DuPont was the major sponsor of the two-day event -- a science competition for middle and high school students winners of Science Olympiad state competitions. Some 120 teams consisting of 15 students and two coaches and representing 42 U.S. states took part.
Chad welcomed the approximately 1,800 students and 2,200 guests to Delaware and praised the ethical standards of the Science Olympiad, which are exemplified by the pledge students make to compete fairly. Chad noted that science and an unwavering commitment to our core values --which include integrity and high ethical standards -- have helped DuPont to survive and thrive for 200 years. Earlier in the evening, Chad presented UD President David Roselle with a DuPont 200th Anniversary Silver Coin Collection, which commemorates six DuPont scientific milestones and the people behind them.
A highlight of the event was President Roselle's announcement that UD will offer scholarships ranging from USD 1,000 to full paid tuition based on merit to every student on each of the 120 Science Olympiad National Tournament teams. Another was the keynote speech by Dr. Ben Carson of Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland, who exhorted the students to "think big."
In addition to Chad, other DuPont attendees included DuPont Senior Vice President and Chief Science and Technology Officer Tom Connelly, DuPont Executive Vice President John Hodgson and Randy Guschl of the DuPont Center for Collaborative Research and Education. Tom, John and Randy presented medals to winning teams on Saturday. Eighty-two other DuPont employees participated as coaches and judges.
The company has been a national sponsor of the Science Olympiad since its inception. The DuPont tradition of supporting science education began in 1918 in response to a shortage of PhD chemists. An international nonprofit organization devoted to improving the quality of science education and increasing student interest in science, the National Science Olympiad has been on the cutting edge of educational innovations for almost 20 years.
DuPont sponsors national science olympiad
DuPont Chairman and CEO Chad Holliday delivered opening remarks Friday at the Science Olympiad National Tournament at the University of Delaware (UD) in Newark.