This Year’s Winners Present Their Future Inventions at May 31^st Science Fair on Capitol Hill, followed by Science Showcase at National Press Club and Awards Banquet June 1^st

WASHINGTON — (BUSINESS WIRE) — May 30, 2012 — Toshiba and the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) are proud to celebrate the 20^th anniversary of the Toshiba/NSTA ExploraVision program, the world’s largest K-12 student science and technology competition, with a host of special awards activities in Washington, D.C. Events kick off on May 31^st with this year’s top student winners presenting their innovative ideas for future technologies at a Congressional Science Fair, hosted by Toshiba in collaboration with the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Education Caucus. On June 1^st, the students will present their projects again in a Science Showcase at the National Press Club. The eight national winners, including four-first place and four-second place teams, looked to the world around them to propose ideas for technologies that could make the future better, healthier, and more eco-friendly. (See enclosed document for complete list of winning projects.)

The May 31^st Congressional Science Fair will take place from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. in the Rayburn foyer and will be open to members of Congress and their staff. The event will celebrate this year’s winners and reinforce the importance of STEM education, maintaining student interest in the sciences, and the significant role that mentors, teachers, and parents play in motivating students. The science fair is open to the public and media.

June 1^st Science Showcase at the National Press Club, followed by Awards Banquet

At the Science Showcase, the students will present to members of the press, their peers, parents, educators, NSTA board and council members, and high-level Toshiba executives including Norio Sasaki, President and CEO of Toshiba Corporation and Yoshihide Fujii, Chairman and CEO of Toshiba America, Inc. Esteemed speakers will include Steve Robinson, Special Assistant, White House Domestic Policy Council; Joyce Ward, Education Coordinator, Office of the Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property & Director of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office; Dr. Patricia Simmons, NSTA Retiring President; Dr. Arthur Eisenkraft, Co-Creator, ExploraVision; and John Anderson, President, Toshiba America Foundation.

At the Gala Awards Banquet, speakers will include Norio Sasaki, President and CEO of Toshiba Corporation; Emmy Award-winner Bill Nye the Science Guy; Dr. Karen Ostlund, NSTA President; and Dr. Arthur Eisenkraft, Co-Creator, ExploraVision. STEM advocate and media personality Mario Armstrong will be the Master of Ceremonies.

Bright Ideas for a Better 2032!

In the ExploraVision program, students select an existing technology and envision what it might be like 20 years in the future. This year’s winning students proposed new inventions and technologies that could make the future more environmentally-conscious, healthier and safer – like a new treatment for hearing loss using microscopic nano-technology, a new type of eco-friendly water collection system, and shoulder pads with a built-in cooling system to help keep football players from overheating on the gridiron! This year 4,809 team projects were submitted, which represents the participation of 14,606 students from across the U.S. and Canada. Students on the four first-place ExploraVision teams will each receive a $5,000 US Series EE Savings Bond (valued $10,000 at maturity). Students on second-place teams will each receive a $2,500 Savings Bond (valued $5,000 at maturity). (Canadian winners receive Canada Bonds purchased for the equivalent issue price in Canadian dollars.)

Reflecting Toshiba’s Global Commitment to STEM Education

The ExploraVision competition is one of the central pillars of Toshiba’s S.T.E.M. (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) education initiative in North America. Mr. Norio Sasaki, President and CEO of Toshiba Corporation, explains why the company has been so active in helping promote and extend the program in its first 20 years. “We founded ExploraVision with the goal of helping inspire students to pursue further education and potentially careers in science and technology fields. We believe it is essential that more young people discover their interest in these fields so that society will have the benefit of the scientists and engineers we need to build a better future,” he noted. “This year is a momentous one for ExploraVision, as we celebrate 20 years of helping inspire students in STEM fields, and we are especially gratified that the program has been such a great success.”

To celebrate ExploraVision’s 20^th anniversary, Toshiba launched a yearlong campaign to help promote STEM education called The Toshiba STEMpowerment Project. Among the key events tied to the program’s anniversary is the company’s sponsorship of STEM education advocate and media celebrity Mario Armstrong’s “Dream, Create, Go! STEM Roadshow” in which Mario toured the country energizing young people in STEM subjects, and discussing ways that parents, educators, and students can work together to make STEM exciting, fun and motivational. Toshiba has also maintained an active social media presence to encourage STEM and ExploraVision participation, including hosting a STEM panel discussion on Earth Day in New York. The discussion brought together influential educator with policy makers to examine the current state of STEM education and how it relates to our society’s sustainable future. Toshiba collaborated with Bill Nye, the Science Guy to help answer science questions from young people and educators through an ongoing Facebook campaign.