Gavin’s going to Google!
I can’t believe it! I’ve wanted the chance to visit the Google Headquarters in Mountainview, CA for years and now, as one of the first ever Google Global Science Fair Finalists , they are paying for me to fly out there!
I found out about the science fair the day it was announced to the world as I checked my RSS feeds on Google Reader one morning. Google had sponsored the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair heavily in 2010 when it was located in San Jose, CA and I was really disappointed when the tour of Google was full as I tried to sign up (considering that there were 1600 students there it wasn’t surprising). Now, Google announce a new kind of science fair for the internet generation! The premise was that judges will judge you based on an online presentation and board/website made with Google Sites. My eyes lit up when I saw that we were highly encouraged to incorporate other Google Apps into the project. I spent almost as much time on rewriting my board text as I did playing with various embeds! I ended up incorporating Google Sites, Google Analytics, Google AdSense, Google Docs, Picasa, Google Buzz, Google Wave, Google Moderator, Google Streetview, Youtube, Google Seach, and even Google Translate.
As I submitted my project, I realized that even though my birthday was coming up (March 19) I would be 16 as I submitted, which put me in the 15-16 yr old category. Also, I found out that because my first model of my turbine was made fully out of LEGOs, I could check the box saying that I used LEGOs in my project (LEGO is a sponsor). Later, at ISEF 2011 I got the word that I was selected as being one of 60 semifinalists! apparently around 10,000 people had applied and I was shocked. I was suddenly eligible for the People’s Choice Award which could be won by getting the most votes online. I was able to spread the word and track that I got over 2000 votes, however, someone else ended up winnning it. After filling out some paperwork and interviewing over the phone with people in the UK, I heard back that I had been selected to be a finalist! I’ll be at the Googleplex from July 9-12th where a panel of celebrity judges (including Dean Kamen who I admire and have a picture of me with!) will select winners in each age group to win prizes such as a 10 day trip to the galapagos islands with National Geographic or a trip to CERN. Going to Google is so much of a prize to me, I don’t know what I’d do with any more prizes. I just read the book “In the Plex” by Steven Levy (a writer for Wired.com) which covered the history of Google. I’m planning what I’ll say when I meet Larry Page and Sergey Brin. Oh, and of course I read the book on my Google Books app on my Galaxy S Android phone =D.
Coming up, Gavin gets his wisdom teeth pulled out the day before he has to give a speech to the school! I also start working at Medtronic on June 6 =D
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