Eesha Khare (left), Ionut Budisteanu (center) and Henry Wanjune Lin (right) claimed the top three prizes at this year’s Intel International Science and Engineering Fair in Phoenix, Arizona. Budisteanu’s work toward developing a self-driving car earned the 19-year-old Romanian inventor the $75,000 top prize. Credit: Intel/Chris Ayers
The Intel® International Science and Engineering Fair® (Intel ISEF) is the world’s largest high school science competition, where more than 1,500 high school students from more than 70 countries compete for over $4 million in prizes annually. The Intel ISEF is a program of Society for Science & the Public, the nonprofit publisher of Science News for Kids.
The Intel ISEF is a program of Society for Science & the Public, the nonprofit publisher of Science News for Kids.
Intel ISEF 2013 top winners announced!
Ionut Budisteanu, 19, of Romania was awarded first place for using artificial intelligence for low-cost, self-driving cars at this year’s Intel ISEF.
Ionut said his research addresses a major global issue. In 2004, car accidents caused 2.5 million deaths worldwide, and 87 percent of crashes resulted from driver error. With 3-D radar and mounted cameras, Ionut created a feasible design for an autonomously controlled car that could detect traffic lanes and curbs, along with the real-time position of the car – and it would only cost $4,000. He received the Gordon E. Moore Award of $75,000, named in honor of the Intel co-founder and fellow scientist.
Eesha Khare, 18, of Saratoga, Calif. received the Intel Foundation Young Scientist Award of $50,000. With the rapid adoption of portable electronics, Eesha recognized the crucial need for energy-efficient storage devices. She developed a tiny device that fits inside cell phone batteries, allowing them to fully charge within 20-30 seconds. Eesha’s invention also has potential applications for car batteries.
Henry Lin, 17, of Shreveport, La. also received the Intel Foundation Young Scientist Award of $50,000. By simulating thousands of clusters of galaxies, Henry has provided scientists with valuable new data, allowing them to better understand the mysteries of astrophysics: dark matter, dark energy and the balance of heating and cooling in the universe’s most massive objects.
To learn more about all of the Intel ISEF 2013 finalists (and those from recent past years), please visit our searchable abstracts for each finalist. We also encourage you to visit SSP on Facebook to see pictures and video from Intel ISEF 2013.
Also check out our Facebook page for additional photos, videos, links and more.
Science News for Kids stories on Intel ISEF:
- Teens take home science gold
- New bag keeps food fresh longer
- Better chows yields more milk
- Smile! Dimples boost your mileage
- A warming life jacket
- Building with moon rocks
- Flagging loose bolts
- Pee is for power
- Teen designs device that could almost double the life of airplane tires
Intel ISEF in the media:
- Winners of the 2012 Intel ISEF show the promise of science for improving the world
- At ISEF, fusion is hot
- Don’t listen to advice, and other advice from Nobel laureates
- Global flavor spices up science fair
- Among the stars
- Intel ISEF Brings 1500+ Students to Pittsburgh
- Five Pakistani students compete in Intel ISEF 2012
- Nine students to represent Thailand at Intel ISEF 2012
Intel ISEF 2013 highlights video
More about the Intel ISEF
The Intel ® International Science and Engineering Fair® (Intel ISEF) is the world’s largest international high school science competition. Society for Science & the Public (SSP), the publisher of Science News for Kids, launched this competition in 1950 when it was known as the National Science Fair.
Each year, the Intel ISEF brings together over 1,500 high school students from over 70 countries, regions, and territories who are top winners of science fairs in their communities.
The Intel ISEF unites these top young scientific minds, showcasing their talent on an international stage, enabling them to submit their work to judging by doctoral level scientists, and providing the opportunity to compete for over $3 million in prizes and scholarships. The top project of the Intel ISEF each year wins $75,000.
- Learn more about the students from around the world who competed at the Intel ISEF 2012 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
- Learn more about this program on its homepage on the SSP website.
Today, millions of students worldwide compete each year in local and school-sponsored science fairs; the winners of these events in grades 9-12 go on to participate in Intel ISEF-affiliated regional, state, and country fairs from which the best win the opportunity to attend the Intel ISEF.
If you are interested in competing at the Intel ISEF we encourage you to find out where your nearest affiliated fair is located.
