January 12, 2011- Google announced the launch of what will be the first global online science competition.  The Google Science Fair will call upon students between ages 13 and 18 to submit their science projects starting January 11 through April 4th using Google’s online tools to compete for internships, scholarships and other prizes. 

Nobel laureates and leading scientific thinkers, including Mr. Kamen, Vint Cerf, one of the fathers of the internet, 1993 Nobel Laureate in Chemistry Kary Mullis, and National Geographic geneticist Spencer Wells will serve as judges.  Participating students have the opportunity to win prizes, such as an expedition to the Galapagos Islands with a National Geographic explorer, a 3-day trip to CERN’s laboratory for particle physics in Switzerland and large scholarships and internships. 

Dean Kamen, inventor and entrepreneur, discusses this major science competition. He will talk about the importance of science fairs like this one, why students and teachers should be inspired to participate, and how everyone can get involved. 

Dean Kamen is an inventor and entreprenuer.  He is best known for inventing the product that eventually became known as the Segway PT, an electric, self-balancing human transporter with a complex, computer-controlled gyroscopic stabilization and control system. He was elected to the National Academy of Engineering in 1997 for his biomedical devices and for making engineering more popular among high school students. In 1999, he was awarded the 5th Annual Heinz Award in Technology, the Economy and Employment, and in 2000 received the National Medal of Technology from then President Clinton for inventions that have advanced medical care worldwide.