Cubist Pharmaceuticals and The New England Patriots Radio Network Honor Merrimack, New Hampshire, Science Teacher

Cubist Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced that in partnership with The New England Patriots Radio Network, 98.5 The Sports Hub, it has selected Sean Muller, a science teacher at Merrimack High School, in Merrimack, New Hampshire, to receive the Cubist Pharmaceuticals Science Education Leadership Award. This award culminates Cubist and the New England Patriots Radio Network's recognition during the course of the football season of nine "Teachers of the Week", who are innovative science teachers in middle schools and high schools throughout New England. Mr. Muller was chosen from that group and was recognized at the New England Patriots game on January 1st.As part of Mr. Muller's award, Cubist will present the Merrimack High School science department with a $5000.00 check after the football season, along with a visit from a Patriots alumnus player and a representative from Cubist.Mr. Muller received several nominations, one in particular capturing the spirit of the Science Education Leadership Award: "Mr. Muller was my honors chemistry teacher four years ago. I am now in my junior year at the University of Connecticut studying Material Science Engineering, which is the study of different materials and why they exhibit certain mechanical characteristics, which can be used to create new materials. As you can imagine, most of my courses are a mix between physics and chemistry. Even now, I find myself using different tools and tricks that Mr. Muller taught me. Mr. Muller is a creative and engaging teacher who can spark the interest of many different students. "Throughout the season, Cubist and the New England Patriots Radio Network have recognized science teachers leading the way in the classroom. During the New England Patriots season, teachers were selected as the Cubist Pharmaceuticals "Teacher of the Week" and announced during the New England Patriots radio broadcast. In addition to Mr. Muller, the weekly qualifiers were Jason Tower (Wachusett Regional High School, Lianne O'Hara (Rumney Marsh Academy), Peter Nichol (Concord Carlisle High School), Jessica Digianfelice (Peabody Veterans' Memorial High School), Beth St. George (Hopkinton High School), Tim Maguire (Hopedale High School), Nancy Gifford (Harwich Middle School), and Shawlette Howard-Smith (South Lawrence East Middle School).Cubist Executive Vice President of Research & Development and Chief Scientific Officer Steven C. Gilman, Ph.D., said, "Mr. Muller is an outstanding example of leadership in science education. Science education must be a priority for society to prosper, and I was gratified to read in this year's nominations of the many dedicated science teachers innovating in the classroom, creating interest in students at the middle- and high-school level, and motivating them to pursue careers in science. Needless to say, all of the nominees and teachers who are demonstrating leadership and innovation in the classroom on a daily basis deserve our collective support for all they are doing to prepare the next generation for challenging jobs in science and technology and in other fields of endeavor."