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Broadcom MASTERS®
The Broadcom MASTERS®, a program of Society for Science & the Public (SSP), is the premier science fair competition for 6th, 7th and 8th graders where they demonstrate their mastery of Math, Applied Science, Technology and Engineering as Rising Stars.
Through participation in the Broadcom MASTERS, middle schoolers are inspired, mentored and encouraged to stay with math and science throughout high school so that they are able to attend colleges and universities that lead to exciting careers of science, technology and engineering and mathematics.
Thousands of young people who participate in the Broadcom MASTERS are better prepared to meet the challenges of the future as tomorrow's innovators who will lead the way with scientific breakthroughs, engineering feats and technological know-how.
Students are invited to compete for prizes and awards in the Broadcom MASTERS by entering their science projects at local SSP affiliate fairs, listed on the SSP website www.societyforscience.org.
National finals for the Broadcom MASTERS are held in Washington, D.C. The winner will be awarded the $25,000 Samueli Education Prize.
About Our Partner
Established in 1921, 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. 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. To learn more about Society for Science & the Public and the Broadcom MASTERS, visit www.societyforscience.org.
To view the 2011 Broadcom MASTERS Highlight reel, watch video 
.
2011 Winners are here! Click here
To learn about the Broadcom MASTERS Competition, watch video .
To view Broadcom CEO Scott McGregor's video about Broadcom MASTERS, click here .
To read the middle school story of Broadcom Founder Henry Samueli, click here.
To learn about Science Fairs participating in the Broadcom MASTERS, go to www.societyforscience.org/masters.
To view a list of the 2011 semifinalists, click here
To read Paula Golden's letter on the mission of Broadcom Foundation, click here.
Broadcom MASTERS Winners Revealed
Broadcom Foundation and Society for Science & the Public congratulate the winners of the 2011 Broadcom MASTERS® national STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) competition for sixth, seventh and eighth graders.
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First Place - The Samueli Foundation Prize: $25,000 Through his research, first place winner Daniel Feeny, 15, of Woodside, Calif., noticed that some sections of the intertidal zone at Pescidero Beach were rich in species, while other sections of the beach were bare. The difference intrigued him, and he wondered if the force of waves striking the shore affects the diversity and number of organisms living there. He designed an experiment to quantify wave forces in different sections of the intertidal zone and correlate this data with the diversity of organisms in each location. |
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Second Place: $10,000 Second place honors and $10,000 goes to Benjamin Hylak, 14, of West Grove, Penn., for his project on the practical application of a telepresence robot. Benjamin's grandmother lives in a senior residence facility, and he noticed that some of her fellow residents had few or no visitors. He wanted to find a new way for residents to connect with family and friends and decided to build an interactive robot, through which people could virtually visit their loved ones at the facility. |
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Third Place: $5,000 Third place honors and $5,000 goes to I-Chun Lin, 14, Plano, Texas for her project on dye-sensitized solar cell efficiency and lifespan. As an active member of her school's recycling club, I-Chun wanted to find an inexpensive, eco-friendly way to harness solar power. She learned that dye-sensitized solar cells are cheaper to manufacture than solar panels, but aren't nearly as efficient. She hypothesized that a mixture of dyes would be most efficient, helping the cell to increase its voltage output. |
In total, the commitment to Broadcom MASTERS funding includes more than $500,000 from Broadcom Foundation and classroom partner Elmer's® Products, Inc.
In addition, the following finalists have been selected for their demonstrated skill and promise in each of the disciplines represented by STEM:
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Science Award: Samantha Rowland of Tipp City, Ohio, won a Celestron Telescope and an IPad2 Award for her project on the impact of light type on pine needles. |
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Technology Award: Robert Heckman of Kailua, Hawaii, won a STEM summer camp experience and an IPad2 for his project on coral tumors, parrotfish predation, and bacteria. |
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Engineering Award: Katherine Landoni of Sequim, Wash., won a VIZIO Home Theatre System and an IPad2 for her project on genetic variation and salinity in New Zealand mud snails. |
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Mathematics Award: Crystal Poole of San Diego won a STEM summer camp experience and an IPad2 for her project on buttercream frosting. |
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Broadcom MASTERS Team Award Green Team: Carolyn Jons, I-Chun Lin, Jennifer Markley, Daniel Feeny, William White |
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Broadcom MASTERS International Delegation for 2012
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Read the press release announcing the winners.
Read more about the competition and view complete bios of all the winners in the Broadcom MASTERS 2011 Finalist Book (PDF).
Competition Finalists
View the Broadcom MASTERS finalists
Competition Semifinalists
View the Broadcom MASTERS semifinalists
Why Middle School?
By the time a student reaches middle school, he or she has mastered fundamentals of basic math and communication and is asking, "What do I want to be when I grow up?"
The Broadcom MASTERS competition is designed to give a middle school student a personal "ah ha!" moment when, by tapping into a personal interest or passion in the local science fair, he or she is inspired to continue studying math and science in order to achieve a personal goal or aspiration.
Through participation in the Broadcom MASTERS® competition, beginning at local SSP-affiliated science fairs and culminating at the National Finals in Washington, D.C., students find mentors, explore new interests and experience the excitement of creating a science or engineering project that ignites a personal passion and keeps them interested in STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) learning throughout high school.
A science fair project is often a student's first -- and in many cases only -- opportunity to apply STEM subjects in ways that directly relate to his or her own life, personal interests or aspirations. An inspiring teacher or mentor, coupled with the intense gratification of creating a hands-on science or engineering project can be the powerful catalyst that redirects a student's academic choices and opens new pathways to college and an array of exciting careers.
To view the 2011 Broadcom MASTERS Highlight reel, watch video .
2011 Winners are here! Click here
To learn about the Broadcom MASTERS Competition, watch video .
To view Broadcom CEO Scott McGregor's video about Broadcom MASTERS, click here .
To read the middle school story of Broadcom Founder Henry Samueli, click here.
To learn about Science Fairs participating in the Broadcom MASTERS, go to www.societyforscience.org/masters.
To view a list of the 2011 semifinalists, click here
To read Paula Golden's letter on the mission of Broadcom Foundation, click here.
2012 Competition Schedule
- January — June: Middle school students enter their science and engineering projects in SSP affiliated fairs throughout the US. 10% of the students at each fair will be nominated to compete in the Broadcom MASTERS
- June: Nominees must complete the On-Line Application that asks them to examine the STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) elements their project, share their interests and consider careers they might pursue based on their interests.
- Mid August: 300 National Semi-Finalists will be selected by a prestigious panel of scientists and engineers.
- Late August: 30 National Finalists will be announced from the pool of Semi-Finalists.
- September — October: National Broadcom MASTERS Competition is held in Washington, D.C. where Finalists compete for cash prizes and awards.
Competition Highlights in 2012 — Broadcom MASTERS
- September 29 — Public Day
The 30 Finalists' projects will be on display for the public at the National Geographic Society. A panel of world-renowned scientists and engineers will judge their projects during this day. In the evening, Finalists will enjoy an exciting introduction to the Nation's capital, experiencing historical sites and organizations that celebrate innovation, science, technology, engineering and mathematics. - September 30 — STEM Challenge Day
Divided into teams throughout the competition, Finalists will visit the Maryland Science Center in historic Baltimore where they will engage in an action-packed day of competition focused on STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) challenges. - October 1 — Building/Innovation Challenge Day
Finalists will take part in the final rounds of STEM challenges that focus on engineering and building innovation at the Palomar Hotel. - October 2 — Hill Day and Awards Ceremony
Finalists, along with their parent or guardian and Broadcom/Society for Science & the Public representative, will pay a special visit to Capitol Hill to meet their elected representative. The week's activities culminate with a reception, dinner and awards ceremony at the Carnegie Institution of Washington. Finalists will receive awards and prizes for their proficiency in STEM subjects and their achievements in science and engineering. The grand prize, a $25,000 savings bond for education, will be awarded from the Samueli Foundation as a gift of Henry Samueli, a founder of Broadcom Corporation, and his wife Susan.
To view the 2011 Broadcom MASTERS Highlight reel, watch video .
2011 Winners are here! Click here
To learn about the Broadcom MASTERS Competition, watch video .
To view Broadcom CEO Scott McGregor's video about Broadcom MASTERS, click here .
To read the middle school story of Broadcom Founder Henry Samueli, click here.
To learn about Science Fairs participating in the Broadcom MASTERS, go to www.societyforscience.org/masters.
To view a list of the 2011 semifinalists, click here
To read Paula Golden's letter on the mission of Broadcom Foundation, click here.
Science Fair Resources
Welcome to the Broadcom MASTERS website!
To help you with your science project, please follow the link below to the Science Resources webpage of our partner organization, Society for Science & the Public (SSP). SSP offers a variety of resources to assist independent student research. They will help you get started with a science fair project and suggest opportunities to further enhance your science education.
We also encourage you to visit Science News for Kids, SSP's award-winning website for kids 9-14, their parents and educators. Science News for Kids offers timely, interesting news stories and features in all areas of science, accompanied by suggestions for interactive science activities, books and articles to read, and additional Web resources.
Broadcom MASTERS® International is a partnership of Broadcom Foundation and Society for Science & the Public (SSP). Broadcom MASTERS International creates opportunities for early collaboration between young scientists and engineers from around the world. The vision for the program is to bring together young people who share a passion for innovation in STEM subjects (science, technology, engineering and math) and to inspire them to stay with math and science throughout high school and into exciting careers. Broadcom MASTERS International provides students with invaluable experience and insight on how to use their abilities to become innovators and leaders in their chosen fields, whether in academics, NGOs, governments or at pioneering companies like Broadcom.
Broadcom MASTERS International awards middle school students who participate in SSP-affiliated fairs around the globe with the opportunity to represent their countries as Broadcom MASTERS delegates at a variety of events. Delegates are chosen from among participating 7th and 8th graders by judges at SSP-affiliated fairs in Canada, China (Beijing and Shanghai), India (Bangalore and Hyderabad) Israel, Japan, Korea, Mexico, Singapore, Taiwan and the United Kingdom. Two students from the United States are also chosen as delegates by the judges of the national finals at the Broadcom MASTERS, held in Washington, D.C.
Broadcom MASTERS International delegates will establish enduring friendships among peers that will last a lifetime. Broadcom Foundation is confident this program will lead these talented young people to future collaboration and innovation that will address the world's challenges affecting communications, health, transportation, education, energy and sustainability.
One of the upcoming activities for Broadcom MASTERS International is the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF). Each Broadcom MASTERS International delegate will receive an all-expenses-paid trip where the delegate will have the rare opportunity to shadow more experienced high school students and engage in special Broadcom MASTERS events exclusively designed to develop team building and leadership skills. In addition to funding their visits to the United States, Broadcom Foundation also will provide financial support to the delegates' affiliate fairs as part of its commitment to promoting project-based learning as a cornerstone of STEM education.
