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Athilesh Thanigai wins Virginia state chemistry competition sponsored by BASF
Eighth-grade student will face off against other state champions in the National You Be The Chemist Challenge® in June
SUFFOLK, VA, May 4, 2015 – Athilesh Thanigai, an eighth-grade student from Edlin School in Reston, Virginia, competed against 19 other fifth to eighth grade students to win the Virginia state You Be The Chemist Challenge®. He will represent Virginia at the 11th annual National You Be The Chemist Challenge® in Philadelphia on June 22.
Developed by the Chemical Educational Foundation® (CEF), the Challenge is a question and answer competition that allows students to test their knowledge of chemistry concepts and real-world applications as the students compete to represent their state on a national level.
BASF Corporation is a sponsor of the National Challenge and also sponsored the Virginia state competition, which was held at the company’s facilities in Suffolk.
“As the world’s largest chemical company, BASF understands the importance of engaging students in science education at an early age,” said Patrick Hochstrasser, Director of BASF’s site in Suffolk. “Our strength as a company lies in our ability to find innovative solutions to meet the needs of the future. It is essential that we support and develop the best scientific and technical talents.”
“Chemistry is an important part of our everyday lives and our children are truly excited to experience chemistry in an interactive and fun way,” said Beverly Nedab, Human Resources Manager for BASF’s Suffolk site and organizer of the Virginia State Challenge. “We enjoy sponsoring an activity that enhances the learning experience for students who we hope will pursue careers in the sciences.”
At the national competition on June 22, the top four finalists will receive scholarships totaling $18,500.
“Competing in the Challenge can spark a lifelong interest in chemistry and other scientific fields, even before a student reaches high school,” said CEF Executive Director John Rice. “The competition shows students the immediate relevance of the science concepts they are studying. Challenge participants learn about the role of chemistry in the human body, in energy production, in creating new types of recyclable materials, and a variety of other applications – which is a wonderful introduction to the vast array of scientific careers available to them in the future.”
Download photo on right, suggested photo caption: Athilesh Thanigai, an eighth-grader from Centerville, VA earned the title of Virginia State You Be The Chemist Challenge® Champion and will represent Virginia at the 2015 National Challenge event in Philadelphia on June 22.
About the Chemical Educational Foundation®
Founded in 1989 and headquartered in Arlington, VA, the Chemical Educational Foundation® (CEF) works closely with industry to enhance science education opportunities for our youth. CEF founded the You Be The Chemist Challenge® in 2004. For more information, visit www.chemed.org.
About BASF
BASF Corporation, headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, is the North American affiliate of BASF SE, Ludwigshafen, Germany. BASF has more than 17,000 employees in North America, and had sales of $20.6 billion in 2014. For more information about BASF’s North American operations, visit www.basf.us.
At BASF, we create chemistry – and have been doing so for 150 years. Our portfolio ranges from chemicals, plastics, performance products and crop protection products to oil and gas. As the world’s leading chemical company, we combine economic success with environmental protection and social responsibility. Through science and innovation, we enable our customers in nearly every industry to meet the current and future needs of society. Our products and solutions contribute to conserving resources, ensuring nutrition and improving quality of life. We have summed up this contribution in our corporate purpose: We create chemistry for a sustainable future. BASF had sales of over €74 billion in 2014 and around 113,000 employees as of the end of the year. Further information on BASF is available on the Internet at www.basf.com.
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