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Media Advisory
April 19, 2012 -- The World Food Prize Foundation will host high school students and teachers from across Iowa who are interested in STEM education areas such as science, agriculture, engineering, and more, at the first Iowa Youth Institute at Iowa State University on April 30. This new program, an extension of the World Food Prize’s existing youth programs, aims to challenge and inspire Iowa students to think globally and consider opportunities in the sciences as they embark on their careers and postsecondary studies.
Governor Terry Branstad, Lieutenant Governor Kim Reynolds, Iowa State University President Steven Leath, and World Food Prize President Amb. Kenneth M. Quinn will speak at the event, which is made possible by generous support from Paul and Claudia Schickler, both of whom will also be present.
During this unique, daylong program, students will tour research facilities, labs and other ongoing projects on the Iowa State University campus; present research papers they’ve written on a chosen aspect of global food security; and interact with Iowa business and industry leaders, academics, legislative officials and their peers. Teachers will also gain professional development experience by attending the events, garnering resources, and connecting with colleagues in all fields.
EVENT DETAILS:
When: Monday, April 30
9:30 a.m. Opening remarks by Steven Leath, President of ISU; Amb. Kenneth Quinn,
President of the World Food Prize; and Paul Schickler, President of Pioneer
Hi-Bred, a DuPont business (Great Hall)
10:15 a.m. Morning immersion sessions and student presentations on campus
12:30 p.m. Students and teachers interact with industry and university experts over lunch
(Memorial Union, Second Floor)
1:15 p.m. Keynote address by Governor Branstad; other speakers include Lt. Governor
Reynolds, ISU President Leath and Paul Schickler (Great Hall)
2 p.m. Afternoon immersion sessions and student presentations on campus
4 p.m. Event ends
Where: Iowa State University’s Memorial Union, 2229 Lincoln Way, Ames, Iowa (most events). Immersion sessions will take place across campus.
Press Details: All events will be open to the media; due to space constraints, the events are closed to other members of the public. A press riser, audio feed and press tables will be provided in the Great Hall during remarks. Media should check in at the registration table. Please contact Megan Forgrave, Director of Communications, with questions, at mforgrave@worldfoodprize.org or 515-245-3794.
Social Media: @WorldFoodPrize will tweet the event. Join the conversation.
More information is available online at www.worldfoodprize.org.
BACKGROUND
The World Food Prize holds statewide youth institutes in several states. The top students each year and others from around the country are invited to attend the World Food Prize Global Youth Institute in October, where they participate in other World Food Prize events such as the Borlaug Dialogue international symposium, which last year drew 1,400 people from 75 countries, and the Laureate Award Ceremony. They interact with experts, participate in hunger relief programs and activities, and present their research findings to peers and global leaders. Over 20 students each year are accepted as Borlaug-Ruan International Interns, and are sent on all-expenses-paid, eight-week internships at research centers in Asia, Africa, Latin American and the Middle East. Finally, students who participate in the World Food Prize youth programs are also eligible to apply for Wallace-Carver internships with the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
ABOUT THE WORLD FOOD PRIZE
The World Food Prize was founded in 1986 by Dr. Norman E. Borlaug, recipient of the 1970 Nobel Peace Prize. Since then, The World Food Prize has honored outstanding individuals who have made vital contributions to improving the quality, quantity or availability of food throughout the world. Laureates have been recognized from Bangladesh, Brazil, China, Denmark, Ethiopia, India, Mexico, Sierra Leone, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, the United Nations and the United States. The World Food Prize Foundation is based in Des Moines, Iowa, in the United States.