Movies/Films/TelevisionPress Release

Marvel’s Captain America: Civil War – Girls Reforming the Future Challenge Finalists (Press Release)

Disney, Marvel Studios, Dolby Laboratories, Synchrony Bank, Broadcom MASTERS and 

National Academy of Sciences

ANNOUNCE THE FINALISTS OF MARVEL’S CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR –GIRLS REFORMING THE FUTURE CHALLENGE   

BURBANK, Calif. (April 6, 2016) — Disney, Marvel Studios, Dolby Laboratories, Synchrony Bank, Broadcom MASTERS and Science & Entertainment Exchange, a program of National Academy of Sciences are proud to announce the five finalists of MARVEL’S CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR – GIRLS REFORMING THE FUTURE CHALLENGE in conjunction with the May 6, 2016 release of Marvel’s “Captain America: Civil War,” starring Chris Evans, Robert Downey Jr., Scarlett Johansson, Sebastian Stan, Anthony Mackie, Don Cheadle, Jeremy Renner, Chadwick Boseman, Paul Bettany, Elizabeth Olsen, Paul Rudd, Emily VanCamp, Frank Grillo and Martin Freeman with William Hurt and Daniel Brühl.

Over 1,000 amazing girls from across the country took the challenge.

The five finalists are:

  • Maia Dua
    Grade 10, from West Sacramento, California
    Maia developed a “seeing eye” robot as a cost effective and durable alternative to a seeing eye dog. The self-propelled echo-locating seeing eye-bot is made of readily accessible materials, making it more available to individuals of limited financial resources. Maia designed the seeing eye-bot to require minimal maintenance and to have a functional life span in excess of 7 years.  Maia hopes her invention can address the needs of the visually impaired who may be unable or unwilling to own a seeing eye dog.
  • Margaret Fleck 
    Grade 11, from Emmaus, Pennsylvania
    Margaret created an automated audio level regulating program for headphones she calls “the headphone stairs”. Margaret addressed the issue of hearing loss being caused by the use of headphones or earbuds for extended periods of time.  She created a computer program that will progressively reduce the volume of your headphones at pre-designated intervals. Margaret hopes her program will help people safely use their listening devices without fear of damage to their hearing.
  • Janie Kim
    Grade 11, from San Diego, California
    Janie developed an inexpensive and efficient method of room decontamination.  She created a novel combination of anti-microbial compounds that is highly effective against drug resistant pathogens.  Janie’s decontamination unit utilizes an acoustic wave device to deliver the anti-microbial compound in vaporized form, providing a sterilization method more efficient and comprehensive than is possible by hand.  Janie hopes that her decontamination system, can create a safer and healthier environment in hospitals, schools, movie theaters, and homes.
  • Vivian Qiang
    Age 17, from Marlboro, New Jersey
    Vivian designed and built an efficient and cost effective hybrid solar thermal collector for residential space and water heating.  This hybrid collector can operate on either water or air, which provides maximum flexibility for home usage year-round in all climates.  The design is inexpensive to replicate and easy to use and install.  Her collector can potentially generate 88 watts/ m2  vs. the 22 watts/ m2 generated by typical solar panels.  Vivian feels the use of hybrid solar thermal collectors could help address the excessive use of climate impacting non-renewable resources, currently still conventional for space and water heating in homes.
  • Holly Rieping
    Grade11, from Colorado Springs, Colorado
    Holly designed a network of inexpensive mobile computers with surveillance and education capabilities run on renewable energy.  Holly built a modular computer with a wide range of capabilities.  Her solar powered computer system includes Bluetooth, WiFi, and surveillance capabilities and is loaded with 64 GB of educational software. The system is designed to provide underserved communities in developing nations access to computers and education inexpensively and without the need for Internet access.  Holly’s mobile computers are loaded with over 3000 e-books, educational videos, textbooks, medical journals, and programming software. The system also serves as a central hub for a surveillance network to provide a community early warning system. Holly’s aim is to improve the lives of individuals in underserved areas of the world by addressing three main world issues: education, security, and communication.

The challenge invited girls nationwide, ages 15 – 18, in grades 10 -12, to submit innovative STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, or Mathematics)-based projects that have the potential to change the world. Each applicant was asked to submit a short video demonstrating her project and explaining how her science and technology-based project could make the world a better place. Five finalists were selected to come to California and present their projects to a panel of experts.

Each finalist will receive: Two round-trip tickets to Southern California for the finalist and her parent or guardian, including scheduled meals, ground transportation to and from organized activities, hotel accommodations, from April 10 through April 13, 2016; an opportunity to be on the red carpet at the World Premiere of Marvel’s “Captain America: Civil War”at the Dolby Theatre® in Dolby Atmos® and Dolby Vision™ on April 12, 2016; a tour of the Walt Disney Studios in Burbank, California; and  $500.00, deposited into a High Yield Savings account with Synchrony Bank. One grand prize winner will be selected from the five finalists to receive an internship with Marvel Studios.

Finalists will have the opportunity to inspire other young girls around the world by participating in a LIVE global Broadcom Masters webinar during which the girls will discuss how their STEM skills enabled them to create their projects and become a finalist of the Captain American Civil War: Girls Reforming the Future Challenge.  The Grand Prize Winner will share her MARVEL STUDIOS Internship experience, giving girls everywhere a peak into STEM skills in action outside the lab and the classroom.

Complete contest information will be available from March 11, 2016 through March 26, 2016.    Entries will be accepted beginning on March11, 2016 through 9:00 PM PT on March26, 2016. For application forms, eligibility requirements, official contest rules and more information about MARVEL’S CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR – GIRLS REFORMING THE FUTURE CHALLENGE, please visit http://www.captainamericachallenge.com.

About Marvel’s “Captain America: Civil War”
Marvel’s “Captain America: Civil War” finds Steve Rogers leading the newly formed team of Avengers in their continued efforts to safeguard humanity. But after another incident involving the Avengers results in collateral damage, political pressure mounts to install a system of accountability, headed by a governing body to oversee and direct the team. The new status quo fractures the Avengers, resulting in two camps—one led by Steve Rogers and his desire for the Avengers to remain free to defend humanity without government interference, and the other following Tony Stark’s surprising decision to support government oversight and accountability.

Marvel’s “Captain America: Civil War” stars Chris Evans, Robert Downey Jr., Scarlett Johansson, Sebastian Stan, Anthony Mackie, Don Cheadle, Jeremy Renner, Chadwick Boseman, Paul Bettany, Elizabeth Olsen, Paul Rudd, Emily VanCamp, Frank Grillo and Martin Freeman, with William Hurt and Daniel Brühl.

Anthony & Joe Russo are directing with Kevin Feige producing. Louis D’Esposito, Victoria Alonso, Patricia Whitcher, Nate Moore and Stan Lee are the executive producers. The screenplay is by Christopher Markus & Stephen McFeely. Get ready to pick a side and join the nonstop action playing out on two fronts when Marvel’s “Captain America: Civil War” opens in U.S. theaters on May 6, 2016.

About Marvel Entertainment:
Marvel Entertainment, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company, is one of the world’s most prominent character-based entertainment companies, built on a proven library of more than 8,000 characters featured in a variety of media over seventy-five years. Marvel utilizes its character franchises in entertainment, licensing and publishing. For more information visit marvel.com. © 2016 MARVEL

About  Dolby Atmos and Dolby Vision
The award winning Dolby Atmos and Dolby Vision experience combines powerful image and sound technologies that transports audiences into the story. Dolby Atmos moves audio around the theatre, even overhead, with amazing richness and depth. The lifelike sounds of music, people, and things flow all around the theatre in sync with the action to create a more immersive and moving experience. Dolby Vision uses state-of-the-art optics and image processing to deliver high dynamic range with enhanced color technology and a contrast ratio that far exceeds that of any other image technology on the market today. The result is a richer, more detailed viewing experience that delivers strikingly vivid and realistic images and makes viewers feel like they are in the world of the movie.  About Dolby Laboratories:

Dolby Laboratories (NYSE: DLB) creates audio, video, and voice technologies that transform entertainment and communications in mobile devices, at the cinema, at home, and at work. For nearly 50 years, sight and sound experiences have become more vibrant, clear, and powerful in Dolby®. For more information, please visit www.dolby.com.

About Synchrony Bank:
Synchrony Bank is part of Synchrony Financial (NYSE: SYF), one of the nation’s premier consumer financial services companies. Our roots in consumer finance trace back to 1932, and today we are the largest provider of private label credit cards in the United States based on purchase volume and receivables.* We provide a range of credit products through programs we have established with a diverse group of national and regional retailers, local merchants, manufacturers, buying groups, industry associations and healthcare service providers to help generate growth for our partners and offer financial flexibility to our customers. Through our partners’ over 350,000 locations across the United States and Canada, and their websites and mobile applications, we offer our customers a variety of credit products to finance the purchase of goods and services. Synchrony Financial (formerly GE Capital Retail Finance) offers private label and co-branded Dual Card™ credit cards, promotional financing and installment lending, loyalty programs and FDIC-insured savings products through Synchrony Bank. More information can be found at http://www.synchronyfinancial.com, http://facebook.com/SynchronyFinancial and http://twitter.com/SYFNews.

*Source: The Nilson Report (April, 2015, Issue # 1062) – based on 2014 data.

About Science & Entertainment Exchange:
The Science & Entertainment Exchange (The Exchange), is a National Academy of Sciences (NAS) program designed to facilitate creative collaborations between the science and engineering communities and the entertainment industry. The Exchange facilitates direct communication between scientists and entertainers, bringing them together to create a new community of individuals committed to better portrayals of science and scientists in film and television.  The Exchange’s parent institution, the National Academy of Sciences, is a private, non-profit society of distinguished scholars that was established by an Act of Congress, signed by President Abraham Lincoln in 1863.  Scientists are elected by their peers to membership in the NAS for outstanding contributions to research.

About Broadcom Foundation:
Broadcom Foundation inspires young people to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) through collaborations with community organizations, non-profits, educational institutions and universities that promote project-based learning. Broadcom Foundation’s flagship program is the Broadcom MASTERS® — the premier science and engineering competition for middle school students around the world.

About Society For Science & the Public (SSP):
Society for Science & the Public is one of the nation’s oldest non-profit membership organizations dedicated to public engagement in science and science education. Established in 1921, the Society is a leading advocate for the understanding and appreciation of science and the vital role it plays in human advancement. Through its acclaimed education competitions, including the Intel Science Talent Search, the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair, and the Broadcom MASTERS, and its award-winning publications, Science Newsand Science News for Students, the Society is committed to inform, educate, and inspire. The Society reaches more than 15 million people online each year, has more than four million followers across its social media channels, and recognizes more than 50,000 alumni of its competitions. The Society is supported each year by about 90,000 subscribing members and donors as well as by leading corporations, foundations, and other institutions.

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