Forty Students Named Finalists in the Intel Science Talent Search 2010

These are just three of the 40 projects selected to compete at the Intel Science Talent Search 2010, a program of Society for Science & the Public.

Today, 40 high school seniors from across the country are celebrating their selection as finalists in the Intel Science Talent Search 2010, America’s oldest and most prestigious pre-college science competition. Finalists will gather in Washington, D.C. from March 11-16 to compete for $630,000 in awards. The top winner will receive $100,000 from the Intel Foundation. For a list of all 40 finalists, visit www.societyforscience.org/sts.

"This year’s finalists are truly inspiring and they reaffirm our belief that programs like the Intel Science Talent Search foster a passion for math and science, subjects that are the foundation of the innovation that is the key to America’s future success," said Shelly Esque, vice president of Intel’s Corporate Affairs Group. "At Intel, we believe that we must invest in math and science education now to reap the benefits of that innovation later."

Society for Science & the Public (SSP), a nonprofit membership organization dedicated to public engagement in scientific research and education, has owned and administered the Science Talent Search since its inception in 1942. This year marks Intel’s 12th year sponsoring the program.

"Through their independent research that tackles some of the most challenging scientific issues of our time, these 40 finalists are preparing themselves to be the leaders of tomorrow," said Elizabeth Marincola, president of SSP. "We congratulate these young innovators on their extraordinary achievements and welcome them into the prestigious fold of the Science Talent Search, now in its 69th year."

Intel Science Talent Search 2010 Fast Facts

• This year's Intel Science Talent Search finalists come from 18 states and represent 36 schools.
• New York again has the highest number of young innovators in this competition (11 this year). Following New York is California with eight finalists; Texas with three; Illinois, New Jersey and Oregon with two each; and Alabama, Connecticut, Indiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Michigan, North Carolina, North Dakota, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Virginia and Wisconsin with one finalist each.
• The 2010 finalists' independent research projects include such topics as examining behavioral factors in breast cancer cures; an autonomous spacecraft navigation system; increasing the performance of organic solar cells and organic light-emitting diodes; semantic image retrieval; comparing language perception, production, and memory in older and younger adults; and chemotherapy and antibiotic drug resistance.
• What’s next: Finalists will gather in Washington, D.C. for a week-long event from March 11-16 where they will undergo a rigorous judging process, meet with national leaders, interact with leading scientists and display their research at the National Academy of Sciences. Top winners will be announced at a black-tie gala awards ceremony at the National Building Museum on March 16.

More information can be found on the Intel Science Talent Search 2010 press kit at http://www.intel.com/pressroom/kits/events/sts2010. To view ongoing updates about the Intel Science Talent Search 2010, join the Facebook group at www.facebook.com/pages/Inspired-by-Education/32855637280 and follow Twitter updates at www.twitter.com/intelinspire. To learn more about Society for Science & the Public, visit www.societyforscience.org.

The Intel Education Initiative
Intel believes that young people are the key to solving global challenges, and a solid math and science foundation combined with skills such as critical thinking, collaboration and digital literacy are crucial for their success. Over the past decade alone, Intel has invested more than $1 billion, and its employees have donated more than 2.5 million hours toward improving education in 50 countries. To learn more about the Intel Education Initiative, visit www.intel.com/education and the CSR@Intel blog at blogs.intel.com/csr. To join Intel's community of people sharing their stories with the hope of becoming a catalyst for action and a voice for change in global education, visit www.inspiredbyeducation.com.