Prize to Benefit Science, Technology, Engineering and Math Education for Middle School Students in Israel
IRVINE, Calif. and TEL AVIV, Israel, March 14, 2012 /PRNewswire/ —
News Highlights
- Broadcom Foundation and Wallis Foundation each announce $100,000 grants to SpaceIL
- Donation to support SpaceIL's mission of landing and operating a robot on the moon
- Focus on encouraging youth to pursue careers in science and technology
Broadcom Foundation, a non-profit organization funded by Broadcom Corporation (NASDAQ: BRCM), today announced it will donate $100,000 to the Weizmann Institute of Science in support of SpaceIL, an Israel-based non-profit mounting a submission for Google’s $30 million Lunar X Prize contest. This project was selected by Broadcom Foundation for its use of the competition as a platform to promote excitement for science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) among Israeli youth. As the only non-profit team in the contest, SpaceIL has pledged to donate all winning proceeds to STEM education for middle school children. Join the SpaceIL conversation at www.facebook.com/TeamSpaceIL.
SpaceIL’s challenge is to become the first team to successfully land a robot on the moon, have it travel 500 meters over the lunar surface and send videos, images and data to Earth. Throughout this competition, SpaceIL is engaged in educational outreach initiatives, such as its programs to teach aerospace engineering to youths and graduate students.
“The Broadcom Foundation is proud to partner with SpaceIL to encourage young people, especially middle school students, to unleash their imaginations and be captivated by a space race much like my generation of Americans were when man first landed on the moon,” said Paula Golden, Executive Director, Broadcom Foundation and Director of Community Affairs,Broadcom Corporation. “By supporting SpaceIL’s journey, we can play a direct role in inspiring the next wave of innovators.”
Broadcom Foundation’s gift is part of its ongoing goal of inspiring and enabling middle school students around the world to enter careers in STEM. In addition to Broadcom Foundation’s donation, the Wallis Foundation is making a matching grant to Tel Aviv University that will benefit SpaceIL.
“It’s exciting for the Wallis Foundation to team up with an innovative organization like the Broadcom Foundation that is actively working with young people in STEM education,” said Jeffrey Glassman, trustee of the Wallis Foundation. “It is our hope that the race to the moon by international teams will motivate children as well as focus upon the importance of engaging everyone—not just governments, but businesses, non-profits and volunteers—in the critical mission of STEM education.”
Broadcom Foundation is a long-time supporter of universities in Israel. The Company has more than 500 employees inIsrael operating in five locations including Herzeliya, Raanana, Ramat Gan, Tel Aviv and Yakum.
