Intel and Society for Science & the Public issue new top awards and increase overall award amounts

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS

• The Intel Science Talent Search, a program of Society for Science & the Public and the nation's oldest and most prestigious high school science and math competition, will offer three new top awards of $150,000 in 2015. Overall awards for the Intel Science Talent Search 2015 will total $1,612,500; following an increase of $382,000 in awards from 2014.
• Awards in 2015 will include Medals of Distinction in three areas: Basic Research, Global Good, and Innovation.

The Intel Science Talent Search, a program of Society for Science & the Public, will offer three top awards of $150,000 in 2015. Medals of Distinction will be provided for students who show exceptional scientific potential in three areas: Basic Research, Global Good, and Innovation. In addition, now three second place awards of $75,000 and three third place awards of $35,000 will be awarded in these areas. More than $1.6 million in awards will be provided in 2015, including a pool of $600,000 provided to 300 national semifinalists and their schools.

The new award structure celebrates scientific and engineering skill and aptitude by emphasizing three different approaches, all equally deserving of high distinction. 

• The Basic Research Medal recognizes finalists who demonstrate their exceptional scientific potential through the depth of their research and analysis, which is critical to conducting basic or fundamental research. 
• The Global Good Medal rewards finalists who demonstrate great scientific potential through their passion to make a difference, most notably by seeking solutions to real-world problems.
• The Innovation Medal celebrates finalists whose great potential is exemplified by applying the problem-solving aptitude of an engineer through innovative design and creativity. 

These award changes are inspired by an interest in highlighting the diversity of research being conducted by these students, who have shown the greatest overall scientific potential in the country, as well as an acknowledgment of the rising costs of higher education. 

The top award of the Intel Science Talent Search has remained the same since 2000, but the cost of living and of higher education have not. With this evolution in award structure, Society for Science & the Public and Intel believe that the top awards at Intel Science Talent Search will reflect our commitment to affording students the financial freedom to pursue higher education of their choice.

"When creating the Science Talent Search more than 70 years ago, SSP's founders' intent was to reward the promise and potential that young scientists and engineers demonstrated at the culmination of their high school career," said Maya Ajmera, president and CEO of Society for Science & the Public, and alumna of the 1985 Science Talent Search. "This new award structure for 2015, with more generous financial incentives, continues that history."

"A single top award was just not enough to recognize the passion we've seen in these young scientists, so now there are three," said Justin Rattner, president of the Intel Foundation. "We've always believed that America's young scientists and engineers should be every bit as celebrated as our young athletes."

About the Intel Science Talent Search
The Intel Science Talent Search is the nation's most prestigious science research competition for high school seniors. Since 1942, first in partnership with Westinghouse and beginning in 1998 with Intel, SSP has provided a national stage for the country's best and brightest young scientists to present original research to nationally recognized professional scientists.

Seven decades since its launch, the program has recognized almost 3,000 finalists with more than $13 million in scholarships. Alumni include holders of more than 100 of the world's most coveted science and math honors. These include eight Nobel Laureates, five National Medals of Science winners, two Fields Medalists, and twelve MacArthur Foundation Fellows.

Intel Science Talent Search 2015 semifinalists will be announced on January 7, finalists will be announced on January 21, and top winners will be announced on March 10.

To learn more about the Intel Science Talent Search visit: http://student.societyforscience.org/intel-sts. 

About Society for Science & the Public
Society for Science & the Public (SSP) is one of the nation's oldest non-profit membership organizations dedicated to public engagement in science and science education. Established in 1921, SSP is a leading advocate for the understanding and appreciation of science and the vital role it plays in human advancement. Through its acclaimed competitions focusing on science education and innovation, including the Intel Science Talent Search, the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair, and the Broadcom MASTERS, and its award-winning Science News magazine and family of media properties, Society for Science & the Public is committed to inform, educate, and inspire.

For more information about SSP and its work, please visit societyforscience.org or follow SSP on Facebook: facebook.com/societyforscience and through Twitter: twitter.com/Society4Science. Become a member of the Society at societyforscience.org/join-society.

CONTACTS:

Sarah Wood
Society for Science & the Public
202-872-5110 
Email Contact

Gail Dundas
Intel Corporation
503-816-2382
Email Contact

Sarah Kane
North of Nine, for Intel
646-236-3081
Email Contact

SOURCE Society for Science & the Public