Broadcom MASTERS Announces the Top 300 Middle School Innovators in National STEM Competition

Engineering and Environmental Science Among Top Project Categories

WASHINGTON, Sept. 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Broadcom Foundation and Society for Science today announced the Top 300 MASTERS in the 2022 Broadcom MASTERS^® — the nation's premier science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) competition for middle school students. Broadcom MASTERS, a program of Society for Science, seeks to inspire young scientists, engineers and innovators to solve the grand challenges of the 21^st century.

Each of the Top 300 MASTERS will receive a $125 award from DoD STEM. With this prize, the Department of Defense continues its support of youth in STEM, working towards a more diverse pipeline of highly qualified STEM professionals in the future.

The Top 300 MASTERS were selected from 1,807 students from 47 states and three territories (Guam, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands) applying to be a Broadcom MASTER. Only students who are named in the top 10% of their science fair are eligible to enter the Broadcom MASTERS, which is the only middle school STEM competition that leverages Society-affiliated science fairs as a critical component of the STEM talent pipeline.

Broadcom MASTERS Top 300 fast facts:

• The top 300 hail from 35 states, Guam and Puerto Rico
• Top states included California (17%), Florida (12%), Texas (7%), Pennsylvania (6%) and Utah (4%)
• Most students, 62%, go to public school, with 28% in private schools
• The top project categories are engineering (22%), environmental & earth science (15%); chemistry (9%); physics (8%) and medicine & health sciences (8%).

The students' names and a state-by-state breakdown of the Top 300 Broadcom MASTERS can be found at https://www.societyforscience.org/broadcom-masters/2022-top-300-masters.

On September 21, 30 of the Top 300 Broadcom MASTERS will be named finalists. Selected by a panel of scientists, engineers and educators from around the nation, the finalists will be competing for over $100,000 including the coveted $25,000 Samueli Foundation Prize, the $10,000 DoD STEM Talent Award, the $10,000 Lemelson Award for Invention, the $10,000 Marconi/Samueli Award for Innovation, the $10,000 Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Award for Health Advancement, and the $5,000 Broadcom Coding with Commitment Award.

"Congratulations to the Top 300 Broadcom MASTERS," said Maya Ajmera, President and CEO of Society for Science and Publisher of Science News. "I am so inspired by these young people who are working to solve problems in their communities and the world at large by using science and engineering. At a time when we are battling ongoing threats from climate change to a pandemic to cybersecurity, these young people offer inspiration and hope for the future that is badly needed."

The Top 300 Broadcom MASTERS' independent STEM research projects tackle a broad range of subjects, such as:

• Identifying hate speech on social media
• Exploring sustainable batteries
• Investigating bioplastics
• Researching autonomous vehicles
• Assessing face mask efficacy

"Congratulations to the Top 300 2022 Broadcom MASTERS," said Paula Golden, President of the Broadcom Foundation. "These young scientists, engineers and innovators will define our future. We need them to bring their passion and skill to help solve the grand challenges of our time and create sustainability here on Earth."

In addition to the $125 cash prize, the Top 300 Broadcom MASTERS will each receive a prize package containing an award ribbon; semifinalist certificate of accomplishment; Broadcom MASTERS backpack; a Broadcom MASTERS decal; a specialized Invention Journal, courtesy of The Lemelson Foundation; a one-year subscription to Wolfram|Alpha Notebook Edition, courtesy of Wolfram Research; and a one-year family digital subscription to Science News magazine. In recognition of the role that teachers play in the success of their students, each designated teacher also will receive a Broadcom MASTERS tote bag; a special edition booklet of Science News Explores Invention & Innovation articles from The Lemelson Foundation; and a one-year digital subscription to Science News magazine.

Resources:
For more information visit the Broadcom Foundation and Society for Science. To keep up with the Broadcom MASTERS, use hashtag #brcmMASTERS or follow Broadcom Foundation and the Society on Twitter or Broadcom Foundation and the Society on Instagram. And to stay connected, visit the Broadcom MASTERS and Society Facebook pages. You can also follow the Society on Snapchat (Society4Science).

Founded in April 2009, the Broadcom Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation with the mission of advancing science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education by increasing opportunities to achieve success through equitable access to STEM pathways.

The foundation inspires young people to pursue careers in STEM and to develop 21st Century+ skills of critical thinking, computation & coding, collaboration, communication and creativity. It is a founding member of the National STEM Funders Network and plays a leadership role in the STEM Education Ecosystem Initiatives in the U.S., Mexico and Israel.

The foundation's signature programs focus on computational skills needed for careers in the Information Age. It champions student achievement at science fairs and code clubs and promotes the 17 Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations as the vehicle by which young scientists and engineers can "Act Globally and Think Locally."

Learn more at http://broadcomfoundation.org/ and follow us on Twitter (@BroadcomSTEM), Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.

Society for Science is a champion for science, dedicated to promoting the understanding and appreciation of science and the vital role it plays in human advancement. Established in 1921, Society for Science is best known for its award-winning journalism through Science News and Science News Explores, its world-class science research competitions for students, including the Regeneron Science Talent Search, the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair and the Broadcom MASTERS, and its outreach and equity programming that seeks to ensure that all students have an opportunity to pursue a career in STEM.

A 501(c)(3) membership organization, Society for Science is committed to inform, educate and inspire. Learn more at www.societyforscience.org and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat (Society4Science).

Media Contact: 
Society for Science 
Gayle Kansagor
703-489-1131
[email protected] 

SOURCE Society for Science