Regional Science Fair registration begins

At 2014's 60th annual Cumberland Plateau Regional Science and Engineering Fair, then high school senior Barrett Velker presented a project that sparked a passion that now fuels his degree pursuit at Tennessee Tech.

"Science fairs make research approachable for high school students," Velker said. "The Science and Engineering Fair inspired me to become a computer engineer. I'm in my junior year and I'm loving it!"

On Friday, Feb 10, students in grades nine through 12 from 16 counties in middle Tennessee will have the opportunity to present projects that could do the same at the 62nd Annual Cumberland Plateau Regional Science and Engineering Fair.

"Our regional fair, affiliated with the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair, promotes the understanding and appreciation of science and engineering through the vital role these play in human advancement: to inform, educate and inspire," said Sally Pardue, fair director and director of Tennessee Tech's Oakley STEM Center.

Students from Bledsoe, Cannon, Clay, Cumberland, DeKalb, Fentress, Jackson, Macon, Overton, Pickett, Putnam, Scott, Smith, Van Buren, Warren and White Counties in grades nine through 12 from public, private and homeschool settings will be competing for scholarships and prizes in this 62nd annual event.

Beyond the awards, past participants say the opportunity to share their ideas and projects with students of similar interests was especially valuable.

Velker won a grand prize award in 2014, which included a trip to the international fair, where he met some impressive peers.

"On top of being smart, these kids actually took action and worked on the things they were passionate about," Velker said. "I talked with kids who already knew calculus. I walked with students who had patented their projects. I may have even have sat down with a future Nobel prize winner."

Project entries for the regional fair can be submitted in four categories: biological sciences, physical sciences, mathematics and engineering.

According to Tiffany Young, who participated in the regional fair throughout high school, attended two international fairs and graduated from Tech in December, the most important aspect of a project is that it is in an area of interest for the participant.

"No matter what your interest is, you can do a project around it," Young said. "As long as it is fun and interesting to you, you will do a great project."

Young's projects centered around wireless electricity. She now has a degree in electrical engineering from Tech and says that participating in the annual fairs was exciting and inspiring.

"It is one of the reasons I went into electrical engineering," she said. "It felt very validating for my interests to be surrounded by people who really knew their stuff."

Entries do not have to be winners from local fairs, but can be submitted directly to the regional fair.

"The Cumberland Plateau Regional Science and Engineering Fair celebrates and encourages our region's high school student competitors through opportunities to show their work to the public and to receive feedback through the judging process, while networking with likeminded peers and exploring the campus environment to help inspire their career aspirations," Pardue said.

The Feb. 10 event will take place at Tech's Oakley STEM Center, located at 155 W. 7th St., from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

For more information and entry forms, visit https://www.tntech.edu/stem/sef1/.