The Merck Institute for Science Education (MISE) was established in 1993 by Merck as a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving science education from kindergarten through 12th grade through teacher and program development.

MISE collaborates with teachers, school administrators, parents, Merck employees and higher education institutions to improve science education in the classroom and to build consensus around the urgency for reform. The Merck Company Foundation has provided almost $50 million to support MISE since its inception. MISE has become a model for how corporations can support the nation's STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) education objectives and make a lasting difference in education reform by focusing on the specific goals of:

• Developing and delivering research-based professional development opportunities to enhance teacher knowledge and skills
• Providing access to high-quality curriculum materials and resources
• Building communities within a school that are committed to strengthening science teaching and learning within and across schools and school districts
• Promoting local, state and national policies that support effective science education

The work is guided by a vision of science classrooms in which inquiry is an integral and regular part of the learning experience of all students. Inquiry-centered teaching and learning imitates the thinking and methods of scientists to help students explore and understand the natural world. MISE's approach to instructional reform rests on the premise that when students are engaged in legitimate inquiry, they develop a greater interest in and deeper understanding of science than is possible through more conventional instructional approaches.

MISE also takes a long-term, systemic approach to science education reform, which focuses primarily on professional development to enhance the knowledge and skills of educators. MISE works in partnership with the school districts of Elizabeth, Hillside, Linden, Newark, Rahway and Readington Township in New Jersey, and North Penn in Pennsylvania. Newark, New Jersey's largest school district became MISE's newest partner in 2010.

In addition to funding provided by The Merck Company Foundation, MISE has received funding from the National Science Foundation, including $7.1 million in 2003 to MISE and a regional partnership of schools and education organizations to strengthen science and mathematics education in the Elizabeth, Hillside, Linden and Rahway, New Jersey, school districts.