Press Room

INTEL SCIENCE TALENT SEARCH HONORS 40 YOUNG SCIENTISTS AS FINALISTS

SANTA CLARA, Calif., Jan. 31, 2001 - Intel Corporation and Society for Science & the Public today announced the names of 40 high school seniors from across the country as finalists in the Intel Science Talent Search (Intel STS). The finalists will compete for college scholarships totaling $530,000, with a top prize of a $100,000 scholarship.

The Intel STS is America's oldest and most prestigious pre-college science competition. The STSwill celebrate its 60th anniversary this year at a black-tie award banquet on Monday, March 12, in Washington, D.C.

The finalists, who range in age from 15 to 18, were selected from a group of 300 semifinalists announced earlier this month. Of the finalists, 15 - or 37.5 percent - are female. New York has the most finalists with 13 (32.5 percent), followed by California with four (10 percent). For a complete list of the 40 finalists and their biographies, visit www.societyforscience.org/sts/60sts/finalists.asp.

"Science and technology skills have become basic skills -- like reading, writing and arithmetic -- necessary to be competitive in today's economy," said Craig Barrett, Intel's president and CEO. "The next innovations and ideas will come from these Intel STS students and other young people who are comfortable with technology and have a solid grounding in science and math."

Awards and Science Talent Institute
Students were judged based on their individual research reports for research ability, scientific originality and creative thinking. The research projects cover all disciplines of science, including chemistry, physics, mathematics, engineering, social science and biology. Intel STS entries were reviewed and judged by top scientists from a variety of disciplines. The judging process was overseen by Dr. Andrew Yeager, director of Stem Cell Transplantation at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.

The 40 finalists will take an all-expenses-paid trip to Washington, D.C., March 7-12, to attend the Science Talent Institute (STI) where they will participate in final judging and other activities. The winners, selected based on rigorous interviews, will be announced Monday, March 12.

The top prize is a $100,000 college scholarship. The second-place finalist will receive a $75,000 scholarship, and the third-place finalist will receive a $50,000 scholarship. Fourth- through sixth-place finalists each will receive a $25,000 scholarship, and seventh- through tenth-prize winners each will receive a $20,000 scholarship. The remaining 30 finalists each will receive a $5,000 scholarship award. In addition to the scholarship awards, each of the 40 finalists participating in the STI will receive a high-performance Intel® Architecture-based mobile computer.

Well-Rounded Students Conduct Wide-Range of Science Research Projects
In addition to being good students and scientists, this year's Intel STS finalists are very active outside the classroom. Ninety-five percent of the finalists participate in extracurricular clubs such as the Science Club and Mathematics Club, and 85 percent are involved in athletics. In addition, 72 percent play a musical instrument, and 57 percent volunteer their time to worthy causes in their communities. Finally, 87 percent of the students read a foreign language.

The students' research projects, ranging from behavioral and social sciences to zoology, reflect their diverse areas of interest. Projects include research on active spin control, Internet news, Alzheimer's disease, sleep and daytime cognitive performance, cheating in school, glaucoma, and metallic thin films.

Background
Since 1942, the STS has recognized 2,400 finalists with more than $5 million in scholarships. The program provides an incentive and arena for U.S. high school seniors to complete an original research project and have it recognized by a national jury of highly regarded professional scientists. The projects are the result of inquiry-based learning methods, which enable students to nurture critical reasoning skills and experience science through the use of the scientific method.

Participation in the STS has often served as a precursor to impressive accomplishments in science. Statistics show that 95 percent of former STS winners have pursued a branch of science as their major field of study. More than 70 percent have gone on to earn Ph.D.s or M.D.s. More than 100 winners of the world's most coveted science and math honors are alumni of the STS, including three National Medal of Science winners, 10 MacArthur Foundation Fellows, two Fields Medallists and five Nobel Laureates.

Society for Science & the Public, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to advance the understanding and appreciation of science through publications and educational programs, has administered the program since its inception. For more information on Society for Science & the Public or the Intel STS, visit www.societyforscience.org.

Intel's sponsorship of the Science Talent Search is part of the Intel Innovation in Education initiative to prepare today's teachers and students for tomorrow's demands. Intel develops and supports education programs that help meet the needs of students and communities worldwide through improving science, math, engineering and technology education; improving education through the effective use of technology in classrooms; and broadening access to technology and technical careers.

Intel, the world's largest chip maker, is also a leading manufacturer of computer, networking and communications products. Additional information about Intel is available at www.intel.com/pressroom.

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