For the 16th consecutive year, Washtenaw Community College (WCC) will host the Southeastern
Michigan Science Fair. Now in its 43rd year, the fair was organized to spark student
interest in scientific projects. Some 400 junior and senior high students from southeast
Michigan will participate. The remarkable array of experiments, collections, and
models will be on exhibit in the WCC
Morris Lawrence Building on Saturday, March 10th.
The NOAA Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory (GLERL) is once
again sponsoring an Aquatic Science Award, judged by GLERL scientists.
The event is sponsored by the Exchange Club of Ann Arbor,
Washtenaw Community College, the University of Michigan,
The Ann Arbor News, and Southeastern Michigan Schools. The fair is
open to public, private, and parochial schools in Hillsdale, Lenawee, Livingston, Monroe,
and Washtenaw counties.
Established in 1958, the science fair showcases student exhibits designed to show biological,
chemical, physical, or mathematical principle; laboratory or logical procedure; an industrial
development; or an orderly collection of materials related to the broad concept of any branch
of pure or applied science or mathematics.
Competitions are separated into two divisions, juniors and seniors. Seventh and eighth graders
are eligible for the junior division, and are encouraged to exhibit experiments, models, and
collections. Student teams of up to three members will again be allowed to enter in the Junior
Division and will be judged in a separate category. The purpose of this category is to encourage
cooperation and teamwork in approaches to science exploration. Seniors, grades nine through 12,
submit exhibits in biology, chemistry, physics/engineering, mathematics, earth science, and
science and society.
First and second place winners are invited to attend the
International Science Fair (ISEF), all expenses paid. Held annually in May, the ISEF brings together over
1,200 students from 48 states and 40 nations to compete for scholarships, tuition grants,
internships, scientific field trips and the grand prize: a trip to attend the Nobel Prize
Ceremonies in Stockholm, Sweden.
Southeastern Michigan Science Fair exhibits are evaluated by judges on the basis of originality,
scientific thought, thoroughness, accuracy, skill in workmanship, clarity, and dramatic value.
Following judging, the fair will be open for public viewing Saturday, March 10, from 1-5 p.m.