STEM Advocate Grant Program
Science research competitions can spur confidence and open college doors, but many students – particularly those from underrepresented groups – don’t know about these opportunities. The Society for Science & the Public seeks to broaden participation through its Advocate Grant Program, which offers training, a $3,000 stipend, and paid trip to Washington, D.C., for individuals to help three to five underserved students navigate the transition from conducting to presenting their research at a competition. Apply by March 5, 2019.
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Tags: Competitions for Students, Programs for Teachers, Science Fair, Society for Science & the Public, STEM Advocate Grant, STEM education, Teacher Training
Alice Zhai’s curiosity about Hurricane Sandy’s destructiveness led to an outstanding high school science fair project – and a collaboration with a NASA scientist that produced a journal paper outlining a new statistical model for better predicting the economic damage from big storms.
Angela Zhang, a high school student from Cupertino, Calif., won the 2011 Siemens Competition and a $100,000 scholarship for research that created a tiny particle she likened to a “Swiss army knife of cancer treatments” because of its precision in targeting cancer tumors. She was one of six individuals and six teams competing in this year’s annual Siemens Foundation high school science competition. The final judging took place over the weekend in Washington, D.C. with winners announced December 4. Washington, D.C.
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Participation among high school students in science fairs appears to be declining. Ironically, many science teachers fault the Obama administration. Even as the White House promotes science fairs, the administration’s policies hold schools accountable for math and reading scores at the expense of creative science, they say. 
A science fair entry can open doors. Just ask Amy Chyao of Richardson, Tex. Her development of a photosensitizer for cancer treatment won her a first place award at the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair, an introduction to President Obama, and interest from researchers. 
A science fair is generally a competition where contestants present their science project results in the form of a report, display board, and models that they have created. Science fairs allow students in grade schools and high schools to compete in science and/or technology activities.
Science Fair history began when journalist E.W. Scripps created Science Services as a nonprofit organization in 1921. Through Science Service’s efforts, junior academies of science, museums, and local science clubs throughout the United States were enrolled in Science Clubs of America. As a result over 600,000 young scientists were organized into 25,000 science clubs.
Thousands throng to Maker Faire, an annual Bay Area celebration of hackers, inventors, and do-it-yourself creators. And now, middle and high school students are joining in. One result: Saphira, an 8 1/2-foot-tall, fire-breathing dragon.
