Broadcom Foundation and the Samueli Foundation Host National Lab Day Aimed at Matching Orange County Teachers and Students with Volunteer Scientists and Engineers

IRVINE, Calif., Oct. 14 /PRNewswire/ -- Broadcom Foundation and the Samueli Foundation have teamed with National Lab Day for a half-day conference designed to match up Orange County teachers and students with volunteer scientists and engineers from local companies, organizations and universities in an effort to spur student interest and engagement in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education programs.

The conference, scheduled for tomorrow (Friday, Oct. 15) at Broadcom Corporation's Irvine, Calif., headquarters, will include interactive laboratory sessions with elementary, middle and high school students, in which volunteer engineers and scientists will demonstrate to educators and business, nonprofit and civic leaders the effectiveness of discovery-based science experiences for students in grades K-12.

The National Lab Day conference is expected to draw 150 participants, with speakers including Suzanne Immerman, Director of Philanthropic Engagement & Special Assistant to U.S. Department of Education Secretary Arne Duncan, a member of President Barack Obama's Cabinet, and Camsie A. Matis, Albert Einstein Distinguished Educator and 2009 recipient of the Excellence in Mathematics Award, presented by President Obama.

"Our goal is to encourage Orange County to adopt the National Lab Day platform – an online resource developed through the Hidary Foundation that provides a matching tool for teachers, afterschool program leaders, mentors and volunteers to match up online, coming together in a variety of ways to provide students with lab instruction and resource tools as well as providing the inspiration they need to excel in STEM subjects throughout high school and beyond," said Gerald Solomon, executive director of the Samueli Foundation.

"The National Lab Day initiative is an innovative way to tap into Orange County's deep talent pool of science and engineering experts – those individuals who want to make a difference in our nation's efforts to improve STEM education – and connect and network them into volunteer efforts and programs in their communities," said Paula Golden, executive director of Broadcom Foundation.  

The National Lab Day conference at Broadcom will include five hands-on laboratory sessions in which an Orange County teacher, a volunteer scientist or engineer and five or six students will participate in various discovery-based science and engineering experiences. Conference participants will observe the sessions, noting the interactions between educators, volunteers and the students. After the lab sessions, participants will re-convene to discuss next steps in implementing the National Lab Day model in Orange County.

The National Lab Day conference is the latest in a number of initiatives spearheaded by Broadcom Foundation and the Samueli Foundation designed to invigorate, support and improve U.S. STEM education. Last month, Broadcom Foundation and the Washington, D.C.-based Society for Science & the Public announced a $6 million, six-year partnership to launch a national middle school competition focusing on STEM education. The Broadcom MASTERS—Math, Applied Science, Technology and Engineering for Rising Stars -- will reach hundreds of thousands of middle school students throughout the United States engaged in hands-on science fairs and research activities.

Earlier this year, the Samueli Foundation hosted the 2010 STEM Summit that brought together national, state and local thought leaders to examine means and methods to address the need to ratchet up STEM learning in order to ensure Orange County students will be competitive in a global economy.

"Corporate America, and especially those of us in leadership positions in the technology world, must be active participants in efforts to rebuild our national strength in the area of STEM education," said Broadcom Corporation's President and CEO Scott A. McGregor, who serves as Broadcom Foundation's president. "The Broadcom MASTERS program, National Lab Day and other initiatives are examples of how those in the business community can become proactive leaders in this very important national challenge."

EDITOR'S NOTE: Reporters, photographers and camera crews are welcome to attend the conference, with opening remarks by Suzanne Immerman; Camsie Matis; Scott McGregor; Jack Hidary of the Jack D. Hidary Foundation, a major supporter of National Lab Day; Dr. Henry Samueli, a Broadcom Corporation founder and its Chief Technical Officer; and Gerald Solomon of the Samueli Foundation; as well as any of the five lab sessions and the closing summary. Please RSVP to Bill Blanning at 949-926-5555, [email protected].

About Broadcom Foundation and Broadcom Corporation

Broadcom Foundation is a private non-profit public benefit corporation exempt from federal income tax under Internal Revenue Code section 501(c)(3). The Foundation's mission is to advance education in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), by funding research, recognizing scholarship and increasing opportunity.  Learn more at www.broadcomfoundation.org.

Broadcom Corporation (Nasdaq: BRCM) is a FORTUNE 500® company and a global leader in semiconductors for wired and wireless communications. It is one of the world's largest fabless communications semiconductor companies with 2009 revenue of $4.49 billion and one of the broadest intellectual property portfolios addressing both wired and wireless transmission of voice, video and data. Broadcom provides the industry's broadest portfolio of state-of-the-art, system-on-a-chip and software solutions to manufacturers of computing and networking equipment, digital entertainment and broadband access products, and mobile devices. These solutions support its core mission: Connecting everything®. Learn more at www.broadcom.com.

About National Lab Day

More than just a day, National Lab Day is a nationwide initiative to build local communities of support that will foster ongoing collaborations among volunteers, students and educators. Volunteers, university students, scientists, engineers, other STEM professionals and, more broadly, members of the community, work together with educators and students to bring discovery-based science experiences to students in grades K-12. When an educator posts a project, the National Lab Day system helps them get the resources needed to bring that project to fruition. Learn more at www.nationallabday.org/

About the Samueli Foundation

The Samueli Foundation strives to create societal value by investing in innovative, entrepreneurial and sustainable ideas. The Foundation supports endeavors that: promote scholastic, technical and creative exploration and achievement; build a community of sharing, acceptance and altruism; increase awareness, knowledge and opportunities; and enhance the quality of life of the underserved.

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

SOURCE Broadcom Foundation

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