America's Brightest Young Inventors And Scientists Honored As Intel Science Talent Search Semifinalists

$600,000 Awarded to 300 Students and 173 Schools

SANTA CLARA, Calif., Jan. 16, 2002 - Today 300 of America's high school seniors were honored for their excellence in science as they reached the semifinals of the Intel Science Talent Search (STS). Often considered the "Junior Nobel Prize," the Intel STS is America's oldest and most prestigious pre-college science competition.

"Intel is committed to being a catalyst for change in the effort to improve science and math education," said Carlene Ellis, Intel vice president and director of education. "At a time when America's students are ranked below their international peers in science and math, the Intel STS provides the opportunity to recognize the competition's participants and their schools for the outstanding results they've achieved."

Each of the 300 semifinalists will receive $1,000 in recognition of their scientific achievements. In addition, the school will receive $1,000 per semifinalist in support of science and math programs.

The list will be trimmed to 40 finalists on Jan. 30. The finalists will receive an all-expense-paid trip to Washington, D.C. where they will compete for college scholarships totaling $530,000. The finalists will undergo a rigorous interview process, with winners announced at a banquet on March 11; attending finalists receive a high-performance Intel® processor-based mobile computer.

Intel STS Semifinalists
The STS semifinalists were selected from 1,562 applicants, with females representing 48 percent of the total. The students represent 31 states, Washington D.C. and Guam, and range in age from 16 to 19. The schools with the most semifinalists are Montgomery Blair High School in Maryland, followed by Stuyvesant High School in New York. For a complete list of semifinalists visit www.sciserv.org/sts/61sts/02semis.asp.

Students were judged based on their individual research ability, scientific originality and creative thinking. The research projects cover all disciplines of science, including chemistry, physics, mathematics, engineering, social science and biology. All Intel STS entries were reviewed and judged by top scientists from a variety of disciplines. Dr. Andrew Yeager of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center oversaw the judging process.

Background
Over the past 61 years STS alumni have been recipients of the world's most coveted science and math honors including five Nobel Prizes, three National Medals of Science, 10 MacArthur Foundation Fellowships, and two Fields Medals.

Science Service, 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 in 1942. Over the years, STS has recognized more than 2,000 finalists with more than $5 million in scholarships. For more information on Science Service and the Intel STS, visit www.sciserv.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 and math education; improving education through the effective use of technology in classrooms; and broadening access to technology and technical careers.

Intel is a registered trademark of Intel Corporation or its subsidiaries in the United States and other countries.

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