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For more information on these science news and feature story tips, please contact the public information officer at the end of each item at (703) 292-8070. Editor: Cheryl Dybas Contents of this News Tip:
U.S. HOSTS INTERNATIONAL MATHEMATICS OLYMPIADSix-member high school teams of mathematicians from 80-100 nations will come to the United States in 2001 for the first time in 20 years to compete in the International Mathematics Olympiad. The National Science Foundation (NSF) has joined the Department of Education and the National Security Agency as a full partner in hosting the event, which will pit the world's best and brightest young mathematical minds in a two-day final competition in July, 2001 in Washington, D.C. Preliminary competitions leading to the selections of the national teams will go on for several months in students' home countries. At the announcement ceremony, Joseph Bordogna, NSF's deputy director, said that NSF support of the Olympiad was important for reasons beyond celebrating the talent of U.S. students that will be on display. "We should view the Olympiad with some larger goals," Bordogna said, "to elevate the importance of math in a world where the pace of discovery and technological change is so dramatic, to raise the level of consciousness on the importance of mathematics education in our schools and to promote just what mathematics means to us in our everyday working and personal lives." [Bill Noxon] ARTIFICIAL MUSCLES COULD LEAD TO FLEXIBLE MINI-ROBOTSMost robots have hard, mechanical "muscles" that change shape in response to electric or magnetic fields. But NSF-supported scientists at the University of California-Riverside, are creating a softer, molecule-sized muscle that could expand the capabilities of miniature robotics. To create such an artificial muscle, the molecules must be able to conduct electricity, and they must change their length in response to electrical signals. Chemists Michael Marsella and Rodney Reid combined a soft, carbon-based polymer, polythiophene, which conducts electricity, with electrically activated hinges made of cyclooctatetraene, a ring of eight carbon atoms. The apparatus is designed to change shape when injected with electrons. If the design proves workable, the light weight and low power consumption of these miniature muscles would be ideal for robotics in biomedical applications and for miniature, insectlike flying machines. [Amber Jones] JumpStart 2000 CHALLENGES STUDENTS TO USE SCIENCE TO IMPROVE LIFE IN NEXT CENTURYNSF has unveiled a national effort designed to encourage all U.S. students to use science and technology to create real solutions for a better life in the 21st century. JumpStart 2000 is a national science and technology challenge that invites all students to identify and share their hopes and concerns for the future and to apply science and technology to propose innovative solutions to important national or global issues. Students are encouraged to form teams of four students and to enlist the aid of teachers or other adult coaches. Student entries will be judged on creativity and innovation (40 percent), scientific thinking and feasibility (30 percent) and clarity of communication (30 percent). Entry deadline is January 14, 2000. Six winning teams will be chosen at the end of March 2000. All students will be judged within their age and education level, with six winning teams traveling to Washington, D.C. for an awards ceremony in May, 2000. Considered the nation's largest effort of its kind, JumpStart 2000 involves government, public and private organizations, including PARADE and React magazines, the National Science Board (the governing body of the National Science Foundation) and the White House Millennium Council. Journalists can find out more about JumpStart 2000 by calling 800-991-1441 or by visiting the website www.jumpstartchallenge.com. Nearly 100,000 "hits" have already been registered to this website. [Bill Line]
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