In 2005, Stanford Alum Michael Duca ('04) was working in the Office of Admission at Stanford. He couldn't help but notice how certain applications which included a finalist status from the Intel Science Talent Search (STS) were often flagged by admissions officers. Who were these teen scientists and why were they getting such special attention?
One year later, Mr. Duca and fellow Stanford alum Tom Shephard ('91) enlisted the help of two other acclaimed filmmakers who had graduated from the Documentary Program at Stanford - Tina DiFeliciantonio and Jane Wagner (www.nakedeyeproductions.com). Together, this Stanford foursome hit the road and shot over 400 hours of film footage, following six "whiz kids" during their junior and senior years of high school. The filming culminated last year at the Intel Science Talent Institute in Washington D.C.
The finished film, WHIZ KIDS, chronicles the lives of three of the competition's contenders. This premiere event will be a benefit screening for the Exploratorium and the film's outreach and educational activities. The honorary host committee for the event includes former Stanford President Donald Kennedy, former Dean of Humanities and Sciences Sharon Long, and Professor Douglas Osheroff, Nobel Laureate.
Invited special guests include House Speaker Nancy Pelosi; actress and former Intel Science Talent Search semifinalist Natalie Portman; National Public Radio's Ira Flatow; and former Intel Chairman Craig Barrett (unconfirmed).