“Cancer has been referred to as the emperor of all maladies and millions of people around the world are looking for a cure. In America, over 1600 people die each day.”

This statement is the motivation behind an award program presented by PBS LearningMedia and Stand Up To Cancer. The Emperor Science Award program is aimed at partnering students who are curious about exploring careers in science and cancer research with university-level research scientists. These pairings will allow students the opportunity to explore the world of science and become part of the next generation of cancer researchers.

The Emperor Science Award program is open to students in grades 10-11 who are curious about a possible science career in cancer research and care. Winning students will have an opportunity to build a mentor relationship, work one-on-one on an important cancer research project, and create valuable experiences for their educational résumé. One hundred students will be chosen and paired with a mentoring scientist to collaborate on a multi-week cancer research project plus each student will receive a free Google Chromebook and $1,500 for project expenses.

To enter, students need to talk to a teacher at their school and look at the resources on the Emperor Science Award website. Once students review the information, they will write a 750-word essay describing why they believe scientific research is so important in helping to find a cure for cancer and what area they would study if they could be a scientific researcher and why. The deadline for entries is November 1, 2015, and winners will be notified in December. Check out the Emperor Science Award’s website for more information.