Georgia Life Sciences Partners with U.S. Chamber Foundation to Bring Real-World Innovation to Georgia Classrooms

Georgia Life Sciences Partners with U.S. Chamber Foundation to Bring Real-World Innovation to Georgia Classrooms

60 + high school students tackle real industry challenges through national EPIC program

July 7, 2025

ATLANTA - Georgia Life Sciences (GLS) has successfully completed its first collaboration with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation's Employer Provided Innovation Challenges (EPIC) program, bringing hands-on, real-world learning into Georgia classrooms and spotlighting the state's growing leadership in workforce innovation.

Through this groundbreaking initiative, GLS developed and piloted three challenge-based projects designed to spark student interest in the life sciences:

• Navigating Medical Device Regulatory Pathways
• Innovative Solutions in Food Production
• Automated Biomanufacturing

Over 60 high school students across the state formed 12 teams to tackle these challenges, working directly with industry volunteer mentors to co-design creative solutions. All participants earned credentials for their work, demonstrating not only career awareness but real-world readiness for Georgia's growing bioscience sector.

One standout team-composed of homeschool students from the Georgia Black Home Educators Network (GBHEN), sponsored by Blue Heron Urban Farm and Sanctuary-was selected to present at the EPIC National Convening on June 24 in Washington, D.C., hosted at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. The team shared their innovations in sustainable food production, highlighting the role of student ingenuity in solving global challenges.

"This program gave students a window into the real world of biotech, medical devices, and agtech," said Dr. Phil Gibson, Executive Director for the Georgia Life Sciences Institute. "It also gave our industry partners a powerful new way to engage with the future workforce-and even shape it."

EPIC, launched by the U.S. Chamber Foundation, is redefining the connection between business innovation and workforce development by giving students access to real problems, real collaboration, and real career exposure.

This effort is part of Georgia Life Sciences' broader mission to build a sustainable talent pipeline in the life sciences-from classroom to career. Through initiatives like this partnership with the Us Chamber Foundation and the public/private partnership with Georgia's Department of Education, the Biotech Teacher Training Initiative (BTTI), GLS provides immersive, standards-aligned professional development for Georgia educators to bring modern biotech concepts and techniques into biology, chemistry, agriculture, and environmental science classrooms statewide.

Why It Matters

As Georgia's life sciences industry continues to grow, workforce demand is outpacing supply. Programs like EPIC play a vital role in bridging that gap by increasing industry awareness early in the pipeline. Building student familiarity with bioscience careers-and connecting them with real industry mentors-is essential to strengthening Georgia's long-term competitiveness in biotechnology, biomanufacturing, and global health innovation.

About Georgia Life Sciences

Georgia Life Sciences is the statewide association advancing the life sciences ecosystem through policy advocacy, economic development, workforce initiatives, and industry-led innovation. From breakthrough biomanufacturing to patient access, GLS is committed to making Georgia a leader in global health and biotechnology.