Background on the White House Science Fair

WHITE HOUSE SCIENCE FAIR

State Dining Room/ East Room

11:35 AM/12:00 PM EDT

Today, the President will host the White House Science Fair celebrating the winners of a broad range of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) competitions.  The President  will view exhibits of these students’ work, ranging from breakthrough basic research to new inventions, followed by remarks to an audience of students, science educators and business leaders on the importance of STEM education to our country’s economic future. 
 
Additional information on the White House Science Fair is available HERE (www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2010/10/18/president-obama-host-white-house-science-fair) .
 
Expected Attendees
 
Senior Administration Officials

Secretary Steven Chu, Department of Energy
Director John Holdren, Assistant to the President for Science and Technology and Director, Office of Science and Technology Policy
Director Melody Barnes, White House Domestic Policy Council
Director Regina Dugan, Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA)
Director Subra Suresh, National Science Foundation (NSF)
Director Patrick Gallagher, National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)
Deputy Administrator Lori Garver, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
Deputy Director Cora Marrett, National Science Foundation (NSF)
Associate Director and Chief Technology Officer Aneesh Chopra, Technology Division, White House Office of Science and Technology Policy
Associate Director Philip Coyle, National Security & International Affairs Division, White House Office of Science and Technology Policy
Associate Director Shere Abbott, Energy & Environment Division, White House Office of Science and Technology Policy
Deputy Associate Administrator John Hickey, Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)
 
Nobel Laureates

Dr. Baruch Blumberg
Dr. John Mather
Dr. Harold Varmus, Director, National Cancer Institute     
 
Leading STEM Educators

Jamie Hyneman and Adam Savage, MythBusters
Bill Nye, Bill Nye the Science Guy
 
Major STEM Advocates

Norm Augustine, former Chairman and CEO, Lockheed Martin
Dean Kamen, Founder, For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology (FIRST)
Dr. Alan Leshner, CEO, American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)
Dr. Linda Rosen, CEO, Change the Equation
Dr. Charles Vest, President, National Academy of Engineering (NAE)
 
Student Exhibitors
 
Christopher Columbus Awards

Mary Chiang (Madison, MS)
Gulrukh Shaheen (Madison, MS)
Thomas Wiygul, Jr. (Madison, MS)
 
eCYBERMISSION

Jonathan Berman (Encino, CA)
Benjamin Kotzubei (Beverly Hills, CA)
Austin Veseliza (Santa Monica, CA)
 
FIRST Lego League

Tristan Evarts (Londonderry, NH)
Jaiden Evarts (Londonderry, NH)
Bryeton Evarts (Londonderry, NH)
 
FIRST Robotics Competition

Jennifer Herchek (Blue Bell, PA)
Ryan Morris (Blue Bell, PA)
Evan Ostrow (Penllyn, PA)
Emily Ostrow (Penllyn, PA)
Gina Triolo (Blue Bell, PA)
 
FIRST Tech Challenge

Taylor Halsey (Gardena, CA)
Salia Wilson (Northridge, CA)
Catherine Wooten (LaCanada, CA)
 
Intel Science and Engineering Fair

Amy Chyao (Richardson, TX)
 
Intel Science Talent Search

Erika DeBenedictis (Albuquerque, NM)
 
International BioGENEius Challenge

Raina Jain (Bethlehem, PA)
 
Junior Solar Sprint

Mikayla Nelson (Billings, MT)
 
Lemelson-MIT InvenTeams

 Antonio Hernandez (Laveen, AZ)
Mathilda Lloyd (Kingston, TN)
Samuel Snodgrass (Oak Ridge, TN)
Sonja Solomon (Oak Ridge, TN)
Diego Vazquez (Phoenix, AZ)
 
National Engineers Week Future City

Selin Altintas (Gaithersburg, MD)
Madina Khurishanova (Fairfax, VA)
Nurbanu Simsek (Fairfax, VA)
Kemal Taban (Fairfax, VA)
 
PBS Design Squad

MaryAnn Bulawa (Ava, NY)
 
Real World Design Challenge

Brandon Baltzell (Baldwin City, KS)
Carson Barnes (Baldwin City, KS)
Carrie Deitz (Baldwin City, KS)
Shelby Gregory (Baldwin City, KS)
 
Team America Rocketry Challenge

Nathan Bernhardt (Lancaster, PA)
Jordan Franssen (University Park, PA)
 
Toshiba/NSTA Exploravision Awards

Anika Patel (Mercer Island, WA)
Angela Riggins (Mercer Island, WA)