By Ben Harder
For young scientists, the spectacle was akin to the Academy Awards. To the whoops and cheers of formally attired admirers and beneath a cascade of confetti, 40 of the nation’s brightest high school science seniors received credit for the years they devoted to original research. By the end of the gala, held March 11 at the Ronald Reagan Building in Washington, D.C., the finalists in this year’s Intel Science Talent Search had collectively amassed more than $500,000 in scholarships.
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“Many Intel STS finalists will go on to have distinguishing science careers, perhaps one day solving a fundamental scientific mystery or making a scientific breakthrough that helps improve people’s lives,” said Craig Barrett, the chief executive officer of Intel Corp., which sponsors the competition.