For more information contact:

Lise Weegman, Minnesota Academy of Science, www.mnmas.org

(507) 450-4759, lise@mnmas.org

 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


FUTURE SCIENTISTS TO CONVENE AT ANNUAL STATE SCIENCE FAIR

U.S. Senator Klobuchar to welcome participants at opening ceremony

 

 

Minneapolis— March 18, 2008— Approximately 450 students from across Minnesota will be showcasing the state’s most advanced and interesting science projects at the 71st annual Minnesota Academy of Science State Science Fair, March 30-April 1, 2008 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in downtown St. Paul. The honorable U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar will welcome participants and guests during the opening ceremony March 30 at 5 p.m.

 

This statewide science competition, which is for Minnesota students in grades seven through 12, is sponsored by Seagate Technology, Ecolab and 3M. Of the nearly 3,000 students who compete in regional science fairs across Minnesota, about 450 students, or 15 percent, advance to the State Science Fair. During the next decade and beyond, these students will be counted on to help the United States maintain a strong position in the competitive global marketplace as workers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields.

 

“Science fairs kindle students’ interest in STEM at a formative age,” said Lise Weegman, director of the State Science Fair, Minnesota Academy of Science. “Many students apply scientific research to their personal interests, fusing a lasting connection between the two. At the State Science Fair, students are able to communicate their research findings to professionals who work in their fields of interest, instilling a passion for science that we believe can influence their future career choices.”

 

State Science Fair awards are given to students with the highest scoring projects and research papers in 14 categories: Behavioral Science, Biochemistry, Computers, Engineering, Environmental Science, Geology, Gerontology, Health, Mathematics, Medicine, Microbiology, Physics, Social Science, and Zoology.

 

To stay competitive, Minnesota and the nation need these students to pursue STEM careers.  According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment in science and engineering will increase 70 percent faster than the rate for all occupations through at least 2012.  Meanwhile the retirement of baby boomers is expected to deplete the current science and engineering workforce dramatically over the next 20 years, and China is graduating more than four times as many engineers as the United States, according to the National Science Foundation.

 

“We share the Minnesota Academy of Science’s commitment to engaging students in hands-on science,” said Bob Whitmore, chief technical officer at Seagate. “We believe that participation in the State Science Fair encourages innovation, reinforces practical application of skills, gives these accomplished young scientists well-deserved recognition for their efforts, and leads them to consider STEM-related careers.”

 

State Science Fair Schedule – all media are invited to the following:

Sunday, March 30       5 – 6 p.m.                 Opening ceremony; welcome by U.S. Sen. Klobuchar.

Monday, March 31      10 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.    Project judging takes place.

                                  4 – 5:30 p.m.             Science Fair is open to the public. Student projects on display. Admission is free.

                                  7:30 – 9 p.m.             Grand Awards Ceremony. Top scoring projects are awarded.

Tuesday, April 1          9 – 11:30 a.m.           Special Awards Ceremony. Additional industry and corporate-sponsored awards are presented.          

 

All activities will take place at the Crowne Plaza Hotel Riverfront, 11 East Kellogg Blvd, St. Paul, Minn. 55101. Students, Minnesota Academy of Science representatives and Science Fair judges will be available for interviews at the times indicated above.  

 

About the Minnesota Academy of Science

The Minnesota Academy of Science encourages and facilitates excellence in science education and encourages active participation in scientific inquiry.  Since 1873, the organization has been striving to foster students’ interest in science, promote quality scientific research, and recognize high achievement in science, education, engineering and technology.  Additional information regarding MAS and it programs can be found at http://www.mnmas.org.

# # #