instruction.

Students who have used Khan Academy to study biology shared positive feedback on how it nurtured the STEM skills they need for college and career readiness. 

"Khan Academy made me feel like I understood biology," said Derek Wan, a student at the University of California, Berkeley, who used Khan Academy during his freshman year of high school. "The momentum from freshman year carried me on through junior year. That's the feeling that Khan Academy gave me." 

"One of the great benefits of Khan Academy is that the videos are engaging and the information is easy to retain," said Elizabeth Cass, a graduate student at Oregon State University. "The videos and exercises are an important resource for people who just want to learn more."

Learn more about the new biology lessons by visiting khanacademy.org/science/biology.  

About the Amgen Foundation
The Amgen Foundation seeks to advance excellence in science education to inspire the next generation of innovators, and invest in strengthening communities where Amgen staff members live and work. To date, the Foundation has donated over $250 million to local, regional, and international nonprofit organizations that impact society in inspiring and innovative ways. The Amgen Foundation brings the excitement of discovery to the scientists of tomorrow through several signature programs, including Amgen Scholars, Amgen Biotech Experience, and Amgen Teach. For more information, visit www.AmgenInspires.com and follow us on Twitter @AmgenFoundation.

About Khan Academy
Khan Academy is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization with the mission of providing a free, world-class education for anyone, anywhere. We use intelligent software, data analytics, and intuitive user interfaces to help students and teachers around the world. Our resources cover math, biology, chemistry, physics, history, economics, finance, grammar, preschool learning, and more. Khan Academy offers free personalized SAT prep in partnership with the College Board, and we are the official practice partner for AP. We provide teachers with tools and data so they can help their students develop the skills, habits, and mindsets necessary for success in school and beyond. Khan Academy has been translated into dozens of languages, and 10 million people around the globe learn on Khan Academy each month. For more information, visit khanacademy.org, join us on Facebook, or follow us on Twitter at @khanacademy. And remember, you can learn anything. 

Advanced Placement Program and AP are registered trademarks of the College Entrance Examination Board.

CONTACT: 
Amgen, Thousand Oaks
Jennifer van der Borgt, 805-447-5597 (Media)
Khan Academy
Barb Kunz, 650-429-8154