Broadcom Foundation Partners With Society for Science & the Public, Announces Broadcom MASTERS™ National Middle School Science and Engineering Competition

IRVINE, Calif. and WASHINGTON, D.C., Sept. 21 /PRNewswire/ -- Broadcom Foundation and Society for Science & the Public (SSP) today announced a six-year, $6 million partnership to launch a new national middle school competition focusing on science, technology, engineering and math.

The Broadcom MASTERS™, a program of Society for Science & the Public, is designed to inspire and reward interest in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) among students in the sixth, seventh and eighth grades. The Broadcom MASTERS—Math, Applied Science, Technology and Engineering for Rising Stars—will reach the hundreds of thousands of middle school students throughout the United States engaged in hands-on science fair and research activities.

In the program's first year, Broadcom and SSP expect that more than 7,500 middle school students will be nominated from the United States and Puerto Rico to compete in the Broadcom MASTERS program. Students receiving nominations will be top winners from the more than 350 SSP-affiliated science fairs and programs across the country. Judges will select 300 Semifinalists and 30 Finalists to compete for regional and national recognition. The 30 Broadcom MASTERS Finalists will meet in Washington, D.C. in the fall of 2011 for a week of conducting projects together, visiting significant scientific sites and judging. The competition culminates in awards and prizes, including a $25,000 education grand prize from the Samueli Foundation, a gift of Susan and Henry Samueli, a founder of Broadcom Corporation.

"We are delighted to partner with SSP to inspire students to envision careers that can be theirs if they stay engaged in mathematics, science, and engineering throughout high school and college," said Scott McGregor, President and CEO of Broadcom Corporation, and President of the Broadcom Foundation. Broadcom Foundation was founded in 2009 to support advancement of science, technology, engineering and math.

"Those of us in leadership positions in the technology world have a responsibility to devote time, energy and resources to providing students with opportunities that encourage students to excel in these critical pillars of innovation," McGregor said. "We invite all middle schools and after-school organizations from every community to become involved and offer their students the opportunity to compete in the Broadcom MASTERS."

Society for Science & the Public, a nonprofit membership organization dedicated to public engagement in scientific research and education, has run some of the world's most prestigious science competitions for more than seven decades.

"President Obama said last week that 'our success as a nation depends on strengthening America's role as the world's engine of discovery and innovation,'" said Elizabeth Marincola, president of Society for Science & the Public. "The Broadcom MASTERS will jump start that engine by reaching future innovators at a vital age when an interest in scientific inquiry often takes root, inspiring middle school students to achieve their full potential. Together with Broadcom Foundation, SSP strives to invigorate student engagement in science and engineering for their advancement and for ours."

SSP and Broadcom are seeking additional partnerships for the Broadcom MASTERS competition with business and organizations that share their goal of inspiring and motivating middle school students to continue their interest in science, technology, engineering and math.

For more information on the Broadcom MASTERS program please visit www.societyforscience.org/masters.

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 Society for Science & the Public

Society for Science & the Public (SSP) is one of the oldest nonprofit organizations in the U.S. dedicated to public engagement in science and science education. Established in 1921, SSP is a membership organization and a leading advocate for the understanding and appreciation of science and the vital role it plays in human advancement.

Through its acclaimed education competitions and its award-winning publications, Science News and Science News for Kids, SSP is committed to inform, educate, and inspire. For nearly 70 years, SSP education programs have inspired generations of science enthusiasts, including Nobel Laureates, National Medal of Science recipients, and nearly 100,000 other distinguished program alumni. The Society believes that educating and inspiring the young scientists of tomorrow, whose vision will usher in new solutions to global challenges, is vital to the common future. Learn more at www.societyforscience.org.

Broadcom®, the pulse 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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