Contact: Jane Bachmann
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Writing Competition Encourages Students to Think Critically about Meeting the Needs of the 21st Century

WILMINGTON, Del., Oct. 30, 2013 - The 2014 DuPont Challenge Science Essay Competition will be accepting entries beginning Nov. 15.  In its 28thconsecutive year, the DuPont Challenge essay contest encourages students to consider how science and innovation can be used to meet the needs of the 21st century for food, energy and protection. 

"Education is at the core of strong communities everywhere.  A strong foundation in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) encourages students to think critically about how scientific discovery, innovation and invention can be used to meet the needs of our society," said Benito Cachinero-Sánchez, senior vice president of DuPont Human Resources.  "How to fulfill nutritional needs, increase available energy and protect people and the environment is what the scientists at DuPont strive to solve every day.  The DuPont Challenge inspires students to examine these issues and become passionate about results as they explore potential solutions and share them through their essays."

All students in grades 7-12 across the United States, Canada, and U.S. territories may submit their essay entries from Nov. 15, 2013, to Jan. 31, 2014.  Students should address one of the four following categories in a 700-1,000-word essay:

Together, we can feed the world.

Together, we can build a secure energy future.

Together, we can protect people and the environment.

Together, we can be innovative anywhere.

Essays are evaluated in two divisions: Junior Division (grades 7, 8, and 9) and Senior Division (grades 10, 11, and 12).  The DuPont Challenge offers more than $100,000 in prizes and awards.  The top three winners in each division plus a parent and their sponsoring teacher receive an expenses-paid trip to the Walt Disney World® Resort and an exclusive tour of the Kennedy Space Center in Orlando, Fla. In addition, winning students will receive a savings bond and sponsoring teachers will receive grants.  All winners receive digital reference materials from Britannica Digital Learning and the NBC Learn Science Collection for both their personal use and for their entire school. 

The winners of the 2013 DuPont Challenge researched, studied and experimented their way through global problems in order to come up with possible solutions.  The topics they addressed included the following:  (1) How can nanotechnology help diabetics? (2) What does synesthesia teach us about human memory? (3) How much energy can we really get from the sun? and (4) What can we do to protect rice crops around the world?

For more information, including official rules, entry form and details on awards, please visit thechallenge.dupont.com.

The 2014 DuPont Challenge Science Essay Competition is sponsored by DuPont in collaboration with A+ Media, Britannica Digital Learning, NASA, NBC Learn, Turnitin, National Science Teachers Association (NSTA), and the Walt Disney World® Resort.

DuPont (NYSE: DD) has been bringing world-class science and engineering to the global marketplace in the form of innovative products, materials, and services since 1802. The company believes that by collaborating with customers, governments, NGOs, and thought leaders we can help find solutions to such global challenges as providing enough healthy food for people everywhere, decreasing dependence on fossil fuels, and protecting life and the environment. For additional information about DuPont and its commitment to inclusive innovation, please visit http://www.dupont.com.

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10/30/13

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