Society for Science & the Public Announces Regeneron as New Title Sponsor of the International Science and Engineering Fair

Society for Science & the Public and Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced that Regeneron is the new title sponsor of the International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF), the world’s largest pre-college science and engineering competition, with a commitment of approximately $24 million over a five-year period. 

Established in 1950, ISEF gives the world’s best and brightest young scientists a global stage to share their outstanding STEM research, and compete for nearly $5 million in awards, prizes and scholarships. Each year, over 175,000 students compete in the Society’s more than 420 affiliated high school science fairs around the world. Top winners earn the right to compete at ISEF where nearly 2,000 finalists, half of which are young female scientists, are judged in 21 different categories including biochemistry, behavioral and social sciences, environmental engineering, mathematics, robotics and intelligent machines, systems software and translational medical science. 

Regeneron’s commitment comes as the Society has created a new multitiered sponsorship model to support different judging categories, events and delegations of ISEF finalists. The Society is continuing to seek additional sponsors who are similarly committed to furthering the future of science and engineering, and will be announcing new sponsors in the coming weeks and months.

ISEF costs approximately $10 million annually for the Society to produce. With Regeneron’s generous support, along with additional confirmed sponsors, we need to raise about $3 million more for ISEF 2020.  

This sponsorship builds on Regeneron and the Society’s long-standing partnership to advance STEM education, including through Regeneron’s $100 million, ten-year commitment to the Regeneron Science Talent Search (STS), the nation’s most prestigious science competition for high school seniors.

“Regeneron is committed to helping engage and inspire the next generation of scientific innovators, as we believe there is nothing more important for helping address the truly existential threats facing humankind – from disease to climate change. We are thrilled to expand our collaboration with the Society for Science & the Public to now take on title sponsorship of the International Science and Engineering Fair, adding to our previous commitment with the Regeneron Science Talent Search,” said George D. Yancopoulos, M.D., Ph.D., Co-founder, President and Chief Scientific Officer of Regeneron. “It is a great honor, as well as a major responsibility, to take on these legacy programs – ISEF previously sponsored by Intel, and STS previously sponsored by Westinghouse and Intel – that have been inspiring young scientists for generations. As a product of these programs myself, I know firsthand how they can change a young person’s life by providing the experiences and challenges, as well as the confidence, that one can make a change in the world through science.”

“The International Science and Engineering Fair is the world’s most powerful STEM talent pipeline, providing young scientists and engineers from 80 countries, regions and territories an opportunity to compete on the world’s stage. We are thrilled to have Regeneron join us as the title sponsor of ISEF, and look forward to announcing more sponsors soon,” said Maya Ajmera, President and CEO of the Society for Science & the Public and Publisher of Science News. “Regeneron’s commitment to supporting the next generation of STEM leaders is inspiring.”