Revised: The Tech Museum reveals science-technology laureates for international program The Tech Awards

Fifteen innovators from around the world today joined an elite roster of science and technology pioneers whose life-changing work has touched millions of people in profound and positive ways. The Tech Awards laureates 2010 are being recognized for creating new technological solutions or innovative ways to use existing technologies to significantly improve the lives of people in nearly every corner of the world. The laureates and Queen Rania Al Abdullah of Jordan, this year's James C. Morgan Global Humanitarian Award recipient, will be honored at The Tech Awards Gala on November 6 at the Santa Clara Convention Center in Santa Clara, CA. "The Tech Awards is the premier stage for some of the most innovative thinkers of the science and technology world," said Peter Friess, President of The Tech Museum. "Each of this year's laureates has earned the right to the spotlight that the museum shines on those whose work is dedicated to improving the lives of others the world over." The Tech Awards, presented by Applied Materials, is a signature program of The Tech Museum. The renowned program brought the museum, Applied Materials, and Santa Clara University together in 2001 with the hope of unleashing the potential of technological innovation into concrete solutions for a better world. "Applied Materials is proud of its ten-year association with The Tech Awards. We continue to be inspired by the laureates and their incredible work in creating innovative solutions to some of the world's most formidable challenges," said Mike Splinter, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Applied Materials. The Tech Awards laureates 2010 represent regions as diverse as the Netherlands, Brazil, India, United Kingdom, Philippines and the United States. Their work impacts people in many more countries worldwide. This year, The Tech Awards attracted 1,011 nominations. Laureate projects impact nearly every country on the planet. The esteemed Center for Science, Technology, and Society at Santa Clara University manages the independent judging and application process for The Tech Awards, using its global network in science, technology and social entrepreneurship to expand the reach of the program and encourage diversity in applicants. Over the years, the program has recognized more than 200 laureates around the world for their work to change lives for the better. For example, Dr. Joseph Adelegan's "Cows to Kilowatts" project, which was recognized in 2009, transforms slaughterhouse wastewater into energy-from electricity to cooking gas. The project's biogas technology prevents water and air pollution at the same time it generates energy and organic fertilizer through nutrient recovery. The organic fertilizer and clean-burning methane produced by Cows to Kilowatts are sold to low-income farmers and poor families in Nigeria for farming and for use as cooking gas. The Global Humanitarian Award, sponsored by Applied Materials, honors individuals whose broad vision and leadership help to alleviate humanity's greatest challenges. Queen Rania was selected for her leadership efforts to protect human rights around the world and relentless campaigning for broader access to schools and higher quality education for children. In addition to Applied Material's sponsorship of the Global Humanitarian Award, major corporation or foundation sponsors each of The Tech Awards categories. They are: Environment (Intel), Economic Development (BD Biosciences), Education (Microsoft), Equality (The Swanson Foundation), and Health (Nokia). Other major sponsors include Polycom, SAP, Genentech and KPMG. The Tech Awards laureates 2010 The Tech Awards 2010, Intel Environment Award The Amazon Conservation Team Project: Bows and Arrows to Laptops Project country: Brazil Conservation programs in true partnership with indigenous peoples of the Amazon. http://www.amazonteam.org Peer Water Exchange Project: Peer Water Exchange Project countries: Worldwide Global online network to share water solutions and approaches in an open peer-review process. http://www.blueplanetnetwork.org ToughStuff Project: EmPowering People Project countries: Kenya, Madagascar Modular set of solar power products that combine product design with innovations in distribution. www.toughstuffonline.org *** The Tech Awards 2010, BD Biosciences Economic Development Award Alexis T. Belonio Project: Rice Husk Gasifiers for Rural Eco-Energy Easing Project countries: Indonesia, Philippines, Vietnam Cooking stove and industrial burner that use a gasification process to produce a clean-burning fuel. www.crhet.com Husk Power Systems Project: Power to Empower Project country: India Gasification technology that filters the released gas from rice husks to power generators that make electricity. www.huskpowersystems.com International Development Enterprises India Project: Treadle Pump Project countries: India, Madagascar Foot-operated, water-lifting devices that irrigate small plots of land in regions with high water tables. www.ide-india.org *** The Tech Awards 2010, Microsoft Education Award BBC World Service Trust Project: BBC Janala Project country: Bangladesh Offers low-cost audio and SMS English lessons to mobile-phone users in Bangladesh. www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/trust/ Jerome Burg Project: Google Lit Trips Project countries: Worldwide Allows users to see terrain and geographic distances in literature by using Google Earth. www.googlelittrips.com CK-12 Foundation Project: FlexBooks Project countries: Worldwide Changing the textbook paradigm with a free, open-content, Web-based model. www.ck12.org *** The Tech Awards 2010, The Katherine M. Swanson Equality Award A Single Drop for Safe Water Project: People Offering Deliverable Services Project country: Philippines Helps communities gain access to clean water and sanitation using a social entrepreneurship model. www.asdforsafewater.org Global Voices Project: Global Voices Project countries: Worldwide Translates, filters, and aggregates conversations, acting as a news agency for citizen media. www.globalvoicesonline.org Souktel - Mobile Phone Employment Service Project: Souktel - Mobile Phone Employment Service Project countries: Worldwide Reduces unemployment and stimulates growth by connecting job seekers and employers via SMS. www.souktel.org *** The Tech Awards 2010, Nokia Health Award Daniel A. Fletcher Project: CellScope Project countries: India, Uganda Combines diagnostic microscopy with cell-phone convenience to expand access to basic healthcare in remote regions. http://blumcenter.berkeley.edu/telemicroscopy-disease-diagnosis Venkatesh Mannar Project: Double Fortified Salt Project countries: India, Nigeria, Sri Lanka Developed a process to double fortify salt with iron and iodine that keeps the nutrients stable and efficacious. www.micronutrient.org PharmaJet Project: Needle-free Jet Injection Technology Project countries: Worldwide Developed a needle-free, single-use jet injection system. www.pharmajet.com For more information about The Tech Museum and The Tech Awards visit: www.thetech.org Contacts: Roqua Montez Director Public Relations (408) 795-6225 rmontez@thetech.org Anne Heise Ogilvy Public Relations (415) 677-2731 anne.heise@ogilvypr.com ### About The Tech Museum The Tech Museum is a hands-on technology and science museum for people of all ages and backgrounds. The museum - located in the Capital of Silicon Valley - is a non-profit learning resource established to engage people in exploring and experiencing technologies affecting their lives. Through programs such as The Tech Challenge, our annual team design competition for youth, and internationally renowned programs such as The Tech Awards presented by Applied Materials, Inc., The Tech Museum celebrates the spirit of Silicon Valley by encouraging the development of innovative ideas for a more promising future. For more information about The Tech Museum visit www.thetech.org.