The Piscataway High School Science Department, which offers a two-year “BioMedical Career Pathways Program” in partnership with Rutgers University, as well as a full slate of classes ranging from human anatomy to organic chemistry, has been selected as the winner of the 2016 School Leader Award.

The wide-ranging science program, which emphasizes student-driven, hands-on experiences, offers a full range of courses for students in traditional content areas of biology, chemistry and physics, as well as electives in areas such as human anatomy, astronomy, forensics and environmental science.

The program, one of eleven nominated for the School Leader Award, will be recognized at Workshop 2016 later this month.

Piscataway’s BioMedical Career Pathways Program, offered in partnership with the Rutgers University School of Health Science Careers, is a two-year sequence that enables students to earn college credits during high school. Students take Rutgers assessments to earn college credits upon graduation.

The school also offers a course, Research in Molecular Biology and Bioinformatics, designed for students interested in pure scientific research.

More broadly, according to nominating documents, Piscataway’s science program provides students with opportunities to develop scientific reasoning and inquiry skills, to use technology and work cooperatively, and to “develop attitudes and interests towards the goal of becoming lifelong learners in a global environment.”

Several clubs and after-school activities enhance the science program, including the Biotechnology Club; the Environmental Science Club; the Med Club; the Science League and the Science Olympiad.