Rockville Center, NY (PRWEB) November 29, 2012 -- The Center for Science Teaching and Learning (CSTL) and Applied Materials, Inc. announced today a new Clean Tech Competition challenge this year that addresses the urgent global problem of access to clean water. The program, which now includes students from Singapore, as well as Xi’an, China, and California’s San Francisco Bay Area, was created last year to inspire the next generation of leaders and innovators in clean technology.
The theme of the Applied Materials Clean Tech Competition this year is Clean Water for All. Student teams, under the guidance of an educator, will identify a water access situation in their own communities or elsewhere in the world and present their unique solution to a panel of experts. Ten winning teams in each region will compete for cash prizes for their education and enrichment, culminating in three sets of winners and an array of creative solutions from three different global perspectives.
“The choice of Clean Water For All as this year’s challenge was an easy one,” said Dr. Ray Ann Havasy, director of CSTL. “While much of the world takes clean water for granted, for nearly one billion people on the planet this basic human necessity is a rare commodity. We’re looking for those with the skills and desire to take on the essential issues of water purity and access around the globe. After all, changing the world usually starts with a single idea.”
The Applied Materials Clean Tech Competition is a research and design challenge that builds on sound scientific understanding of real-world issues. It integrates the disciplines of science, technology, and the design process to inspire all students toward achievement and make them aware of the impact of science and technology on the 21st century world. Each year, the competition addresses a clean technology issue grounded in core technological competency areas, and focuses on the next great engineering challenges.
“The Clean Tech Competition provides students with the opportunity to understand and appreciate the global and collaborative nature of today’s innovation process,” said Om Nalamasu, chief technology officer of Applied Materials and corporate champion of the Clean Tech Competition. “The program aligns with Applied’s dedication to technological innovation and scaling clean tech solutions to complex problems, while demonstrating Applied’s commitment to making a positive contribution in the communities where our employees live and work.”
“With regions in three countries taking part in the Clean Tech Competition, this will be the most exciting competition of its kind in the world,” commented Dr. Havasy. “We are honored to be chosen as the competition administrator, which epitomizes our entire philosophy of helping people understand the importance of science, and offers a great opportunity for students to help change the world.”
For more information about the Competition, including how to register, visit http://www.cleantechcompetition.org.
About the Center for Science Teaching and Learning
The Center for Science Teaching and Learning (CSTL) is a not-for-profit organization with a mission of encouraging science learning and literacy. CSTL develops programs for people of all ages and utilizes inquiry-based learning as its foundation for program development. This year marks the first in which CSTL is serving as the administrators of the Clean Tech Competition. http://www.cstl.org
About Applied Materials
Applied Materials, Inc. is the global leader in providing innovative equipment, services and software to enable the manufacture of advanced semiconductor, flat panel display and solar photovoltaic products. Our technologies help make innovations like smartphones, flat screen TVs and solar panels more affordable and accessible to consumers and businesses around the world. Learn more at http://www.appliedmaterials.com.
