Shimadzu in the Community

At Shimadzu Scientific Instruments (SSI), our commitment to Contributing to Society through Science and Technology doesn't stop at our high-precision measuring instruments. We strive to put science into the reach of everyone, children and adults alike. Using our technological and personal resources, we aim to enlighten and inspire current and future scientists. In essence we focus to give back to the community by bettering the world we live and work in.

Scroll down to see the activities we have recently participated in.

Our employees are using their volunteer hours benefit to make a difference in the community.
November/December 2023

Eric Fossett represents CAPSS ERG at a Santa Give Away event in Durham, NC.

The 5K Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to decreasing gang involvement and gun violence in Durham by creating positive outlets for youth in these communities. This year Eric Fossett a member of CAPSS Employee Resource Group attend the 8th Annual Secret Santa Give Away. It's a heartwarming event that aims to bring joy to the youth of Durham during the Christmas season. Organized by a dedicated group of volunteers, this initiative collects and distributes gifts, toys, and essential items to children in need. Thank you CAPSS ERG for making a difference in the lives of these children.

 

Bernice Anderson making a difference in the community and using her SSI volunteer hours at Success in Style.

Success in Style is a non-profit charitable organization that supports in-crisis individuals pursuing employment. Their mission is to assist individuals in becoming employed and self-sufficient. Success in Style promotes dignity and professionalism through appropriate business attire, practical fashion advice and interview counseling. They enhance our client’s appearance and help them conquer the initial barrier-first impressions. Success in Style builds self-esteem so their clients radiate the professionalism and confidence necessary to gain employment and build a career. They help improve the quality of life for their clients and their families and the community at large by committing to establish a social culture of equality and respect for all people. The Success in Style's upscale resale boutiques include Charity’s Closet, Phil’s Closet, Charity’s First Picks, and Cherie Sustainable Bridal support their mission by selling fabulous, donated fashions.

 

Jon and Michele Peters both volunteered by harvesting for a produce donation by weeding in the Climate Victory Garden. The Community Ecology Institute (CEI) at Freetown Farm’s mission is to cultivate communities where people and nature thrive together by working towards tangible, community-level change at the many intersections of environment, education, equity and health.

Sam Velez and Afshin Khavari volunteered by gardening and doing land clean-up for Howard Eco Works at Deering Wood Community. Howard Eco Work's mission is to empower communities and diverse workforces to respect and restore our natural systems for future generations. Sam and Afshin received a Happy Holidays and note of gratitude from the Howard County Department of Recreation and Parks.

Shimadzu Scientific Instruments employees making a difference by using their volunteer hours at LARS (LAUREL ADVOCACY & REFERRAL SERVICES).
September 2023

Our Employees used their volunteer hours to unload Giant food and food products for the LAUREL ADVOCACY & REFERRAL SERVICES, INC. (LARS), who will be distributing the food to those in need. LARS empowers individuals in need of food, housing, and financial assistance to achieve well-being, stability, and self-sufficiency.

Shimadzu Scientific Instruments is proud to be a partner in the Howard County School System Gifted and Talented program.
2023

Shimadzu Scientific Instruments and the Baltimore Hunger Project
September 2023

The Baltimore Hunger Project, a non-profit organization that bridges the gap between Friday and Monday by consistently providing weekend food packages to children identified as food insecure. The Baltimore Hunger Project raises awareness about the effects of hunger by establishing partnerships with community members, other organizations, and decision makers like Shimadzu Scientific Instruments.

Shimadzu Scientific Instruments Employees Volunteering to Clean Up Patapsco State Park
 

Patapsco Valley State Park is a Maryland state park extending along 32 miles of the Patapsco River south and west of the city of Baltimore, Maryland. The park encompasses multiple developed areas on over 14,000 acres of land, making it Maryland's largest state park.

The SSI Department of Talent and Culture is excited to announce that Shimadzu Scientific Instruments is now a sponsor of Association for Women in Science or AWIS.
July 2023

About AWIS: Founded in 1971, AWIS has been the leading advocate for women in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) to achieve business growth, social change, and innovation. We are dedicated to driving excellence in STEM by achieving equity and full participation of women in all disciplines and across all employment sectors. In addition to scholarships, AWIS provides career resources, professional development, as well as networking, mentoring, and volunteer opportunities to build leadership skills. To learn more, visit awis.org and @AWISNational.

Funds raised for Direct Relief
May 2023

Funds that were raised this year and last year at the National Sales Meeting by our Employee Resource Groups were allocated to Direct Relief, a nonprofit for Disaster Relief. Direct Relief works in the US and internationally to expand access to medicine and healthcare by equipping docteors and nurses with lifesaving medical resources.

Healthy People. Better World.
That means all people — regardless of politics, religion, or ability to pay. Improving their lives is Direct Relief’s mission.

Please visit the Direct Relief website to learn more.

Committed to serving the communities in which we live and work
January 2023

Shimadzu Scientific Instruments is committed to serving the communities in which we live and work. One of the ways we do this is through encouraging employees to volunteer. Therefore, on January 1, 2023, employees can take up to 7.5 hours of paid time off annually to volunteer.

Toys for Tots Toy Drive
December 2022

Over 1000 toys were donated from across the Shimadzu regional offices during the Marine Corps Toys for Tots toy drive.

Winter Coat Drive
December - January 2022

HATS OFF to CAPSS, Community Action & Partnership by Shimadzu Scientists for a successful winter coat drive!

320 coats were donated by Shimadzu Scientific Instruments HQ and Regional Offices to charities across the United States. Many participated across Shimadzu Scientific making a difference in the lives of many.

CAPSS, Community Action and Partnership by Shimadzu Scientists, unites Shimadzu Employees who work collaboratively in teams across the country with a common goal of impacting, improving, and volunteering in our surrounding communities (neighborhoods and industry) through participation in a variety of community outreach programs and activities.

Maryland STEM Festival
October 14 - November 13, 2022

Shimadzu Scientific Instruments is proud to sponsor the 2022 Maryland STEM Festival. Held each Fall, this month-long celebration consists of a variety of fun, family-oriented events in celebration of science, technology, engineering, and math. It is designed to encourage students of all backgrounds to become interested in STEM.

The festival takes place from October 14 through November 13. This year’s theme is Cybersecurity and Information Technology.

Please visit the Maryland STEM Festival website to learn more.

Free Bikes 4 Kidz
December 2021

People, Operations and Legal Affairs enjoyed a holiday party and combined the celebration with a community building project. The Team assembled bikes for Free Bikes 4 Kidz, enjoyed a wonderful lunch from Maggiano’s and participated in a gift exchange. It was a fun team building exercise, a way to give back to the community and make some kids holidays brighter. Thank you to our VP of PLC Gretchen Stangle who made this event possible.

Free Bikes 4 Kidz is a nonprofit organization geared toward helping all kids ride into a happier, healthier childhood by providing bikes to those most in need. Please visit the Free Bikes 4 Kidz web site to learn more.

Fallen Firefighter Donation
Columbia, MD
July 2018

Shimadzu (Headquarters) donated $1,000 to the family of fallen firefighter Nathan Flynn. Flynn, 34, was a 13-year veteran of the Howard County Department of Fire and Rescue and a volunteer fireman in Harford County. Flynn tragically died battling a seven-alarm fire on July 23, 2018. Flynn leaves behind a wife and five children.

Toys for Tots
December 2017

The Corporate office, New Jersey and North Atlantic regions graciously donated toys to the U.S. Marines Toys for Tots Campaign. Nine boxes of toys were collected and distributed to the region’s local toy drop-off location to provide gifts to children that are less fortunate.

Thanksgiving Food Drive
November 2017

Shimadzu coordinated the 2017 Thanksgiving food Drive with non-profit organization Move for Hunger. Move for Hunger works with relocation companies across America to deliver unopened food and 100% of cash proceeds to local food banks. Employees donated $680 and 1,214 lbs. of food for the 2017 Thanksgiving Food Drive. This was enough to feed over 1,500 people. This could not be pulled off without the help of the Wellness Committee and Shimadzu employees.

Hurricane Harvey and Maria
August 2017

Employees raised $5,495 in donations to support our affected TX employees. The company, Mr. Kaito agreeing, graciously matched the donation dollar for dollar. Thank you once again for your kindness and generosity that you put into making the event a success. In response to Hurricane Maria, Shimadzu donated generators to our employees in Puerto Rico.

4rd Annual Anton-Paar 5K Walk/Run at PittCon
Atlanta, GA
March 8, 2016

The 4th Annual Anton-Parr 5K, benefitting St. Jude Children's Research Hospital was held on the morning of March 8th. Shimadzu had 13 employees enjoy an early morning run through Centennial Olympic Park. Jeffrey Ratliff joined the Shimadzu team this year, he remarked "What a way to start your morning!" While Stephanie Rosenburg who has ran in all four Anton-Paar 5k events noted it was "better weather than Chicago a couple years ago."

3rd Annual Anton-Paar 5K Walk/Run at PittCon
New Orleans, LA
March 10, 2015

The 3rd Annual Anton-Parr 5K, benefitting St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, was a great way to bring the Shimadzu group together outside of the booth. We had a good turnout, and for some it was their first time back running in a few months. Hopefully we can get some more participants next year to make our Shimadzu team even stronger. The weather held off that morning so it was not raining and much warmer than the cold temperatures up north. "It was fun" remarked Paul Rementer. Here's to starting recruiting for next year's team! Ganbarou!

Pictured (L to R): Jennifer Robinson, Stephanie Rosenberg, Paul Rementer, Joe Wensus, Dan Davis, and Rachel Lieberman

Donation to House of Ruth Maryland
Baltimore, MD
December 12, 2014

SSI Headquarters adopted 7 people for the holiday season and helped make their holidays a little brighter by purchasing gifts from their wish lists. Over a period of two weeks, almost all of the items requested were donated by various employees as well as cash donations in excess of $240.

House of Ruth assists women and children who are victims of domestic violence. For more information please visit http://www.hruth.org/.

Sponsor-A-Highway
Columbia, MD
October 31, 2014

Shimadzu Scientific Instruments recently adopted a portion of a highway near our corporate office in Columbia, MD. Our sponsorship helps to offset the cost of trash removal from the roadway.

Presentation on Careers in Science
University of South Carolina--Lancaster
October 15, 2014

Field Technical Support Specialist Marion Welch spoke to science majors and enthusiasts at University of South Carolina in Lancaster. He gave them some information on careers in science, specifically what he does as a Field Tech Support Specialist at Shimadzu.

Donation to Crisis Link
Arlington, VA
June 20, 2014

Employees from Shimadzu made donations to CrisisLink, a 24-hour hotline that offers mental health and suicide prevention services. They take calls as part of the national suicide prevention hotline with headquarters located in Arlington VA. CrisisLink handles more than 20,000 calls per year.

For more information please visit http://crisislink.org/.

Bike MS: Ride the Riverside 2014
National Harbor, MD
June 7-8, 2014

Shimadzu Scientific Instruments was happy to sponsor Daniel Yeich during his bike ride for MS. Daniel, a Mass Spec Service Specialist in the Mid-Atlantic Region, proudly displayed the Shimadzu colors and logo as he rode through the National Harbor and into southern Maryland. He participated in both events: the 100 mile loop on June 7th and the 30 mile loop on June 8th. According to Daniel, "It was a very challenging course with a lot of climbing. I was able to raise $650 thanks to donations from family, friends, and co-workers."

Career Day Presentation
Hilltop Elementary School
Ferndale, MD
May 7, 2014

HPLC Product Specialist Stacey Ambuehl spoke to the 2nd Grade classes at Hilltop Elementary for Career Week. With some help from Matthew Ferrarelli and the Physical Measurements Group, the kids were shown videos of gummi worms and string cheese being pulled apart by a Shimadzu AGS-X Universal Tester. Besides learning how stretchy gummi worms are, they also learned that science is everywhere and in everything!

Donation to Howard County Public School System
Grand Opening of the Shimadzu Solutions Center
Columbia, MD
March 12, 2014

Pictured (L to R): Members of the Howard County Board of Education, SSI President Shuzo Maruyama and Sr. VP of Sales Chris Gaylor with a check for $65,212 for the Howard County Public School System.

2nd Annual Anton-Paar 5K Walk/Run at PittCon
Chicago, IL
March 4, 2014

The 2nd Annual Anton-Paar 5K Walk/Run benefitting the Wounded Warrior Project was held on the morning of March 4th. Stephanie Rosenberg, Kurt Vogler and Paul Rementer from SSI participated in the race. According to Kurt, "It was 15 degrees (warm by MN standards) and very windy on the beautiful shores of Lake Michigan. What made it so brutal was waiting 30 minutes in these conditions for the race to start." Nothing will keep our employees from running, not even freezing cold temperatures. Good job everyone!

Food/Mittens Drive Benefitting Grassroots
Columbia, MD
November 11-22, 2013

Employees at the corporate offices in Columbia, MD donated non-perishable food items along with mittens. These were then donated to Grassroots Crisis Intervention Center.

11th Annual Blue Jay 5K Race for Lymphoma Research
Baltimore, MD
April 28, 2013

Every spring the Johns Hopkins University Track and Field team hosts a 5K run on their Baltimore campus. Proceeds from the race go towards not only helping the team, but to a charitable organization of their choosing. This year one of the athletes tragically died of lymphoma, a type of blood cancer. In memory of their fallen comrade, the 11th Annual Blue Jay 5k benefitted the Lymphoma Research Foundation. Shimadzu Scientific Instruments and the Wellness Committee proudly became one of the sponsors of this year’s race, held on Sunday, April 28. As a sponsor SSI was able to give back to the local community, and as a reward had the company logo adorn the back of the racing shirts, as well as the website.

Over 20 Shimadzu employees along with friends and family signed up to participate in this year’s race. In all, 240 people ran or walked in the 5k (3.1 miles). The name of Shimadzu’s team was Team Ganbarou! Ganbarou is a Japanese word that translates to ‘let’s do our best,’ and has been the message this year from President Maruyamasan. The Shimadzu 5K team decided to bare this name because having the Ganbarou Spirit is associated with fighting and not giving up in the face of adversity, a perfect mantra for the challenging 5k course. Team Ganbarou! showed unity by racing in shirts designed especially for the event.

Members of Team Ganbarou! met at SSI early that Sunday morning (7:30am) to fuel up on coffee, bagels and fruit, and carpool to the Johns Hopkins campus. After some stretching and socializing, the race officially started at 9:45am! It was a challenging 3.1 miles, with most of the course going uphill; but everyone finished and aside from a few sore muscles everyone was glad they had done it. Afterwards Team Ganbarou! headed to Gertrude’s, an upscale local eatery on campus for a celebratory meal. It was a perfect day and a great team-building exercise for all those who participated.

Pictured (L to R): Faith Hays, Cheryl Renshaw, Kris Renshaw, Dan Davis, Rob Clapper, Jennifer Robinson, Carolina Davis, Paul Rementer, Chris Brennan, Janice Mechlinski, Scott Ingraham, Dave Menusan, Mary Thompson, Jeff Head, Arthur Moore, Kazumi Spatz, Patrick Fromal, Ella Egge, Michael Spatz.

1st Annual Anton-Paar 5K Walk/Run at PittCon
Philadelphia, PA
March 19, 2013

On Tuesday morning March 19, just before sunrise, team Shimadzu UFSweepers headed out to compete in Anton-Paar’s first inaugural PittCon 5k. The event attracted over 100 participants and featured a scenic course along Boathouse Row on the Schuylkill River in Philadelphia. Proceeds from the run went to the Wounded Warrior Project which provides programs and services to severely injured service members during the time between active duty and transition to civilian life. The cold (34°) damp morning or booth-tortured feet couldn’t stop these runners from accomplishing the team slogan of “kickin’ mASS”.

Pictured (L to R): Faith Hays, Jeff Parrish, Stephanie Rosenberg, Patrick Fromal and Simon Robinson.

Food Donations to Grassroots

Leftover food from company-sponsored corporate events is donated to Grassroots, a crisis intervention center located in Columbia, MD. For more information or to make a donation please visit http://grassrootscrisis.org/.