Barrett, now Intel's chairman, and a materials scientist with a Ph.D. from Stanford University, announced that Intel would become chief sponsor of the prestigious Science Talent Search, a 65-year-old nationwide competition among high school seniors many call the "junior Nobel," formerly supported by Westinghouse. Barrett led the program into a new generation with his own passion for education, initiating large increases in scholarship awards and other prizes to the winners. Under Barrett, Intel has increased monetary awards for the Science Talent Search. The top scholarship was raised to $100,000, and laptops are provided to the 40 finalists. And Intel added a $1,000 prize for each of the 300 semifinalists, and $1,000 to each of the schools these students represent.
Today, the National Science Board honored Barrett with its 2006 Public Service Award for his leadership in science and engineering policy and for spearing education programs that provide impetus for a new generation of science, technology, engineering and mathematics professionals. Barrett will accept the honor at a May 9 awards dinner at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History Museum in Washington, D.C.
The Science Board also named renowned actor, director, producer and PBS television science program host Alan Alda for an individual 2006 Public Service Award and the Association of Science-Technology Centers (ASTC), a major supporter and representative of science centers and museums worldwide, for an organizational award.
The Science Board initiated the Public Service Award in 1996 as a way to annually recognize individuals and organizations for their wide-ranging work to increase public understanding of science.
Under Barrett's leadership Intel now pursues educational improvement in over 50 countries around the world and invests approximately $100 million per year in programs to improve science and mathematics education.
The Intel Teach to the Future program, another program expanding under Barrett, has trained more than 3 million teachers to integrate use of technology into their classrooms and curricula.
Barrett also initiated the Intel Computer Clubhouse Network, an after- school, community-based technology learning program that helps underserved youth to acquire tools necessary for them to succeed in the 21st century. There are more than 100 clubhouses in 22 countries.
On a national policy level, Barrett, as co-chair of the National Alliance for Business' Business Coalition for Excellence in Education, successfully harnessed support among business leaders to get increased federal funding for enhanced programs on teacher quality and to improve mathematics and science education under the No Child Left Behind Act.
Shortly after becoming Intel CEO in 1998, Barrett's leadership was also prominent in work with The Glenn Commission which sought ways to improve mathematics and science education in order for a new generation of Americans to be successful and competitive in a global economy.
Public Service Award recipients are chosen for their contributions to public service in areas beyond research, to include increasing the public's understanding of the scientific process, contributing to the development of broad science and engineering policy, promoting, through public outreach, the importance science and technology and engaging scientists and engineers in public.
The Science Board is an independent 24-member body of policy advisors to the President and Congress on matters of science and engineering research, and is the policy making and oversight body for the National Science Foundation (NSF), an independent federal agency that supports almost all areas of fundamental research nationwide.