$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.

Featured

  • abstract image representing AI tools for reading and writing

    McGraw Hill Introduces 2 Gen AI Tools for K–12, Higher Ed Students

    Global education company McGraw Hill has added two new generative artificial intelligence tools to help personalize learning experiences for both K–12 and higher ed students, according to a news release.

  • person signing a bill at a desk with a faint glow around the document. A tablet and laptop are subtly visible in the background, with soft colors and minimal digital elements

    California Governor Signs Off on AI Content Safeguard Laws

    California Governor Gavin Newsom has officially signed a series of landmark artificial intelligence bills into law, signaling the state’s latest efforts to regulate the burgeoning technology, particularly in response to the misuse of sexually explicit deepfakes. The legislation is aimed at mitigating the risks posed by AI-generated content, as concerns grow over the technology's potential to manipulate images, videos, and voices in ways that could cause significant harm.

  • KnowBe4-MobileMind Integration to Simplify Security Training Management

    It's now easier for MobileMind users to track and manage teachers' progress with KnowBe4's security training campaigns.

  • Human Error Remains the Leading Cause of Cloud Data Breaches

    Human error is still one of the biggest threats to cloud security, despite all the technology bells and whistles and alerts and services out there, from multi-factor authentication, to social engineering training, to enterprise-wide integrated cybersecurity platforms, and more.