Thirty of the Nation's Top Middle School STEM Students Named 2018 Broadcom MASTERS Finalists

WASHINGTON, Sept. 18, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Broadcom Foundation and Society for Science & the Public today announced the 30 finalists in the 8th annual Broadcom MASTERS®, the nation's premier Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) middle school competition. 

Broadcom MASTERS (Math, Applied Science, Technology and Engineering for Rising Stars), a program founded and produced by the Society for Science & the Public, seeks to inspire young scientists, engineers and innovators who will solve the grand challenges of the future.  The finalists will travel to Washington, DC from October 19-23 where they will participate in a rigorous competition that leverages Project-based Learning to test and demonstrate their mastery of 21^st Century skills of critical thinking, communication, creativity and collaboration in each of the STEM areas.

In addition to participating in team challenges, the finalists will meet with government officials and showcase their projects for the public during a free event at the National Geographic Society on October 20 from 1-4pm.  Winners will be named during an awards ceremony on October 23 at the Carnegie Institution for Science.

"Congratulations to the 2018 Broadcom MASTERS Finalists – and to every young scientist, engineer and mathematician who has competed in state and regional science fairs this year," said Paula Golden, President of the Broadcom Foundation. "It is exciting to see so many young people showing their passion for STEM subjects early through competitions like the Broadcom MASTERS. By cultivating their STEM talents in middle school, students will continue in STEM fields in high school and college and become the scientists, engineers and innovators of the future."

"Science competitions like the Broadcom MASTERS are critical to the STEM talent pipeline," said Maya Ajmera, President & CEO of the Society for Science & the Public and Publisher of Science News. "I applaud all the impressive young people who have been named finalists."

2018 Broadcom MASTERS Fast Facts:

• Nearly the same number of female (14) and male (16) students
• Students from 28 schools, across 14 states
• Most populous states: nine from California, four from Florida, three from Oregon and Georgia, two from Kentucky
• States with one finalist: Arizona, Illinois, Iowa, Massachusetts, Missouri, New York, Pennsylvania, Texas and Utah
• Finalists were selected by a panel of distinguished scientists and engineers from a record number of 2,537 applicants in 35 states.
• Finalist projects cover multiple disciplines of science, including environmental and earth science, medicine and health science, electrical and mechanical engineering, microbiology, biochemistry, bioengineering, computer science, software engineering, behavioral and social sciences, energy and sustainability, animal science, chemistry and plant science.
• Finalists' independent research projects include a range of topics such as
• Effect of radiation on bacteria
• Using radio frequency identification technology for school safety
• Designing a dual axis solar tracker
• Using machine learning to forecast the progression of Alzheimer's Disease
• Detecting concussions in youth sports

A full list of the finalists can be viewed here:
https://student.societyforscience.org/broadcom-masters-2018-finalists.

The Broadcom MASTERS is the only middle school STEM competition that leverages Society-affiliated science fairs as a crucial component of the STEM talent pipeline. Only the top 10 percent of 6^th, 7^th, and 8^th grade projects entered into Society-affiliated fairs around the country are eligible to apply.

All finalists receive a $500 cash award and an all-expense paid trip to Washington, DC, for the competition, where they will compete for the following awards:

• $25,000 Samueli Foundation Prize, a gift of Susan and Henry Samueli, Co-Founder of Broadcom Corporation, Chairman of the Broadcom Foundation, and Chief Technical Officer of Broadcom Limited, for the student who demonstrates mastery of all STEM fields, and exemplifies how research, innovation and teamwork come together to impact our everyday lives.
• $20,000 Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Award for Health Advancement, which recognizes the student whose work and performance shows the most promise in health-related fields.
• $10,000 Marconi/Samueli Award for Innovation, awarded to a student who demonstrates both vision and promise as an innovator.
• $7,500 Lemelson Award for Invention, awarded by The Lemelson Foundation to a young inventor creating promising solutions to real-world problems.
• First and Second Place Awards issued in each category of STEM of $3,500 or $2,500, respectively, to be used toward a STEM summer camp experience, plus an iPad, with top awards in math from Robert John Floe, President Floe Financial Partners.
• Two Rising Stars in sixth or seventh grade will be named as delegates to represent the U.S. at the 2019 Broadcom MASTERS International next spring in Phoenix. Delegates will attend the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair, the world's largest international high school science fair.

Broadcom MASTERS recognizes finalists' science teachers with a one-year classroom subscription to Science News magazine and awards the finalists' schools with $1,000 each to use toward STEM activities.

Resources:
For more information on the Broadcom MASTERS, visit the Broadcom Foundation and Society websites. To keep up with the Broadcom MASTERS, use the hashtag #brcmMASTERS or follow Broadcom Foundation and the Society on Twitter or the Society on Instagram. And to stay connected, visit the Broadcom MASTERSand Society Facebook pages. You can also follow the Society on Snapchat (Society4Science).

About Broadcom Foundation
Founded in April 2009, the Broadcom Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation the mission of advancing science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education by funding research, recognizing scholarship and increasing opportunity.

The foundation inspires young people to pursue careers in STEM and to develop 21st Century skills of critical thinking, collaboration, communication and creativity.  It is a founding member of the National STEM Funders Network and plays a leadership role in the STEM Education Ecosystem Initiative in the US and Israel.

The foundation's signature programs, the Broadcom MASTERS® and the Broadcom MASTERS® International, are the premier science and engineering competitions for middle school students around the United States and the world. 

Learn more at http://broadcomfoundation.org/ and follow us on Twitter (@BroadcomSTEM).

About Society for Science & the Public
Society for Science & the Public is dedicated to the achievement of young scientists in independent research and to public engagement in science. Established in 1921, the Society is a nonprofit whose vision is to promote the understanding and appreciation of science and the vital role it plays in human advancement. Through its world-class competitions, including the Regeneron Science Talent Search, the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair, and the Broadcom MASTERS, and its award-winning magazine, Science News and Science News for Students, Society for Science & the Public is committed to inform, educate, and inspire. Learn more at www.societyforscience.org and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat (Society4Science).

Society for Science & the Public Press Contact: 
Gayle Kansagor
703-489-1131
[email protected]

SOURCE Society for Science & the Public

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