International Science and Engineering Fair facts for kids
The Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) is an annual science fair in the United States, and is owned and administered by the Society for Science & the Public a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization based in Washington, D.C.,.
Background
Each May, more than 1500 students from roughly 70 countries and territories compete in the fair for scholarships, tuition grants, internships, scientific field trips and the grand prizes, including one $75,000 and two $50,000 college scholarships.
All prizes together amount to over $4,070,000. Two awards ceremonies are held including: Special Awards Organization Presentation (which now includes the Government Awards Presentations) and the Grand Awards Ceremony. The International Science and Engineering Fair was founded in 1950 by Science Service (now the Society for Science & the Public) and was sponsored by the Intel Corporation from 1997 to 2019..
Notable alumni
ISEF alumni include:
- Richard Zare (1957): American chemist who won the National Medal of Science in 1983
- James Gunn (1957): Astronomer and MacArthur Fellow who won the National Medal of Science in 2008
- Paul Modrich (1964): American biochemist who won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2015
- Susan Solomon (1972): Atmospheric chemist who won the National Medal of Science in 1999
- Kristina M. Johnson (1975): SUNY Chancellor
- Dianne Newman (1987): Microbiologist
- Feng Zhang (2000): CRISPR researcher
- Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (2007): United States Congresswoman
- Alex Deans (2013): Inventor
