Google is announcing its third annual Google Science Fair to discover young talents in the scientific and engineering fields and support the future of technology by recognizing new geniuses today. In partnership with CERN, the LEGO Group, National Geographic and Scientific American, the tech giant is encouraging young scientists aged 13-18 to come up with their own unconventional ideas on how to make the world a better place.
Students from 90+ countries are invited to submit their own solutions to the world’s issues in a variety of disciplines, ranging from ecology and medicine to household technology and education — in 13 languages. The deadline is April 30 at 11:59 pm PDT. The 90 regional finalists—30 from the Americas, 30 from Asia Pacific and 30 from Europe/Middle East/Africa—will be announced in June, and then the panel of judges will select 15 finalists, who will head to the final U.S. event, slated for September 23.
The judges will then determine winners in each of the age category (13-14, 15-16, 17-18) as well as the overall, Grand Prize winner. He or she will walk away with $50,000 scholarship from Google, a trip to the Galapagos with National Geographic Expeditions and experiences at CERN, Google or the LEGO Group. The tech company will also provide the school of the winner with a digital access to the Scientific American archives for one year plus a $10,000 cash grant. Students, who will be exploring the social, environmental or health theme and will offer an approach to tackle problems from these fields, also can win a $50,000 Science in Action prize.
Google wants to turn the young scientist into real heroes, so the company will host series of summer Google+ Hangouts on Air events showcasing the 15 finalists, and it will also give the public an opportunity to select the project, which has the biggest potential to change the world. The winner will be handed the special Inspired Idea Award. Google+ Hangouts on Air events will also feature prominent scientists of our days, who will share the insights into their work, and invite the audience to take a sneak peek into cutting-edge labs and science facilities. Google invites the global audience to explore the highly dynamic and user-friendly Google Science Fair online destination for more details and inspiration.
In addition to such global competitions, Google also takes local actions to support students in different countries. One of such steps is the company’s recent pledge to provide Raspberry Pi devices to British students.