As many of you are aware, especially if you have read this page in previous issues of EE, I m a proponent of providing more than just the typical science and mathematics classes that routinely are taught to children in many of our schools today. I believe students should be given the opportunity to participate in more advanced technology-based education, obviously during high school but particularly in middle school and even elementary school. Exposing students at an early age to elevated science instruction may well encourage many to pursue a technical career when they graduate from high school.
There are quite a few programs sponsored by large corporations that recognize and reward gifted students who have achieved distinction in their secondary academic studies. One such program, sponsored by the Lucent Technologies Foundation, culminated recently in a global summit in Murray Hill, NJ.
Some of the brightest high school seniors and first-year college students from around the world converged in late July at Lucent Technologies• headquarters to participate in this year's Global Science Scholars Summit. Students from the United States selected to attend the summit must meet some rather lofty eligibility requirements, not the least of which is a high GPA and a commitment to attend college in the fall to pursue a physical sciences or mathematics curriculum. Students selected as scholars receive a monetary award of $5,000 to spend as they choose, an all expense paid trip to the Lucent headquarters, and an opportunity to intern at a Lucent facility.
The summit is a weeklong event where the scholars learn about Lucent Technologies through presentations and tours and interact with the Bell Labs scientists and researchers to see firsthand some of the leading-edge technology being pursued. Working in teams with their peers and under the guidance of the Labs• researchers, the scholars are given a project to complete and, at the conclusion of the summit, make a presentation of their findings to the other attendees and the company.
Besides carrying an unweighted GPA of at least 3.6, candidates for the program in the United States must be high school seniors possessing a strong interest in information technology. Eligible fields of study include specific engineering majors, mathematics, information technology, computer science, physical and applied science, aerospace, and astronomy. Applicants must be U.S. citizens interested in world events and able to work collaboratively in a multinational environment. Finally, a 500-word essay must be submitted stating career plans, reasons for wanting to participate in the summit, and possible contributions to the program.
The Global Science Scholars Program arguably is one of many that seek to honor and reward students interested in pursuing technology-related careers. From free software to college scholarships, forward-looking corporations are providing a plethora of incentives to help promote science education in our schools. Let's make sure the schools are doing their part by providing the right educational environment so our kids and grandkids will have a much better chance to become tomorrow's researchers, engineers, mathematicians, or astronomers.
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