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About Dana Orsini

Dana Orsini is the author of Broadcom Foundation’s digital media properties including website, B-Inspired blog, YouTube and Twitter (#brcmSTEM and @brcmMASTERS), Medium and Snapchat while partnering with the Society for Science and the Public on further communications. Please reach her at dana@brcmfdn.org further dialogue.

Broadcom MASTERS Alum Wins First Prize from EU

By | November 9th, 2016|Broadcom MASTERS|

River Grace’s Passion for Biology Reaps Continued Rewards in STEM

Perpetual curiosity and a passion for animals has propelled River Grace, 17 of Melbourne, Florida from winning the Samueli Prize at the Broadcom MASTERS in 2013 to his 1st place finish at the 2016 European Union (EU) Contest for Young Scientists last month. One of only 3 Americans invited to compete, Grace brought home a big win for the United States for his investigations of the brahminy blindsnake’s central nervous system.2016-9-river-eucys-high-res

“I was both astounded and deeply grateful to have been selected for the honor of 1st place, and delighted to represent my nation and meet other young scientists who had a passion for knowledge, just like me – actually this reminded me a lot of the Broadcom MASTERS!” Grace said.

Grace’s investigation uncovered that the blindsnake has functional eyes (no one knew!)

When Grace first identified a blindsnake, his immediate thought was “are they really blind?” He then took his inquiry deeper to examine the snake’s […]

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UCI School of Engineering School Bestows ‘Ingenuity Award’ to President Paula Golden

By | May 29th, 2016|Awards & Recognition, Raspberry Pi|

UCI Ingenuity Paula Greg 2016On May 29, the University of California, Irvine (UCI) recognized student innovation and lauded STEM education trailblazer, Paula Golden, President of Broadcom Foundation, at Ingenuity 2016, held by the Donald Bren School of Information and Computer Sciences and the Henry Samueli School of Engineering. Watch the video here.

Recognized for promoting inclusion, equity and access to STEM education, Golden has not only initiated the Broadcom MASTERS® and Broadcom MASTERS® International,, middle school science and engineering competitions, but has also introduced computer coding to thousands of middle-school students who are under-represented in computing fields through programs such as Broadcom Presents: Design CODE_Build.

These renowned programs, among others that include Stem Ecosystem Initiatives, fulfill the mission of the Broadcom Foundation: to create opportunity and promote equitable access to STEM education for the untapped talent in society, especially young women and underserved youth around the world.

“It is with great humility that I accept this award on behalf […]

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Broadcom MASTERS “Took Me to the Next Level,” Say Alumni

By | December 23rd, 2015|Broadcom Foundation, Broadcom MASTERS|

Reunion group Just what does it mean to compete in the Broadcom MASTERS?

Paula Golden, President and Executive Director, Broadcom Foundation and Director, Community Affairs, Broadcom Corporation, asked six Broadcom MASTERS alumni from 2011-2014 to reflect on their experiences with the 2015 class. Each of the six had remarkably gone on to distinguish themselves as competitors and winners in other STEM competitions, internships at Stanford and the NASA Ames Research Center and share their STEM passions with elected officials at all levels, including President Barack Obama.

Overwhelmingly, they agreed that Broadcom MASTERS changed their lives.

“Broadcom MASTERS cemented my love of science. Everyone there encouraged me to stay in the field,” said Holly Jackson, 2014 Samueli Foundation prize winner. “When I came back to school, I got to share my experience with teachers and students, which was very touching for me and inspiring to younger students.”

Jackson interned at NASA Ames for six weeks this past summer where she created 3-D models of various truss […]

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Broadcom MASTERS Alumna Wins $100,000 Grand Prize in Siemens Competition

By | December 16th, 2015|Broadcom Foundation, Broadcom MASTERS|

At only 12 years old, middle schooler Maria Elena Grimmett from Jupiter, Fla., became a 2011 Broadcom MASTERS finalist, later winning the Mathematics Prize at the 2012 Broadcom MASTERS.

Fast-forward to today: Grimmett continued to research her passion for curbing water pollution (mostly from her family’s dining room table) to identify a new water purification method. Her efforts culminated in a $100,000 scholarship prize from the Siemens Competition in Math, Science and Technology, the nation’s premier research competition for high school students. Read more about Grimmett’s award here.Maria Grimmett Siemens Competition Siemens

“I was shaking on the stage,” Grimmett, now 17, said of her win. “It’s the most amazing feeling in the world, especially when I was put up against the other finalists. It is such an honor and has been an amazing journey.”

Collaboration is Key

Grimmett was 10 when she noticed that her family’s well water was tinged brown, and she wondered why. She soon learned about pharmaceutical pollution in the Florida Everglades, and […]

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Broadcom India Employees Rally to Package 30,000 Meals for Chennai Flood Victims

By | December 14th, 2015|Broadcom Foundation, Corporate Social Responsibility|

Stop Hunger Now India Floods RESIZEIn rapid response to the devastating floods in Chennai and other parts of Tamil Nadu, India, Broadcom employees teamed up with Stop Hunger Now to package some 30,000 meals in just two hours, meals that will provide much needed relief to more than affected 5,000 families in the stricken region.

Broadcom Foundation’s emergency response reserve fund enabled 100 Broadcom employees and their families to pack highly nutritious meals that include locally grown rice and spices, dal and provide 23 essential vitamins and minerals.

“We thank the Broadcom team for their immediate response to the flooding that has prevented several thousand families from going back to their homes and starting normal lives again,” said Dola Mohapatra, Director of Stop Hunger Now in India. “With Broadcom’s support, we opened the first Stop Hunger Now facility in India early this year, which positioned us to respond to emergencies in this area. Otherwise, we could not have acted so quickly to bring relief.”

2015 – […]

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Defining a Leader: Avery Clowes Captures Inaugural Scott A. McGregor Leadership Award

By | November 10th, 2015|Broadcom Foundation, Broadcom MASTERS|

Many try to define what it takes to be a leader – a recent Inc. Magazine article listed confidence, decisiveness and honesty as key traits. But, how are these qualities nurtured in young people?

Some may say becoming a leader starts with formative experience– such as the Broadcom MASTERS program.

Last month, 30 middle school finalists were chosen from all over the country and flown to Silicon Valley for a rigorous, weeklong competition that tested their mastery of STEM principles and team leadership. With challenging competitions each day coupled with team building activities throughout the week, the finalists quickly got to know each other and how to work together.

Unbeknownst to the finalists they were asked to elect a “class speaker” at the end of the competition. They were asked to elect one of their peers who demonstrated leadership qualities throughout the week. Avery Clowes, 13, from Bolton Mass. was elected the winner.

Clowes (left) congratulates a fellow finalist Clowes (left) congratulates a fellow finalist

“Being elected […]

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Career Panel Inspires Broadcom MASTERS to “Pursue the Unknown”

By | November 2nd, 2015|Broadcom Foundation, Broadcom MASTERS|

‘What do you want to be when you grow up?’ is the question most often posed to teenagers.

Career Day McGregor resize Scott McGregor, President and CEO of Broadcom, speaks with a group of Broadcom MASTERS finalists.

At a gathering with STEM professionals from academia to industry, this year’s 30 Broadcom MASTERS finalists took a front row seat to their futures. The Broadcom MASTERS students explored potential career choices, mined for inspiration and took home some valuable lessons from seven panelists.

The panelists, who hailed from positions like CEO, CTO and professor, had something in common with the finalists – they have all participated in a science competition of Society for Science & the Public (SSP). Along with the soon-to-be Broadcom MASTERS alum, that’s a lot of STEM brainpower in one room!

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Tapping Communities to Develop Local Engineering Talent

By | October 13th, 2015|Broadcom Foundation, Raspberry Pi|

What if you could open the front door through a sensor in your hand? And when guests come to the door, their photo is sent from the doorstep to your phone so you can identify them? These are the kinds of “Internet of Things” (IoT) technologies that students from under-served communities conceived, designed, built and then socialized in a summer program called ASPIRE/INSPIRE, sponsored by Broadcom Foundation.

ASPIRE/INSPIRE (Aspire to Dream, Inspire to Motivate) seeks high-achieving community college and high school students from underserved communities in southern California who demonstrate a passion for engineering and computer science.

Photo Credit: Matt Miller, Donald Bren School of Information and Computer Sciences Photo Credit: Matt Miller, Donald Bren School of Information and Computer Sciences

The free, two-week project-based engineering and computer science program brought 30 high-achieving high school and community college students from groups underrepresented in engineering and computer science to the University of California, Irvine, in July. With funding from Broadcom Foundation, the program hosted a diverse group. […]

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Broadcom MASTERS Practice Teamwork and Perseverance with Help from a “Tech-lebrity”

By | October 6th, 2015|Broadcom MASTERS, Raspberry Pi|

On the last day of the competition, Broadcom MASTERS finalists convened at the Computer History Museum to collaborate on challenges using a Raspberry Pi microcomputer, a low-cost, credit-card sized computer that taps Broadcom silicon. With a few shrieks and shocked looks, finalists greeted Eben Upton, co-creator of the Raspberry Pi and head of the Raspberry Pi Foundation.

MASTERS 2015 Eben with Red Team Raspberry Pi cofounder Eben Upton with Red Team.

“I really enjoyed meeting the creator of Raspberry Pi because the computer was the main technology in my science project,” said one finalist.

Upton met with each team, sharing his experiences, providing tips on coding and encouraging each finalist to follow his or her passion.

“We started Raspberry Pi to solve a local problem – the collapse in students wanting to study computer programming,” Upton, a U.K.-based technical director for Broadcom said. “I thought we’d only sell 100 when we first started, but the Raspberry Pi has proven to be a successful tool to […]

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Broadcom MASTERS 2015: Opening Competition Events Make for a Weekend Whirlwind

By | October 5th, 2015|Broadcom MASTERS|

Upon arriving in San Jose, Calif., the 30 Broadcom MASTERS finalists (all middle school aged aspiring scientists and engineers) had little time to be think as they met their new team members and competed in ice breaker challenges such as Lego building, a giant Jenga game and a brainteaser about tying a rope together, all of which forced them to communicate and problem solve.

Collaboration, communication and teamwork will be stressed throughout the competition. “In the Broadcom MASTERS, it is important that members of a team quickly learn the strengths of each individual member and how they can efficiently and creatively tap into their collective talents to solve problems,” said Paula Golden, President of the Broadcom Foundation and Director, Community Affairs, Broadcom. “Collaborating together to engage in critical thinking, communication and creativity are the 21st century skills young people need to succeed as scientists and engineers – and in life.”

MASTERS 2015 public day Photo Credit: Society for Science and the Public

On the first day […]

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