Broadcom Foundation and Society for Science & the Public Announce Broadcom MASTERS® 2012 National Science Fair Winners

WASHINGTON, Oct. 2, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- 

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS

• Samueli Foundation winner Raymond Gilmartin (age 14) of South Pasadena, Calif., wins grand prize for overall STEM excellence and his study on the effect of rear spoilers on drag and lift in cars
• Jessika Baral (age 13) of Fremont, Calif., wins Marconi/Samueli Award for Innovation and $10,000 for her aptitude for electrical engineering and project on eye muscles and peripheral vision
• Sponsored by Broadcom Foundation, Broadcom MASTERS inspires future scientists and engineers to stay with science and math throughout high school

Broadcom Foundation and Society for Science & the Public (SSP) today announced the winners of the 2012 Broadcom MASTERS® national STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) competition for sixth, seventh and eighth graders. Broadcom Foundation and SSP also announced top winners in the categories of Science, Technology, Engineering, Math and Rising Stars. Learn more and congratulate the winners of the 2012 Broadcom MASTERS competition at www.broadcomfoundation.org/masters and www.societyforscience.org/masters.

In total, Broadcom Foundation and classroom partner Elmer's Products, Inc. offer more than $500,000 in prizes, awards and rebates to nominees, entrants, semifinalists, finalists, and their teachers and schools. The grand prize is the $25,000 Samueli Foundation Prize, a gift of Susan and Henry Samueli, co-founder of Broadcom Corporation. In addition to the grand prize, Henry Samueli also presented the $10,000 Marconi/Samueli Award for Innovation, a new honor made possible by Samueli's donation of his recent Marconi Society Prize winnings.

Winners were chosen from the 30 top finalists (16 girls and 14 boys) from 17 states representing 29 schools. Winners were selected by a panel of distinguished scientists and engineers.

Winners Include:

The Samueli Foundation Prize: $25,000
Winner: Raymond Gilmartin, 14, South Pasadena, Calif.
Project: Spare the Environment, Spoiler the Car:  The Effect of Rear Spoilers on Drag and Lift
Grand prize winner Raymond Gilmartin, a self-described car enthusiast, decided to find out how a rear spoiler affects drag and lift in SUVs. After building two spoilers for a model SUV and testing in a six-foot wind tunnel, he concluded that a level spoiler would increase drag compared to a car without a spoiler, but would not affect lift. Raymond found that reducing drag can improve gas mileage, ultimately decreasing carbon emissions and helping to slow climate change.

He was selected for the Samueli Foundation Prize based on his mastery of STEM principles during the weeklong competition. Raymond has exemplified how research and innovation are dependent on the integration of these disciplines as well as the impact they collectively have on our every-day lives. 

Marconi/Samueli Award for Innovation: $10,000
Winner: Jessika Baral, 13, Fremont, Calif.
Project: A Novel Way to Strengthen Eye Muscles and Enhance Peripheral Vision
Marconi/Samueli Award for Innovation winner Jessika Baral was inspired to study vision after noticing that her friends often use handheld electronic devices for long periods of time – a habit that can result in eye muscle fatigue. She decided to put her engineering skills to use creating a device to strengthen tired eye muscles and improve peripheral vision using LED lights. Through her research, she found that regular exercise with the device significantly improved both peripheral vision and peripheral reading range in children and adults.

Jessika was selected because she demonstrates both vision and promise as an innovator, and in the spirit of radio inventor Guglielmo Marconi, has shown aptitude and skill in applied electrical engineering concepts in her science project and in the STEM challenges throughout the week.

STEM Award Winners:
Each of these finalists (first and second place award winners) were selected for demonstrated skills and promise in each of the disciplines represented by STEM. First place winners receive $3,500 and second place winners are awarded $2,500 to support the finalist's choice of STEM summer camp experiences offered around the country. Each STEM winner also wins an iPad.

• Science Awards: First place goes to Shixuan Justin Li of Lynn Haven, Fla., for his project on mosquito repellents. Second place goes to Nicole Odzer of North Miami Beach, Fla., for her project on reef-building corals and global warming.
• Technology Awards: First place goes to Daniel Lu of Carlisle, Mass., for his project on the perception of volume. Second place goes to Anirudh Jain of Portland, Ore., for his project on silver nanoparticles and pollution.
• Engineering Awards: First place goes to Chase Lewis of Chapel Hill, N.C., for his project on gun powders and nitrocellulose. Second place goes to Carolyn Jons of Eden Prairie, Minn., for her project on mold growth on blueberries.
• Mathematics Awards: First place goes to Maria Elena Grimmett of Jupiter, Fla., for her project on removing pharmaceutical contaminants from groundwater. Second place goes to Maya Patel of The Woodlands, Texas, for her project on predicting the spread of wildfires.

Rising Stars Award:
Cassie Drury of Louisville, Ky., and Mabel Wheeler of Orem, Utah, win a trip to the world's largest international high school science fair competition in May 2013 as the United States Delegates to Broadcom MASTERS International, in recognition of their work throughout the Broadcom MASTERS finals, as well as their projects on cell signaling in wound healing in worms, and the impact of sunscreen on the degradation of polymers, respectively.

The Broadcom MASTERS (Math, Applied Science, Technology, and Engineering for Rising Stars) program helps middle school students translate a personal interest into a passion for science, engineering and innovation, and encourages them to continue with science and math through high school. Sponsored by Broadcom Foundation, a non-profit public benefit organization funded by Broadcom Corporation, the Broadcom MASTERS is a program of Society for Science & the Public. SSP has been the leader of the world's most prestigious science competitions for over seven decades.

For more information on the Broadcom MASTERS, check out the Broadcom Foundation and SSP websites or visit Broadcom Foundation's Newsroom and read the B-Connected Blog. To keep up with Broadcom MASTERS on Twitter, use hashtag #brcmMASTERS or follow Broadcom and SSP. And to stay connected, visit the Broadcom MASTERS and SSP Facebook pages.

Quotes:
Scott McGregor
President, Broadcom Foundation
President and Chief Executive Officer, Broadcom Corporation
"Congratulations to our Samueli Foundation Prize winner Raymond Gilmartin and all of the finalists. Broadcom MASTERS brings together the finest young engineers and scientists in the nation to explore hands-on learning in a unique competition that encourages students to follow their passion and make a positive difference in the world."

Elizabeth Marincola, President of Society for Science & the Public
"Society for Science & the Public is proud to join Broadcom Foundation in congratulating Raymond Gilmartin. We hope that the success of Raymond and all of the 2012 Broadcom MASTERS finalists not only inspires and encourages them to continue to pursue their passion for STEM subjects, but also serves as an inspiration for other young scientists around the country."

Paula Golden, Executive Director, Broadcom Foundation
Director, Community Affairs, Broadcom Corporation
"As they return home triumphant, each of our Broadcom MASTERS finalists will become ambassadors for STEM education. They will bring a cash award to their schools, inspiring their peers to see that math and science education throughout high school translates into college and career opportunities that will define their futures and help them achieve their full potential in a world that is hungry for talent and innovation."

About Broadcom Foundation
Broadcom Foundation's mission is to enable young people throughout the world to enter careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) through partnerships with local schools, colleges, universities and non-profit organizations. Broadcom Foundation is the proud sponsor of the Broadcom MASTERS®, a program of Society for Science & the Public – a premier science and engineering competition for middle school children. The Foundation's mission is to advance education in STEM by funding research, recognizing scholarship and increasing opportunity. Learn more at www.broadcomfoundation.org. 

About Broadcom
Broadcom Corporation (NASDAQ: BRCM), a FORTUNE 500® company, is a global leader and innovator in semiconductor solutions for wired and wireless communications. Broadcom® products seamlessly deliver voice, video, data and multimedia connectivity in the home, office and mobile environments.  With the industry's broadest portfolio of state-of-the-art system-on-a-chip and embedded software solutions, Broadcom is changing the world by Connecting everything®. For more information, go to www.broadcom.com.

About Society for Science & the Public
Society for Science & the Public is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit membership organization dedicated to the achievement of young researchers in independent research and to the public engagement in science. Established in 1921, its vision is to promote the understanding and appreciation of science and the vital role it plays in human advancement. Through its acclaimed education competitions, including the Intel Science Talent Search, the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair, and the Broadcom MASTERS, and its award-winning publications, Science News and Science News for Kids, as well as a weekly e-publication for the iPad, Science News Prime, Society for Science & the Public is committed to inform, educate, and inspire. Learn more at www.societyforscience.org.

Broadcom®, the pulse logo, Connecting everything®, the Connecting everything logo and Broadcom MASTERS® are among the trademarks of Broadcom Corporation and/or its affiliates in the United States, certain other countries and/or the EU. Any other trademarks or trade names mentioned are the property of their respective owners.

SOURCE Broadcom Foundation; BRCM Corporate