The Society for Science & the Public announced Wednesday that it is seeking a new title sponsor for the nearly 70-year-old International Science and Engineering Fair, the world's largest international high school STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) competition. The International Science and Engineering Fair is the world's premier STEM competition and stands on the value of ensuring all young people from around the world can be inspired to compete and become the next generation of innovators and entrepreneurs. The title sponsorship of this event is now available for only the second time in its storied history. Intel became the title sponsor in 1997 and renewed that sponsorship through 2019. A new sponsor will assume the sole title sponsorship in May 2019. Each year, millions of high school students from around the globe enter this most powerful STEM talent pipeline. These students — tomorrow's leading scientists, engineers, innovators and entrepreneurs — strive to discover answers and develop new solutions to humanity's greatest problems. The Society will initiate and manage a competitive process to find its new title sponsor for the International Science and Engineering Fair. A Request for Proposal is being made available today at https://www.societyforscience.org/future-isef. Interested entities should visit the site to learn more about sponsorship details. The next sponsor will commit at least $15 million annually for a minimum sponsorship term of five years. "We are at an inflection point. Our next sponsor has an extraordinary opportunity to inspire and impact future generations of scientific leaders, innovators and entrepreneurs," said Maya Ajmera, President and CEO of Society for Science & the Public and Publisher of Science News. "This competition and its affiliated science fairs held across the globe reach young people like no other program can, igniting their passion for science and their desire to discover innovative solutions to some of our world's most intractable problems." The International Science and Engineering Fair has been cultivating and celebrating the world's most powerful STEM talent pipeline since its launch in 1950, and has provided more than $100 million in awards to competing students. The competition identifies and fosters the best and brightest minds through its more than 425 affiliated fairs in more than 75 countries, regions and territories globally. Tens of millions of students compete in science fairs every year around the globe at local, state, regional and national levels, with hundreds of thousands then rising to compete in the Society's affiliated fairs. Top winners at these fairs — about 1,800 students representing the top talent — are selected as finalists each year and earn the right to travel to and compete at the culminating International Science and Engineering Fair held each May. This weeklong event hosts the student finalists as they are given the opportunity to showcase their independent research and compete for (on average) more than $4 million in prizes, scholarships and awards. Also attending are nearly 8,000 additional people including volunteer judges, alumni, members of the global science fair community, local school children and their educators, distinguished guests and members of the media. The event is hosted in the United States, and provides significant economic impact to the host city, most recently estimated as $13.1 million to Los Angeles in 2014, $9.3 million to Phoenix in 2016 and $7.2 million to Pittsburgh in 2015. "Sponsorship of the International Science and Engineering Fair spans global borders, providing an invaluable platform that ensures we can identify and develop the next generations of top young scientists, engineers and innovators," said Craig Barrett, former CEO and Chairman of the Board of Intel Corporation and current Society Trustee. "These young people make the world a better place for all of us." The International Science and Engineering Fair presents an extraordinary opportunity for the next sponsor to inspire, connect with and directly support top high school students in their local communities and on a global stage. The program enables the next sponsor to establish a global legacy of fostering and advancing all sciences, while inspiring the next generations of scientific entrepreneurs, innovators and leaders. Exclusive title sponsorship also generates deep and meaningful access to a global talent pipeline as well as the chance to build significant reputational capital and awareness among a broad network of global leaders and influencers, and with the general public. Since 1997, the International Science and Engineering Fair has grown from 27 participating countries, regions and territories to 78 in 2016, and annual awards to participating students have increased from about $1 million in 1997 to about $4 million in 2016. In total, over the past 20 years, more than $80 million have been awarded to participants in the International Science and Engineering Fair by sponsors and awarding organizations. "Intel is extremely proud of our nearly two-decade partnership with Society for Science & the Public and the millions of amazing young scientists and technologists who have inspired us through their talents and passion for changing the world," said Rosalind Hudnell, Intel Vice President of Corporate Affairs and President of the Intel Foundation. "We are committed to supporting a world-class Intel International Science and Engineering Fair through 2019, and to continuing to inspire, educate and engage the next generation of innovators in the US and around the globe." The annual program and competition celebrates tomorrow's leaders, innovators and entrepreneurs — while presenting the title sponsor the opportunity to inspire, connect with and directly support an unparalleled talent pipeline and alumni community on a global stage. In its nearly 70 years, the International Science and Engineering Fair has yielded thousands of distinguished alumni, including top innovators and entrepreneurs as well as recipients of the world's most coveted science and math honors such as the Nobel Prize, National Medal of Science, Breakthrough Prize, Lasker Award and MacArthur Fellowship. The Society's search for a new sponsor follows the recent transformational sponsorship by Regeneron of the Science Talent Search (the Society's program for US high school seniors) from 2017—2026 for $100 million; and the renewal from the Broadcom Foundation of the Society›s premier middle school science competition, Broadcom MASTERS, through 2021. — SG
