Intel International Science And Engineering Fair Opens

1,500 Students to Compete for More than $4 Million at World’s Largest Science Fair

High school students from 51 countries, regions and territories around the world Saudi Arabia to Mexico, Kazakhstan to the U.S. arrived in Albuquerque, N.M. today to compete for $4 million in scholarships and awards in the annual Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (Intel ISEF), presented by Agilent Technologies. The top three winners, alone, will each be awarded a $50,000 scholarship by Intel Corporation in what is considered the world’s largest science fair.

Intel’s decade-long sponsorship of Intel ISEF is part of its global, $100 million-plus commitment to improving the quality of education. Since Intel became the prime sponsor in 1996, the number of Intel ISEF finalists has grown about 40 percent (to more than 1,500 students) and the number of participating countries, regions and territories has grown 70 percent, to more than 51 countries.

Students’ projects encompass a wide range of disciplines that often address issues that have stumped scientists for years, and which could very well lead to major scientific breakthroughs. More than 20 percent of the young scientists competing in Intel ISEF 2007 either have a patent or have applied for a patent for their work. This year’s projects tackle such themes as climate change, such as a solar-powered water generator and a device to increase the mileage of hybrid vehicles; cancer treatment, including a way to prevent the development and progression of lung cancer and a way to identify cells that contribute to cancer growth and therefore may be critical targets for chemotherapy; and engineering solutions, such as a “smart swim” drowning alert system for children, a robot that uses artificial intelligence to determine the most efficient paths through mazes and an airplane engine that can run on compressed air.

Intel Chairman Craig Barrett will open Intel ISEF 2007 at a ceremony on Monday afternoon at the Tingley Coliseum at Expo New Mexico in Albuquerque. Projects will be open to the public from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Thursday (students will be at their projects from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.) and from 9 a.m. to noon Friday at the Albuquerque Convention Center.

“Intel ISEF finalists are the next generation of innovators,” said Barrett. “At Intel we’ve been working to promote math and science for nearly four decades, so coming to Intel ISEF and meeting these amazing young scientists is something I look forward to every year.”

Finalists were chosen from a pool of several million science fair participants around the world and have competed against more than 65,000 students. In all, more than 500 regional Intel ISEF-affiliated science fairs were held. Some 1,200 science, engineering, and industry professionals will be on-site this week to judge the projects and select the winners.

To learn more about Intel’s commitment to improving the quality of education around the world, including its sponsorship of other science competitions, visit www.intel.com/education.