$6 Million Foundation Pledge Pushes STEM in Grades 6-8

  • By Dian Schaffhauser
  • 10/06/10

Intel is being joined by a major semiconductor competitor in encouraging young people to pursue STEM careers. The Broadcom Foundation, founded last year and funded by Broadcom, has signed on with the Society for Science & the Public in a six-year, $6 million partnership to launch a new national middle school competition focusing on science, technology, engineering, and math. The Broadcom MASTERS will target students in the sixth through eighth grades with science fair and research activities.

In the program's first year, the two organizations expect that 7,500 American middle school students will be nominated from 350 science fairs and programs across the country. Judges will choose 300 semifinalists and 30 finalists to compete for regional and national recognition. Finalists will meet in Washington, DC in fall 2011 for a week of conducting projects together, visiting significant scientific sites, and judging. A top winner will receive a $25,000 education fund.

"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," said Scott McGregor, president and CEO of Broadcom and president of the Broadcom Foundation. "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 has run science competitions since 1942, including the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair, an international science competition for students in grades 9 through 12.

About the Author

Dian Schaffhauser is a former senior contributing editor for 1105 Media's education publications THE Journal, Campus Technology and Spaces4Learning.

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