Since 1942 the science talent search first sponsored by Westinghouse, and later by the Intel Corporation, has launched approximately 2,500 young finalists and winners into the national limelight.
Every year, we marvel at these high school students' projects. Some prove mathematical theorems. Some develop potential new cancer detection techniques. We wonder what amazing things these precocious young people will do with their lives.
The "Where are they now?" column seeks to answer this question. Some have won Nobel Prizes, whereas others have become MacArthur Fellows. Most simply lead interesting lives that show the breadth of careers open to people who learn about problem-solving early on, and the joys and challenges of building a knowledge-based career.
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Once a week, we'll profile past winners and finalists of all different ages and in different fields. This week, as another of Intel's projects, the International Science and Engineering Fair, gets underway in Atlanta, we'll highlight three past finalists, and we'll be on hand at the festival to blog from it live as students present their work and wait eagerly to see who's won.
We invite past Westinghouse and Intel Science Talent Search winners and finalists to contact us to participate in this series.