WHAT
The Worcester Regional Science & Engineering Fair (WRSEF) will hold its 60th competition at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI). Over 180 high school science students representing 24 schools in Central Massachusetts will compete with their inquiry-based science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) projects for several thousand dollars in awards and prizes.
Forty projects will advance to the Massachusetts State Science & Engineering Fair scheduled for May 1-2 at MIT. The top six projects will represent Massachusetts in the weeklong International Science & Engineering Fair that will be held in Pittsburgh, Penn., May 10-15.
WHEN
Friday, March 13, 2015, 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.
- Judging: 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
- Public Viewing: 2 to 4:30 p.m.
- Award Ceremony: 5 to 6 p.m.
WHERE
Worcester Polytechnic Institute, 100 Institute Road, Worcester, Mass.
- Judging and Public Viewing: Rubin Campus Center Odeum
- Award Ceremony: Alden Memorial
WHO
WPI President Laurie Leshin will give the keynote address at the award ceremony. In addition to the student participants, Leshin will make her speech to more than 100 volunteer judges, composed of local scientists, engineers, and medical professionals. Fair sponsors include local clubs, businesses, colleges, corporations, professional organizations, and individuals.
WHY
As they have for more than a half century, senior high school students from throughout Central Massachusetts have put their minds to developing research-based science projects and will now compete for several thousand dollars in awards and prizes.
According to former WRSEF participant and winner Lauren Blake, a doctoral candidate in the department of Human Genetics at the University of Chicago, her journey toward a career in the sciences was encouraged by her experience at the Fair.
"Because of my participation with the WRSEF during high school—including a summer internship at WPI with professor of chemical engineering Terri Camesano —I was able to enter my first-choice lab at Duke and thrive there," Blake said. "The curiosity, critical thinking skills, persistence, and independence that I gained through WRSEF were invaluable to me. Even if I hadn't chosen to stay in science, I am confident that the skills learned through the completion of a science fair project would translate well to other careers and interests."
For more information about the Worcester Regional Science and Engineering Fair, contact Nancy G. Degon, at ngdegon@charter.net or visit www.wrsef.org.
