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Westchester Biotech Firm Regeneron Sponsors Young Scientists Contest

TARRYTOWN, N.Y. -- Regeneron, a Tarrytown-based biotechnology company, has been tapped to sponsor a nationwide high school science competition, according to the Society for Science and the Public.

Regeneron is committing $100 million to a nationwide talent search for young scientists.

Regeneron is committing $100 million to a nationwide talent search for young scientists.

Photo Credit: File Photo

Regeneron is committing $100 million to support the Science Talent Search and other society programs through 2026.

As part of that, the company is nearly doubling the overall award distribution to $3.1 million a year and increasing the top award to $250,000.

It also will double awards for the top 300 young scientists and their schools to $2,000 each.

During its history, the Science Talent Search has provided more than $25 million in awards to more than 8,500 students and schools.

George D. Yancopoulos, Regeneron’s chief scientific officer, call the talent search “a national treasure that showcases the critical role science plays in advancing society.”

Yancopoulos, himself a top winner in the 1976 contest, said it was a “life-changing experience that inspired my future scientific career."

Regeneron, he said, is “committed to supporting a rich pipeline of future talent who will improve our world through science and engineering for generations to come."

According to Maya Ajmera, the society’s president and chief executive officer, Regeneron’s commitment is the largest ever received from a single organization.

Because of it, she added, the society will be able to expand the contest’s “reach like never before, extending the opportunities that individual research can offer and inspiring even more of our nation's talented young scientists."

As a key component of the sponsorship, $30 million will be dedicated to Society initiatives focused on increasing outreach and equity for all students.

The competition, which began in 1942, receives more than 1,800 applications each year from high school seniors across the country.

Of those, 300 will be selected as top scientists and 40 finalists will be chosen to participate in a week-long competition in Washington, D.C.

Student finalists have met personally with 11 U.S. presidents, including John F. Kennedy, Ronald Reagan, and Barack Obama, the society said.

For more information about the society and its programs, click here.

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