Regeneron Science Talent Search

The Regeneron Science Talent Search, known from its establishment in 1942 to 1998 as the Westinghouse Science Talent Search and from 1999 to 2016 as the Intel Science Talent Search, is a research-based science competition in the United States for high school seniors hosted by the Society for Science. It has been referred to as "the nation's oldest and most prestigious" science competition and several of its alumni have gone on to be scientists prominent in their fields. In his speech at the dinner honoring the 1991 winners, President George H. W. Bush called the competition the "Super Bowl of science."

History

While attending the 1939 New York World's Fair, Society for Science director Watson Davis met Edward Pendray, a Westinghouse Electric Corporation executive. Together, they brainstormed ways to encourage youth to go into scientific fields and expand science fair competitions to the national level, and created the Westinghouse Science Talent Search (Westinghouse STS). The first competition was held in 1942, won by Paul Teschan of Shorewood, Wisconsin and Marina Meyers of Farmingdale, New York. Throughout an era of sexism in academia, the competition has always allowed male and female students to compete, though awards were given separately until 1949.

In 1998, Intel outbid several other potential sponsors and became the competition's sponsor; the name of the competition was changed from the Westinghouse Science Talent Search to the Intel Science Talent Search (Intel STS). In May 2016, it was announced that Regeneron Pharmaceuticals would be the new title sponsor. Since its founding, some 147,000 students have entered the competition. Over 22,000 have been named semifinalists and 2,920 have traveled to Washington, D.C., as contest finalists.