Thermo Fisher Scientific Junior Innovators Challenge Top 300
selected from nearly 2,000 competitors; projects take on global
issues from microplastics and road safety to breast cancer
WASHINGTON, Sept. 4,
2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Society for Science today
announced the Top 300 Junior Innovators in the 2024 Thermo Fisher
Scientific Junior Innovators Challenge (Thermo Fisher JIC)—the
nation's premier science, technology, engineering and math (STEM)
competition for middle school students. The Thermo Fisher JIC, a
program of Society for Science, seeks to inspire young scientists,
engineers and innovators to solve the grand challenges of the
future.
Thermo Fisher's sponsorship of
the competition continues its longstanding commitment to widespread
and equitable access to STEM education. For decades, Thermo Fisher has invested in school-based STEM
programs, and colleagues across the company dedicate thousands of
volunteer hours each year to support education efforts around the
world.
The Top 300 Junior Innovators were selected from nearly
2,000 students from 48 states, American Samoa, Guam, Northern
Mariana Islands, Puerto
Rico and U.S. Virgin
Islands who applied to compete in the Thermo Fisher JIC.
Students who are named in the top 10% of their local science fair
are eligible to enter the Thermo Fisher JIC, the only middle school
STEM competition that leverages Society-affiliated science fairs as
a critical component of the STEM talent pipeline. The Thermo Fisher
JIC reaches 65,000 students annually through the Society's
Affiliated Fair network.
2024 Top 300 Junior Innovators Fast Facts:
- They come from 36 states, Puerto
Rico and the U.S. Virgin
Islands
- The states with the most Junior Innovators are California, Texas, Florida and Utah
- Their top project categories are Engineering, Environmental
& Earth Sciences, and Energy & Sustainability
- Combined, they speak a total of 20 languages
- More than half of them attend public school
- Research project topics include predicting air quality,
treating cardiovascular disease, addressing anxiety and using AI to
diagnose breast cancer
The students' names and a state-by-state breakdown of the Top
300 can be found here.
On Sept. 18, Society for Science
will announce the 30 Thermo Fisher JIC finalists selected by a
nationwide panel of scientists, engineers and educators. The
finalists will be competing for the $25,000 Thermo Fisher Scientific ASCEND (Aspiring
Scientists Cultivating Exciting New Discoveries) Award; Broadcom
Coding with Commitment ® Award; $10,000 DoD STEM Talent Award; $10,000 Lemelson Foundation Award for Invention
and $10,000 Robert Wood Johnson
Foundation Award for Health Advancement.
"The next generation of scientists and engineers emerging from
middle schools today is remarkable," said Maya Ajmera, President and CEO, Society for
Science and Executive Publisher, Science News. "Their projects
tackle real-world problems with creativity and rigor beyond their
years. I congratulate each and every one of the Top 300 Junior
Innovators and wish them the best of luck in their scientific and
engineering careers."
"The Top 300 projects are an extraordinary reflection of what
matters most to these students and their dedication to improving
lives through the use of STEM," said Dr. Karen Nelson, Chief Scientific Officer, Thermo
Fisher Scientific. "Congratulations to the entire class of 2024
Junior Innovators—your example strengthens our ambition to make
STEM education equitable for all youth."
Each of the Top 300 Junior Innovators will receive a
$125 award from DoD STEM. With this
prize, the Department of Defense continues its support of youth in
STEM, working toward a more diverse pipeline of highly qualified
STEM professionals in the future. Additionally, the Top 300 will
receive a prize package and gifts from our partners, including a
one-year subscription to Wolfram Mathematica software, courtesy of
Wolfram Research.
About Society for Science
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 Thermo Fisher Scientific Junior Innovators Challenge,
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/X, Instagram and Snapchat (Society4Science).
CONTACT: Gayle Kansagor,
gkansagor@societyforscience.org, 1-703-489-1131
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SOURCE Society for Science