Teen Scientists, Inventors From Around the World Awarded $3 Million in Scholarships, Prizes; Students From Germany and United States Win $50,000 in Intel Foundation Young Scientist Scholarships.

PHOENIX -- Projects involving a navigational system for the blind, possible discovery of an ancient coastline on Mars and a lower-cost technology to analyze compounds used to protect against disease were the student projects that won top awards today at the 2005 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (Intel ISEF). The students -- Ameen Abdulrasool, Chicago; Gabrielle Alyce Gianelli, Orlando, Fla.; and Stephen Schultz, Gelsenkirchen, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany -- were among 1,447 who competed in the 56th edition of the annual international event.

"Intel ISEF reflects what can happen when students are encouraged to pursue a passion and investigate the world around them," said Intel Corporation CEO Craig Barrett. "It is truly inspiring to see what today's award winners have accomplished. I have faith that this new generation of young scientists and engineers will help cure diseases, protect the environment and develop breakthrough technologies that will one day change the world."

Abdulrasool, 18, won a top prize for his Behavioral and Social Sciences project, "Prototype for Autonomy: Pathway for the Blind." Abdulrasool developed a self-contained navigational system for the visually impaired that combines GPS technology, verbal directional signals, and vibratory signal devices worn as bracelets. Abrulrasool's project was inspired by his father, who is blind.

Gianelli, 17, won a top prize for her Space Science project, "Fractal Dimension Analysis of Putative Martian Coastlines." Gianelli used a topographic map of Mars and statistical methods to analyze geologic features that could indicate an ancient ocean coastline. She said she believes that understanding more about the geologic history of Mars will help foster a better understanding of Earth's geology.

Schulz, 19, won a top prize for his Chemistry project, "From Synthesis to Analysis of Radical Inhibitors." Schulz developed new electrochemical methods to analyze flavonoids, strong radical inhibitors that may combat cancer and other diseases. He miniaturized his process to create an inexpensive "lab on a chip" that has the potential for widespread use in research.

"Best of Category" Award Winners

Each year, tens of thousands of students participate in regional affiliated fairs to earn the opportunity to compete at Intel ISEF. They present their projects in one of 14 scientific disciplines: Behavioral and Social Science, Biochemistry, Botany, Chemistry, Computer Science, Earth Science, Engineering, Environmental Science, Mathematics, Medicine and Health, Microbiology, Physics, Space Science and Zoology. The top-scoring student in each project category receives a $5,000 scholarship and an Intel(R) Centrino(TM) mobile technology-based laptop computer from Intel. These students' schools and fair directors also receive $1,000 to benefit science and mathematics education and encourage more student involvement in science. Following are the Best of Category award winners by country:

Germany:
                  Stephen Schultz Gelsenkirchen, Nordrhein-Westfahlen,
                  Gesamtschule Buer-Mitte for Chemistry.

Hungary:
                  Daniel Ratai, 19, John von Neumann Computer Science
                  High School, Budapest, for Computer Science.

Taiwan, Chinese Taipei:
                  Pen-Yuan Hsing, 18, and Wei-Kang Huang, 18, Taipei
                  Municipal Lishan Senior High School, Taipei for Team
                  Projects.

United States:

    Arizona:      Lesley Elizabeth Ash, 17, Tucson Magnet High School,
                  Tucson for Zoology.

    Florida:      Gabrielle Alyce Gianelli, 17, Lake Highland
                  Preparatory School, Orlando for Space Science.

    Illinois:     Ameen Abdulrasool, 18, Lane Technical High School,
                  Chicago for Behavioral and Social Sciences.

    North Dakota: Andrew John Friskop, 18, Hankinson High School,
                  Hankinson for Botany.

    Ohio:         Jeffrey M. Bhasin, 18, Rocky River High School,
                  Rocky River for Medicine and Health.

    Pennsylvania: Michael Segal, 17, Central High School, Philadelphia
                  for Biochemistry.
                  Kledin Dobi, 16, Julia R. Masterman High School,
                  Philadelphia for Mathematics.

    Virginia:     Stephen Goodwin Honan, 16, W.T. Woodson High School,
                  Fairfax for Environmental Science.
                  Nicholas Robert Apau Jachowski, 18, West Potomac
                  High School, Alexandria for Earth Science.
                  Ryan Thomas Olson, 18, Southwest Virginia Governor's
                  School, Dublin for Engineering.
                  Benjamin Albert Schwank, 17, James Madison High
                  School, Vienna for Microbiology.

    Wisconsin:    Michael J. Pizer, 16, University School of Milwaukee
                  for Physics.

Other Major Awards

--Ameen Abdulrasool, USA, Daniel Ratai, Hungary and Stephen Schultz, Germany won the Seaborg Stockholm International Youth Science Seminar (SIYSS) Award trip to attend the SIYSS event and the Nobel Prize ceremonies in December.

--Pen-Yuan Hsing and Wei-Kang Huang, Taiwan won the European Union Contest for Young Scientists, which is an all-expense paid trip to attend the European Union Contest to be held in Moscow in September.

--Chad Schlottmann, and Michael Olson, USA won the MILSET (International Movement for Leisure in Science and Technology)-Expo-Sciences International award, which is an all-expense paid trip to the International Youth Science Exhibition in Santiago, Chile in July.

Grand Awards are given to first- ($3,000), second- ($1,500), third- ($1,000) and fourth-place ($500) projects in each category. In addition, special awards worth more than $1.5 million include scholarships, summer internships, scientific field trips and laboratory equipment provided by Intel and Science Service, as well as 70 other corporate, professional and government sponsors. For a complete list of all award recipients, visit www.sciserv.org/isef.

Background

The International Science and Engineering Fair, sponsored by Intel since 1997, is the world's largest international celebration of science showcasing the world's most promising young scientists and inventors in grades 9 through 12. The finalists who will compete in Phoenix began as part of a worldwide field of several million science fair participants during the past academic year. These finalists went on to compete among 65,000 students at more than 500 regional Intel ISEF-affiliated science fairs around the world to win the right to participate at the Intel ISEF.

The fair has been administered for the past 56 years by Science Service, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to advance the understanding and appreciation of science around the globe through publications and educational programs. For more information about Science Service and the Intel ISEF, visit www.sciserv.org.

Intel's sponsorship of the Intel ISEF is part of the Intel(R) Innovation in Education initiative, a sustained commitment -- in collaboration with educators and government leaders worldwide -- to help prepare students to succeed in a knowledge-based economy.

Intel, the world's largest chip maker, is also a leading manufacturer of computer, networking and communications products. Additional information about Intel is available at www.intel.com/pressroom.

Intel and Intel Centrino are trademarks or registered trademarks of Intel Corporation or its subsidiaries in the United States and other countries. Other names and brands may be claimed as the property of others.

Copyright (C) 2005 Intel Corporation. All rights reserved.