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Two Plano ISD Students Named in Broadcom MASTERS Top 300

September 7, 2021

Plano ISD, the Broadcom Foundation and the Society for Science are proud to announce that two Plano ISD middle school students were named in the Top 300 in the 2021 Broadcom MASTERS® — the nation’s premier STEM competition for middle school students. 

Top 300 MASTERS were selected from 1,842 student applicants. The 2021 Top 300 included more girls than boys with 58.7% female and 40.3% male and were from 41 states, and Guam. Only students who are named in the top 10% of their science fair are eligible to enter the Broadcom MASTERS competition.

Congratulations to these Plano ISD Top 300 Broadcom MASTERS:

  • Aryan Bangad, eighth grade, Robinson Middle School (currently at Jasper High School), project title: Magnet Strength vs. Heat
  • Ishika Kothari, eighth grade, Rice Middle School (currently at Plano East Senior High), project title: I Spy to Classify: Revolutionize Waste Management Using Image Recognition

Top 300 Broadcom MASTER, Ishika Kothari

Ishika Kothari, Plano East Senior High School

These students have received a $125 award from DoD (Department of Defense) STEM in support of youth in STEM. On September 14, 30 finalists will be chosen from the Top 300 by a panel of scientists, engineers and educators from around the nation. The 30 finalists will be competing for over $100,000, including the $25,000 Samueli Prize, $10,000 DoD STEM Talent Award, the $10,000 Lemelson Award for Invention, the $10,000 Marconi/Samueli Award for Innovation and the $10,000 Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Award for Health Advancement.

The Broadcom MASTERS seeks to inspire young scientists, engineers and innovators to solve the challenges of the 21st Century. Read more about the Broadcom MASTERS competition on the Broadcom Foundation and Society for Science & the Public websites.