• Environmental science students from River City Academy in Alaska toured the Marathon Petroleum Kenai refinery in March.
• Students learned about refining, visited the laboratory and toured the facility grounds with a guide.
• Advanced Environmental Engineer Stephanie Plate wanted to show students how they could apply a degree in science, technology, engineering and math to a real-world career.

Students from River City Academy in Kenai, Alaska, got a lesson in environmental science that took them out of the classroom and into a refinery. Employees from the Marathon Petroleum Kenai refinery welcomed the high school students and their sponsors inside the facility for a tour to help connect their classroom lessons to the real world.

“We wanted them to see how to apply a STEM degree into real career opportunity.”

“We explained the career opportunities in STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) in general and specifically at the refinery,” said Stephanie Plate, Advanced Environmental Engineer at the Kenai refinery. “We showed them all the different types of environmental science we do here: air, drinking water, wastewater, spill prevention and remediation. We wanted them to see how to turn a STEM degree into real career opportunity.”

The visit included an overview of refining, a visit to the control room and the laboratory, and then a driving tour around the facility. 

“The students really loved the tour!” said Suzanne Phillips, River City Academy teacher who chaperoned the trip. “They liked seeing the lab and the drive through the plant was very interesting. One of my students is interested in going into lab sciences and another is interested in the Emergency Response Team.”

The refinery recently participated in Engineering Week in February and plans to continue supporting the local schools that are educating the next generation.