now let's talk with wendy hawkins. she's the executive director of the intel foundation which held the competition. wendy, this isn't just getting electricity from a lemon. these high school kids are really engaged in amazing original research. > > this is serious science that these kids do. they aren't learning about science, they aren't dabbling in science. they're doing serious research-- they are actually scientists. as young as 15 as our top award winner this year nathan han was this year. they're doing really serious science that university professors take very seriously. > > so let me ask you sort of the same question i asked nathan, does this competition matter does this make a difference? > > this competition absolutely makes a difference whether it's on the front of simply giving these kids a chance to be scientists to try their wings and decide is this the career they're going to pursue for the rest of their lives whether it's the actual research they're doing which is seriously looking at ways to address se