In conjunction with the May 6, 2016 release of Marvel’s “Captain America: Civil War,” Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, Marvel Studios, Dolby Laboratories, Synchrony Bank, Broadcom MASTERS and Science & Entertainment Exchange, a program of National Academy of Sciences are proud to announce the MARVEL’S CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR – GIRLS REFORMING THE FUTURE CHALLENGE Grand Prize Winner and recipient of an internship at Marvel Studios.
Maia Dua, from West Sacramento, California was selected from five finalist as MARVEL’S CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR – GIRLS REFORMING THE FUTURE CHALLENGE Grand Prize Winner and will participate in a week-long internship at Marvel Studios. Over 1,000 young women from across the nation accepted the challenge to use science and technology to create a project that would create positive world change for their generation and beyond. Maia developed a “seeing eye” robot as a cost-effective and durable alternative to a seeing eye dog. The self-propelled, echo-locating “Seeing Eye-Bot” is made of readily accessible materials, making it more available to individuals of limited financial resources. Maia designed the seeing eye-bot to require minimal maintenance and to have a functional life span in excess of 7 years. Maia hopes her invention can address the needs of the visually impaired, who may be unable or unwilling to own a seeing eye dog.
Maia will spend a week at Marvel Studios, learning firsthand how STEM skills are being used in innovative and creative ways to produce some of the world’s all-time favorite characters and films. At the conclusion of her internship, Maia will join together with the four other finalists form Marvel’s Captain America: Civil War – Girls Reforming the Future Challenge; Holly Riepling from Colorado Springs, Colo.; Janie Kim from San Diego, Calif.; Margaret Fleck from Emmaus, Pa.; and Vivian Qiang from Marlboro, N.J., to inspire other young girls around the world by participating in a special LIVE global webinar hosted by Broadcom MASTERS. During the webinar, all five girls will discuss how their STEM skills enabled them to create their projects and become a finalist of the Marvel’s Captain America: Civil War – Girls Reforming the Future Challenge. Maia will share her Marvel Studios internship experience, giving girls everywhere a peek into STEM skills in action outside the lab and classroom.
For more information about MARVEL’S CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR – GIRLS REFORMING THE FUTURE CHALLENGE, please visit http://www.captainamericachallenge.com.