California: Broadcom Masters, which stands for math, applied science, technology and engineering for rising stars, is a program founded and produced by the Society for Science & the Public that seeks to inspire young scientists, engineers and innovators who will solve the grand challenges of the future. The finalists, of which at least seven are Indian American, will travel to Washington, DC, where they will participate in a rigorous competition that leverages project-based learning to test and demonstrate their mastery of 21st century skills of critical thinking, communication, creativity and collaboration in each of the STEM areas. Winners will be named during an awards ceremony at the Carnegie Institution for Science.
Among the finalists are Mihir Joshi, Shreyas Kar, Asmi Kumar, Janani Kumaran, Varun Madan, Pratik Vangal and Akshaya Venkatesh. Joshi is a seventh grader at Howard Street Charter School in Salem, Ore. He was chosen for his project, “terrella aurora model: a demonstration of charged particle shielding for space exploration.”
Kar is an eighth grade student from Meyzeek Middle School in Louisville, Kentucky. He was selected for the project, “right charity - a software-based web application to bring donors, charities and receivers on the same platform and facilitate to donate and distribute most needed items to right people at right time.” Kumar, an eighth grader at Northwestern Middle School in Milton, Georgia, was chosen for her project, “developing a device to predict autistic meltdowns using arduino and MS azure.”
Kumaran, an eighth grader at Abraham Lincoln Middle School in Gainesville, Fla., was chosen for “integrated control of the invasive aquatic plant hydrilla using snails and a plant growth regulator (continuation project: year 2).” An eighth grader from Orlando, Fla.-based Lake Highland Preparatory School, Madan was chosen for the project, “field testing of feeding bacterium bifidobacterium infantis (found in a human gut probiotic) in order to improve honey bee health.”
Vangal, an eighth grader at Stoller Middle School in Portland, Ore., was chosen for the project, “ameliorating acute respiratory infections from solid biomass fuel combustion and empowering rural kitchens with a sustainable, cost-effective ventilation solution.” Venkatesh is an eighth grade student at BASIS Scottsdale in Scottsdale, Arizona. She was selected for the project, “a novel mobile app to minimize food waste and maximize harvest.”
The finalists – 14 girls and 16 boys – come from 28 schools across 14 states. They were selected by a panel of distinguished scientists and engineers from a record number of 2,537 applicants in 35 states. Their projects cover multiple disciplines of science, including environmental and earth science, medicine and health science, electrical and mechanical engineering, microbiology, biochemistry, bio-engineering, computer science, software engineering, behavioral and social sciences, energy and sustainability, animal science, chemistry and plant science, according to the joint news release.
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 several awards, including, the $25,000 Samueli Foundation Prize; the $20,000 Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Award for Health Advancement; the $10,000 Marconi/Samueli Award for Innovation; and a $7,500 Lemelson Award for Invention.
