Intel International Science and Engineering Fair

We have been inveighing against the decline in math and
science education in the United
States, but there those who do something
about it - for example, Intel. Young scientists and innovators from around the
world are in Atlanta this week to
compete in the Intel International
Science and Engineering Fair presented by Agilent Technologies. This is the
world’s largest pre-college science competition, and more than 1,500 high
school students from 51 countries, regions, and territories compete this week
for nearly $4 million in scholarships and awards. The top three winners will
each be awarded a $50,000 scholarship by the Intel Foundation. Finalists’
projects tackle critical issues which resonate across the globe. Many of this
year’s projects, for example, focus on sustainability and energy efficiency,
including viable alternative fuel sources such as algae in wastewater. Students
also worked on improving the functionality of robots; identifying the molecular
pathways that underlie alcohol addiction; utilizing sensory integration
activities to treat sensory and speech impediments among autistic children; and
identifying genetic factors behind other diseases, including Lou Gehrig’s Disease.
In fact, nearly 20 percent of the projects being presented this year either
have been patented or have been submitted to become patented.

We note that sponsorship of the International Science and
Engineering Fair is one aspect of Intel’s multi-year, multi-million dollar
global commitment to education. Since Intel became the prime sponsor of the
fair in 1996, the number of finalists has grown by 40 percent to include more
than 1,500 students and the number of participating countries, regions and
territories has grown by more than 70 percent. Intel has long been committed to
promoting math and science education. In the past decade alone, Intel has
invested $1 billion worldwide to improve education. Today, Intel invests more
than $100 million annually to promote education and technological literacy
around the world. Washington, D.C.-based Society for Science & the Public (formerly Science Service), a nonprofit organization dedicated to public
engagement in scientific research and education, owns and has administered the
International Science and Engineering Fair since its inception in 1950. Finalists
are selected annually from more than 550 International Science and Engineering
Fair-affiliated fairs around the world. Projects are evaluated by more than
1,200 judges from nearly every scientific discipline, each with a Ph.D. or
equivalent 6 years of related professional experience in one of the scientific
disciplines, and include Nobel Laureates and Intel fellows.

Learn more here about
Intel’s commitment to education around the world.