Rider Hosts Mercer Science and Engineering Fair
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Princeton High School sophomore John Wu (second from left) holds his Grand Prize plaque at the 56th Mercer Science and Engineering Fair. Wu is joined by (l-r) Bill Wong, president of the Mercer Science and Engineering Club; Ann Wong; and Dr. Jonathan Yavelow, assistant dean of the College of Liberal Arts, Education and Sciences. |
As the grand prize winner, Wu earned an all-expense-paid trip to the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) in Atlanta from May 11 to 16, 2008. Joining him on the trip will be Villa Victoria Academy of Ewing junior Christina Razzano, who claimed first runner-up honors with her project, Making Methane.
Not only does the Science Fair offer local student the opportunity to showcase their work to the judges and the community, but it can also be individually beneficial as well. “Overall, I think it increases their self-confidence when they go beyond what they thought were their limitations,” said Dr. Jonathan Yavelow, assistant dean of the College of Liberal Arts, Education and Sciences and a judge at the event. “Many times with science, students wind up finding out as much about themselves and what they are capable of as they do about their projects. Hopefully, it also increases the probability that they would pursue science as a career.”
The Mercer Science and Engineering Club has sponsored the yearly science fair for county students since its inception. This is the 17th consecutive year that Rider has hosted the event.
The fair is divided into three divisions: elementary (grades 4 and 5), junior (grades 6 to 8) and senior (grades 9-12). Elementary students compete in one general category, while junior-level students compete in physical and biological categories. Senior-level participants enter projects in 13 categories. In all, 466 students from 35 schools participated in this year’s fair.
In addition to being associated with the Intel ISEF, the Mercer Science and Engineering Fair is also associated with the Society for Science & the Public (SSP) and the SSP Middle School Program. Twenty-seven of the students in grades 5 through 8 who participated in this year’s Mercer Science and Engineering Fair were named first- and second-place category award winners. These selected nominees will receive a prize letter with details, entry materials and directions on how to register for the chance to present their projects, all expenses paid, in Washington, D.C., in October 2008.
The 27 students will be asked to write essays based on their science fair projects and science fair experiences to compete to be one of 300 semifinalists and ultimately one of the 30 finalists. Entries will be due by Wednesday, June 4, 2008. Those 30 finalists will advance to Washington to compete for scholarships, trips and other awards while presenting their science fair project and doing science with 29 of their peers from around the nation.
This year, 16 sponsors have allowed the Mercer Science and Engineering Club to send two senior division grand-prize winners to the Intel ISEF, as well as to continue to offer the opportunity for younger students to compete in the SSP Middle School Program.
Rider, under the eye of Yavelow and fellow judges Dr. Reed Schwimmer ’84 and Dr. Hongbing Sun, associate professors of Geological, Environmental and Marine Sciences, sponsored awards in all three divisions. Villa Victoria Academy’s Razzano claimed Most Superior honors in the Senior Division, while Junior Division entrants Natalie Brecker of Villa Victoria and Alexander Hanby of St. Gregory the Great in Hamilton Square had their projects named Most Superior in the Biological and Physical subdivisions, respectively. James Boland of Morgan Elementary in Hamilton earned the Most Superior nod in the Elementary Division.
In addition to Rider University as the lead sponsor, the other supporters are Voicenet Communications, Educational Testing Service, The Peddie School Summer Science Institute, Digi/Rabbit Semiconductor, National Starch and Chemical, the MIRTHE Center, Airtrax, Siemens, Macraigor Systems, Roebling Construction Company, Parson Brinckerhoff and Parallax.
Submitted on March 28, 2008
