I thought folks here would be interested in this: http://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/09/technology/intel-to-end-sponsorship-of-science-talent-search.html?_r=0
It seems a very odd decision for them to make. I expect it will be picked up by somebody else.
Odd? Just look at a photo of Intel Finalists… It’s the entirely predictable outcome of Silicon Valley being shaken down by Jesse Jackson, for its lack of workforce diversity.
http://www.seattletimes.com/business/jesse-jackson-keeps-pressure-on-silicon-valley-to-diversify/
Good luck w that.
Well, that’s not the first race-based take I expected to see here.
It’s the reality. The demographics of the Finalists are a liability for them.
Being selected as an Intel finalist has been one of the surest tickets to get in top colleges, next to membership of Math/Science Olympic camps. Not to question the legitimacy of the whole program, but I’ve heard at times it becomes the competition of Dads’ professor friends’ ideas and inventions.
You mean like the Cub Scout Pinewood Derby? I enjoyed “helping” my son make these.
I believe this has been @xiggi 's critique of the program. It would surprise me if this was the reason for Intel dropping its sponsorship, though.
+1
Or among parents and their circle of lab-researcher colleagues and friends. How else would some high school students get precious lab mentoring, space and time? Labs doing research don’t take walk ins.
Ha Ha I remember Pinewood Derby. My husband didn’t understand how it really works, so my son’s car, well… With regard to the science contest, I have always wondered about how these kids manage to do this cutting-edge work. Not overly skeptical, just… wondering.
My parents don’t work in STEM. They also are not researchers nor rich. I contacted a physics teacher at my high school and asked if I could use his lab to conduct my research. I’m not an Intel finalist, but I was awarded an Intel Research Report badge. I have a few friends who are Intel semifinalists/finalists who also took the initiative to conduct their research with no involvement from their parents at all. Their only motivation was to acquire more knowledge in the fields of their interest. Some of my Intel semifinalists friends were not accepted by their top choice college. I’m not Asian, by the way.
I was once told a story of a finalist in the pre-Intel days that had been working in a lab of a local research facility without the knowledge of the institution including that institution’s Institutional review board for research. Violated too many policies to count. The institution was in quite a pickle when it came to light and told the “sponsoring” researcher not to let it happen again. Never mind their resources had been used and they had no dibs on any of the intellectual property rights.
My kids’ urban academic magnet public school maintained (and worked hard to maintain) excellent ties with local research institutions, and regularly placed science-oriented students without any other pull in labs. Few of them became Intel semifinalists (although a few did, and more won prizes in local or regional competitions), but lots of them got into good colleges. One classmate of my daughter’s became the youngest (at the time) principal author of an article in Science as a college sophomore, working in the same lab in which he had been working since 9th grade. His dad didn’t know any professors, other than through him. That’s not to say he came up with all of his research ideas on his own, of course.
Practically speaking, isn’t a kid pretty much out of luck unless he lives in a metro area with these kinds of facilities (and of course has transportation at his disposal)?
I know of several public schools that feature electives, clubs and mentors specifically designed for students interested in research and programs like the Intel Talent Search. The school has connections to labs all over the region and more than their share of semi-finalists. Most school districts can’t begin to afford a program like that, though.
The race car can be an unaerodynamic, blocky tank and still win. The secret to winning is in the wheels & axle. We helped DS polish them super, super smooth w a Dremel tool. :-"
I have heard the same thing…from jealous parents and jealous students who still could not master that volcano project and who have no idea what the selection involves (hint: it is not at all mainly the project).
Practically speaking…no.
Look at the winner from several years ago who had all the algae samples growing in her bedroom.
Or the finalists who were in math or writing algorithms (computer science). No lab required.
Back to my original point. Here’s a photo of the final 40. Intel could either impose diversity quotas, or it could cancel the whole show.
If you read the article, you would note that they are not being involved in the program after their current contract runs out.
It is just as applicable to post pictures of a NCAA Div 1 football team, basketball team, hockey team, etc and claim that since there is a lack of diversity they should cancel those programs.
Eric Delgado, did his research in a closet in the back of the science room at his public school in NJ: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/09/nyregion/nyregionspecial2/09Rintel.html?pagewanted=print&_r=0
Not all kids benefit from their parents connections though obviously many do. My son started helping out with various computer projects starting with a web page for dh’s lab when he was in middle school.
Hey, at least there are a fair number of young women in that picture. 