Obama announces over $240 million in pledges at White House Science Fair

Yesterday at the 2015 White House Science Fair, President Obama announced over $240 million in pledges to inspire more students - especially those from underrepresented groups - to pursue education in science, technology, engineering, and math. Included in Obama's announcement were:

• $150 million philanthropic effort to empower a diverse cadre of promising early-career scientists to stay on track to become scientific leaders of tomorrow;
• $90 million “Let Everyone Dream” campaign to expand STEM opportunities to under-represented youth;
• $25 million Department of Education competition to create science and literacy themed media that inspires students to explore;
• 120 universities and colleges committing to train 20,000 engineers to tackle the “Grand Challenges” of 21st century; and,
• CEO coalition Change the Equation committing expand effective STEM programs to an additional 1.5 million students this year.

This year's White House Science Fair focused on diversity and included students from underrepresented backgrounds. The Fair also featured more women and girls in science than in previous years, with over 100 students from more than 30 states. Among the participants were a high school student from Arizona who created an algorithm to identify other medical applications for existing drugs, a student from Pennsylvania who designed an innovative carbon-dioxide powered battery, and a group of 6-year-old "Supergirls" who invented a batter-powered page turner to help people with disabilities read books.

To learn more about the White House Science Fair and yesterday's events, watch the video above or visit the White House Science Fair's homepage and the fact sheet about Obama's new STEM commitments.