The World Science Festival Announces the Newest Class of “World Science Scholars”

The Festival Identifies the World’s Most Exceptional Math Students and Encourages Them to Tackle Some of the Most Pressing Challenges Facing Society

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Today, the newest group of World Science Scholars has been announced by the World Science Festival – the annual celebration of science that brings together some of the leading minds in science, business, government and the arts. The students are from around the world and were chosen after a global application process and search. The World Science Scholars program is designed to teach students how they can apply their math skills to a broad range of new disciplines that extend their knowledge of math beyond traditional mathematics into such diverse areas such as neuroscience, physics and astrobiology. This program is designed to expand the personal horizons of the students, inspiring them to pursue opportunities that will have an impact on the world’s biggest problems.

“Our goal is to reach the most talented math students in the world and bring them together and show these young people the possibilities of where their gifts can take them,” said World Science Festival Co-Founder and CEO Tracy Day. “Ultimately, we want to create a network that is mutually supportive and has the skillset to tackle our world’s most significant challenges.”

The 2019 Scholars join the 2018 cohort totaling 75 students ranging in ages 9 to 17 (at the time of admission), representing 13 countries. The centerpiece of the World Science Scholars courses is riveting lectures by leading Nobel and Breakthrough Prize Winners and best selling authors, filmed using professional production values. Classes are augmented with a variety of resources, including interactive demonstrations, custom-designed animations, key summaries, community discussion pages, virtual office hours, and live sessions with each expert, creating a substantially enhanced online educational experience.

Participating students will also be able to create a professional, educational, and social network of talented individuals through the community they build. The World Science Scholars experience also extends far beyond the coursework, with opportunities for interaction and collaboration with peers, teaching fellows, and faculty via the digital platform and social media networks established for these groups, and during the annual World Science Festival in New York City.

The World Science Scholars program is made possible by a grant from the John Templeton Foundation. The students were chosen after either being nominated from the World Science Festival network of individuals and organizations, or learning about the program through select media and by directly applying. The World Science Scholars program is committed to identifying students from diverse communities regardless of their race, gender, ethnicity, socioeconomic class and location.

This broad, multifaceted approach to identifying and recruiting students who have the potential to become a “one-in-a-million” mind reflects a commitment to creating a network of students from diverse backgrounds with a burning desire to engage in challenging coursework and meet people similar to them. For students with innate, exceptional abilities who lack the means or access to resources to help them reach their potential, the high-quality digital experience of the World Science Scholars program, will be a life-changing experience.

Upon completion of the World Science Scholars program, students become members of an alumni network that helps to identify and support future cohorts based upon their own experiences in the program. Over time, the hope is that the connections between past and present cohorts lead to mentoring relationships, friendships, and professional collaborations, as well as future engagements with the World Science Festival and the larger mathematics and science communities.

About

The World Science Foundation produces original live and digital content that brings scientific discovery, insight and perspective to a broad general audience.

Our flagship live event, The World Science Festival, is an unprecedented annual tribute to imagination, ingenuity and inventiveness. Through programming that spans a broad range—from vibrant discussions and debates to works of theatre and film—world-class scientists, leading thinkers, and renowned artists take science out of the laboratory and into the streets, theaters, museums, and public halls of New York City, making the esoteric understandable and the familiar fascinating. The week-long New York Festival has drawn more than a million and a half visitors since its launch in 2008, with millions more viewing the programs online.

The Foundation’s live events and theatrical productions tour nationally and internationally. In March 2016, the Foundation launched the World Science Festival Brisbane, bringing its distinctive programming to new audiences and establishing the first annual Festival outside of New York.

World Science U is the Foundation’s online education initiative, where students and lifelong learners can dive more deeply through artfully produced digital education content presented by world-renowned scientists. The World Science Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization headquartered in New York City.

WORLD SCIENCE SCHOLARS 2019 COHORT

Media: Kimberly Spell 917.497.3122 or kspell@worldsciencefestival.com