PASADENA, Calif. — Virginia-based Center for Excellence in Education (CEE) and the California Institute of Technology today announced the inauguration of the Research Science Institute (RSI), a six-week summer program for academically talented high school science students.
RSI at Caltech will encourage excellence and leadership in science and technology and further international understanding among future leaders. From June 27 to August 7, 2004, the RSI program at Caltech will bring together 35 high-achieving students --25 from the U.S. and 10 from other nations.
The program at Caltech complements the Research Science Institute at MIT, which has been collaboratively sponsored by CEE and MIT for the past 11 years.
RSI, offered free of cost to students, combines classroom training and research mentorships. Considered one of the most prestigious and competitive science programs for high school students in the nation, RSI has more than 1,400 alumni including student scholars from 46 nations. High school students are selected based on grades, SAT scores, teacher recommendations, participation in science competitions and community service. Students' SAT scores generally range in the high 1,500s to 1,600.
RSI alumni go on to participate and win top prizes in science competitions. In 2003, alumni garnered the top prize of $100,000 scholarship awards in both the Intel Science Talent Search and the Siemens Westinghouse Competition.
According to Joann DiGennaro, president of the Center for Excellence in Education, "A program like RSI is more essential today than ever before in the history of our nation. U.S. competitiveness in science and technology depends on strong math and science skills, and on opportunities that go beyond what is offered in a typical high school."
Commenting on the establishment of RSI-Caltech, Gayle Wilson, former first lady of California, Caltech trustee, and CEE trustee says, " I am delighted at the establishment of the new Research Science Institute at Caltech. It is a testament to the success of the Center for Excellence in Education's existing programs. Now that RSI has found another home at Caltech, the Center will be able to offer its programs to more students who, though highly qualified, could not previously be accepted into the program because of space limitations."
Caltech president David Baltimore is also enthusiastic about the new program. "Caltech is proud to co-sponsor the Research Science Institute. RSI is a natural fit for us since Caltech is an institution that strongly supports and values student research. We look forward to our new partnership with the Center for Excellence in Education, and the ability to serve many more young scholars."
Students can apply for RSI on line at http://www.cee.org/rsi. Application forms will be available starting November 15 at that site. The Center for Excellence in Education coordinates programs for academically talented high school and college students including the RSI and the USA Biology Olympiad. It was co-founded in 1983 by the late Admiral H.G. Rickover and Joann DiGennaro, President of the Center for Excellence in Education. Luminaries such as President Jimmy Carter, Senators Joseph Lieberman and Bill Frist, and former Secretary of Defense Frank Carlucci serve on the center's board.
Founded in 1891, Caltech is a private university in Pasadena, California. It has an enrollment of some 2,000 students, and a faculty of about 280 professorial members. Over the years, 30 Nobel Prizes and four Crafoord Prizes have been awarded to faculty members and alumni. Caltech's off-campus facilities include Palomar Observatory near San Diego, the W. M. Keck Observatory in Hawaii, and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena that Caltech manages for NASA.
MEDIA CONTACTS:
Jill Perry, Media Relations Director, Caltech (626) 395-3226 jperry@caltech.edu
Suraiya Farukhi, Vice President, Public Affairs, Center for Excellence in Education (703) 938-9062 x229 sfarukhi@cee.org
Visit the Caltech media relations web site: http://pr.caltech.edu/media
Written by Jill Perry