Science Fair at ODU March 8
Students in grades 6-12 from throughout southeastern Virginia will compete Saturday, March 8, in the Tidewater Science Fair at Old Dominion University. This 57th annual fair has been organized by the Tidewater Science Congress and will be hosted by New Horizon Governor's School for Science and Technology in Hampton.
ODU is a sponsor of the event. Members of its faculty and staff serve as judges, coordinators, college admissions advisers, as well as advisers for some middle school science clubs that are sending exhibits.
All portions of the fair will be in ODU's Webb University Center. Registration will be from 6:45-8:15 a.m. in the North Mall and the opening ceremony for exhibitors, parents and teachers will follow at 8:15 in the North Cafeteria.
Exhibits are open to the public from 12:30-1:30 p.m. in the Hampton-Newport News Room, Chesapeake Room, Cape Charles Room and South Cafeteria. The awards ceremony, which also is open to the public, is from 2-4 p.m. in the North Cafeteria. (There are no admission fees for public portions of the fair.)
Participation is open to students in public and private schools, as well as those who are home educated, from Norfolk, Virginia Beach, Chesapeake, Portsmouth, Suffolk, Isle of Wight, Gloucester, Newport News, Hampton, York County, Poquoson, Williamsburg, James City County, Southampton County, Franklin and Accomack County.
The fair follows rules of the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair ISEF) and accepts exhibits from the following categories: animal sciences, behavioral and social sciences, biochemistry, cellular and molecular biology, chemistry, computer science, earth and planetary science, electrical and mechanical engineering, materials engineering and bioengineering, energy and transportation, environmental management, environmental sciences, mathematical sciences, medicine and health sciences, microbiology, physics and astronomy, and plant sciences.
First place winners in the high school division of the local fair will advance to the Virginia State Science and Engineering Fair April 11-12 at George Mason University, where they will compete for a chance to represent the state in the ISEF May 11-17 in Atlanta. The two grand prize winners of the local fair will get automatic invitations to the Atlanta competition, whether or not they are winners at the state fair.
The executive director of the Tidewater Science Fair is Danny Peters. He can be reached at dpeters21@cox.net.