Since early on, in EAC we are encouraged to participate and try our best in the science fair projects. These projects can vary between all areas of science in order to provide a wide range of opportunities for students to show their best works. Our science fair events from middle school below are always organized by the school, with no foreign organizations to participate. Regardless of having a foreign view on our science fair projects, this is still a great way for the students to get used to the future science fair events, since they will follow all the steps of a formally organized event, the only difference would be the judges. With this previous practice, once they get to high school they will be prepared to participate in ISEF, a foreign science fair judge organization. On the other hand, having different teachers and professors coming to see our presentation (during elementary and middle school) would be an amazing chance and incentive for the students to put in an extra effort into these projects.
Most of the science competition organizations are americans and doesn’t have an area of their competition for international Elementary and Middle School students. However the 3M virtual science fair is both for international students and accessible for students who don’t want to compete through school. The 3M virtual science fair is a simple and fun competition. Even though it is not a physical visit where students have to prepare their speeches and explanations, it is still very exciting.
Any student, through Elementary and Upper School, can participate. To enter the competition, the student has to join the fair through their website (www.youngscientistlab.com/challenge), record a video of the experimental procedure and include some basic information as well as the hypothesis, data, data analysis, and conclusion. This competition can be done individually. Furthermore, students who are not interested in science fair competitions will not be required to participate and students who are deeply interested can just join without the school having to approve their participation. Yes, students can ask the school for extra aid during this process, but it is not necessary.
For high school students, however, there is no better science fair than the Regeneron ISEF. The ISEF has been working with our school since 1996 in order to send our most gifted minds to compete for scholarships and up to 5 million dollars in prizes. The event takes place in Los Angeles and is open only for high schoolers. Each year over 600 individual or team awards are presented and over 1,800 high school students from all over the world are selected to participate in the event. However they’re no ordinary students, in order to be selected you must win a top prize at a society-affiliated local, regional, state or national science fair.
The students sent by EAC have been quite successful these last few years as they have been awarded: 4th place in Bioengineering, 4th place in Physics and Astronomy, 3rd place in Environmental Management, a special award from the Agilent company and a very special 1st place for both individual and group categories in Biochemistry.
Due to COVID-19 the event has been unfortunately cancelled for the past 2 editions. Fortunately, ISEF was adapted to be an online event during the past year. This will not be of concern anymore when the pandemic comes to an end as ISEF will go back to its original format. Currently, students have the opportunity to participate in the 2022 Regeneron ISEF, which will happen between May 8th and 13th, taking place in Atlanta, Georgia.
Authors: Pedro Guedes and Maria Eduarda Marques
Image credit: www.youngscientistlab.com/challenge
EAC PRESS 