WASHINGTON, April 26, 2018 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — Today, the Society for Science & the Public unveiled a new National Leadership Council made up of alumni from the Society’s three science competitions: the Science Talent Search, now sponsored by Regeneron; the International Science and Engineering Fair, currently sponsored by Intel; and our middle school program, now called the Broadcom MASTERS. The Council will advise the Society on key opportunities with the goal of helping to foster lifelong connections throughout the alumni community.

“The 20 alumni comprising the inaugural National Leadership Council, who include entrepreneurs, professors, scientists and a journalist, are extraordinary,” said Maya Ajmera, President and CEO of the Society for Science & the Public and Publisher of Science News. “By drawing upon their diverse experiences – both within our competitions and throughout their careers – these leaders will provide the Society with insightful and strategic advice as we expand our programming and further develop our relationship with our alumni.”

The Council will play an important role in the future of the Society by supporting our work, engaging fellow alumni, and helping to build a culture of philanthropy.

The inaugural National Leadership Council:

Erika Ebbel Angle, Ph.D.
CEO & Co-Founder, Ixcela
1999 Science Talent Search
1997 International Science and Engineering Fair

William J. Bencze, Ph.D.
Software Engineering Manager, Apple
1985 Science Talent Search
1983-1984 International Science and Engineering Fair

Adam Bly
Founder & CEO AI/Data Startup
1998 International Science and Engineering Fair

David Bray, Ph.D.
Executive Director, People-Centered Internet
1996 Science Talent Search
1993-1995 International Science and Engineering Fair

Rob Chang
Co-Founder & CTO, Gearcloud Labs
Founder, Iliotech Software Services
1980 Science Talent Search

Michael Colsher
Head of Quantitative Trading, HAP LLC
1997 Science Talent Search

Eden Full Goh
Founder & Chairperson, SunSaluter
2007-2008 International Science and Engineering Fair

Michelle Hackman
Reporter, The Wall Street Journal
2011 Science Talent Search

Kevin Heller, M.D.
Chief Medical Officer, NextCure
1989 Science Talent Search

Elyse Hope, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Fellow, British Columbia Cancer Agency
2006 Science Talent Search
2004-2006 International Science and Engineering Fair
2002 Discovery Channel Young Scientist Challenge

Param Jaggi
Co-Founder & CEO, Hatch
2010-2011 International Science and Engineering Fair

Scott Duke Kominers, Ph.D.
MBA Class of 1960 Associate Professor, Harvard Business School
Faculty Affiliate, Harvard University Department of Economics and Center of Mathematical Sciences and Applications
2005 Science Talent Search
2005 International Science and Engineering Fair

Meredith Lee, Ph.D.
Executive Director, West Big Data Innovation Hub
2000 International Science and Engineering Fair

Michael Li, Ph.D.
Founder & CEO, The Data Incubator
2003 Science Talent Search
2003 International Science and Engineering Fair

Divya Nag
Health Special Projects, Apple
2009 Science Talent Search
2007, 2009 International Science and Engineering Fair

Anna-Katrina Shedletsky
Founder & CEO, Instrumental
2004 Science Talent Search
2003-2004 International Science and Engineering Fair

Rajen Sheth
Senior Director of Product Management, Google Cloud Artificial Intelligence, Google
1994 Science Talent Search
1992-1994 International Science and Engineering Fair

Nevin Summers
Executive Director, Massachusetts Institute of Technology Synthetic Biology Center
1967 Science Talent Search
1965-1967 International Science and Engineering Fair

Sheel Tyle, J.D.  
Founder & CEO, Amplo
2006-2008 International Science and Engineering Fair
2005 Discovery Channel Young Scientist Challenge

Nina Vasan, M.D.
Founder & Director, Brainstorm: Stanford Laboratory for Brain Health Innovation and Entrepreneurship
Chief Resident in Psychiatry, Stanford School of Medicine
2002 Science Talent Search
2002 International Science and Engineering Fair

The Council’s 20 members will serve three-year terms. The Society will seek to ensure the Council includes a varied group of leaders with a focus on diverse representation based on class year, gender, demographic identity, geographical region, profession, and discipline area.

Founded and produced by the Society for Science & the Public since 1942, the Science Talent Search (STS) is the nation’s oldest and most prestigious science and math competition for high school seniors, first in partnership with Westinghouse, then with Intel 1998-2016, and now sponsored by Regeneron. In 1950, the Society created the National Science Fair for high school winners of local and regional science fairs. In 1958, the fair became international for the first time with the addition of Japan, Canada, and Germany. This annual fair has since grown into the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (Intel ISEF) with affiliated fairs in more than 75 countries, regions, and territories. From 1999-2007, the Society partnered with Discovery Communications, Inc. on the Discovery Channel Young Scientist Challenge. The Society continued the program in 2008 as the Society Middle School Program. In 2010, with the generous support of Broadcom Foundation, the Society launched the Broadcom MASTERS (Math, Applied Science, Technology and Engineering for Rising Stars) competition for U.S. 6th-8th grade students.

About Society for Science & the Public
Established in 1921, the Society is a nonprofit whose vision is to promote the understanding and appreciation of science and the vital role it plays in human advancement: to inform, educate and inspire. Through its world-class competitions, including the Regeneron Science Talent Search, the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair, and the Broadcom MASTERS, and its award-winning magazines, Science News and Science News for Students, the Society conveys the excitement of science and research directly to the public. Learn more at www.societyforscience.org and follow us on Medium, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat (Society4Science).

Contact: Gayle Kansagor, gkansagor@societyforscience.org, 202-872-5103

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SOURCE Society for Science & the Public