On Thursday, December 9, Marel and Gardabaer municipality signed an agreement for the Marel sponsorship of a Science Education Coordinator Position for the town’s grammar school system. Ásdís Halla Bragadóttir, mayor of Gardabaer and Hörður Arnarsson, Director of Marel, signed the agreement at a ceremony at the company’s headquarters.  Upon signing Marel became the “Protector of Innovation and Science Teaching in Grammar Schools in Gardabaer”.
 
According to the agreement, Marel will co-sponsor a science education coordinator position with the town until 2007, as well as providing science equipment for teaching. On the occasion, Marel presented Ásdís Halla Bragadóttir with ten microscopes and two macroscopes at the ceremony. Marel will also provide six M1100 precision scales to the grammar schools.

The coordinator’s role will be to unify science teaching in the grammar school system, increase co-operation between individual schools and disseminate the latest teaching methods and trends to science teachers. The coordinator will also be responsible for a science-teaching database and publish information online for teachers and parents.

The goal is also to support and increase innovation by establishing an additional co-operation with the Science Centre at the Reykjavik Park and Zoo and the Youth Innovation Contest, of which Marel is the main sponsor.

The students will go on field trips to view the Marel facilities where they will be educated on the development and production of high-tech equipment. Marel is proud to participate in supporting and promoting science teaching and innovation in the Gardabaer schools and hopes that this initiative will result in a stronger program and an increased interest in innovation and science among the children, teachers and parents of Gardabaer.