Author: Yvonne Pysher

The SARSEF Regional Fair is upon us once again! Registration is now closed for this event, and there are 1,500 student projects waiting in the wings to premiere at the virtual exhibit hall on Saturday, March 4th! Consider this you go-to guide of what to expect for Fair Week 2023.

February 26- March 3– Display and Safety Checks

All projects will undergo Display and Safety checks to ensure compliance with Fair rules. Registrants will be emailed information on how to review project submissions and submit any changes that are necessary. Registrants that have an account may submit changes via their account. Parents, caregivers, teachers, and those who registered as a guest will be given an opportunity to make edits through our public portal. An email notification will go out when the public portal opens for edits.

March 4 – Virtual Exhibit Hall Goes Live

The virtual exhibit hall will go live Saturday, March 4th, at 12:00p. You can begin browsing the over 1,500 student projects that advanced to the Regional Fair this year! Judges will begin reviewing projects in preparation for judging and interview days.

Monday and Tuesday, March 6-7 – Elementary and Middle School (PreK-8) Judging and Interviews

Judging will take place online and over Zoom on Monday, March 6, from 1:00p-4:00p. Then, Elementary and Middle School students will have an opportunity to be interviewed by judges over Zoom on March 6 from 4:00pm-6:00pm or March 7 from 9:00am-11:00am. Students must have an adult nearby in order to be interviewed. Interviews at this level are not required and do not factor into judging. They are for experience only for young researchers to talk about their science!

Wednesday, March 8 – High School (9-12) Judging and Interviews

High School judging and interviews will take place in-person at the University of Arizona Student Union Grand Ballroom from 9:00am-3:00pm. Interviews are required at this level and students should plan to attend the entire day. The day will include interviews with judges as well as category networking sessions similar to those held at the International Science and Engineering Fair. Students will have the opportunity to connect with other students in their category as well as STEM professionals in a related discipline.

Friday, March 10 – Winners List Posted

Award winners lists will be posted on Friday, March 10 at 12:00pm on our Fair website, virtualfair.sarsef.org. These lists will just signify to teachers, students, and schools that an award has been won, but will not specify the name of the award. Students and teachers should plan to attend the Awards Ceremony that corresponds with their grade level to reveal what they’ve won!

Saturday, March 11 – Community STEM Expo and Awards Ceremonies

Regardless of whether a project won or not, everyone should plan on attending the combination Community STEM Expo and Awards Ceremonies at Reid Park from 10:00am-3:00pm on Saturday! All Southern Arizona families are invited as there should be something for everyone. Bring your own blankets and chairs for awards ceremony seating, and enjoy the exhibitors, entertainment, and food trucks!

What You Can Expect

• Dozens of hands-on STEM activities from exhibitors from 11:00am-3:00pm
• The SARSEF Innovators Hall, where attendees can explore student projects from the 2023 Fair
• SARSEF Science Mart for all of your STEM swag needs
• Innovators Hall where any student that has done research this year, teacher, or Fair judge can claim a gift
• Scavenger Hunt for families to explore the exhibitors and claim a prize upon completion
• Onstage live entertainment
• Sweet and savory Food Trucks from 11:00am-3:00pm
• Plenty of room for outdoor seating on the grass in front of the amphitheater (bring your own blankets, chairs, and umbrellas for shade)

Schedule

• 11:00am-3:00p STEM exhibitor booths and Food Trucks open!
• 10:00a Elementary (Grades PreK-5) Awards Ceremony
• 1:00p-2:30p Live Performances
• 3:00p Middle and High School (Grades 6-12) Awards Ceremony

The Awards Ceremonies will not be live-streamed. Please plan to attend in-person! If you are unable to do so, unclaimed awards will be delivered to schools in the coming weeks. Full Award list with awards details will be posted on Tuesday, March 14 at 12:00pm on our Fair website, virtualfair.sarsef.org

Volunteers still needed!

It takes around 500 volunteers to make the SARSEF Regional Fair happen! We still have slots open for nearly every background, schedule, and ability. Please share these opportunities with those who can join us to make this exciting Tucson tradition a success in 2023!

Enjoy Fair Week and congratulations to all of our young scientists and engineers!

(Tucson, Arizona) On Saturday, March 11, 2023, SARSEF will host its 68th Annual SARSEF Regional Science and Engineering Fair Award Ceremonies and Community STEM Expo. Over 6,500 students (PreK-12th grade) will compete at the SARSEF Regional Science and Engineering Fair and will be awarded over $100,000 in scholarships, prizes and awards. The top high school students will move on to international levels of competition.

The event will take place at Georges DeMeester Outdoor Performance Center in Reid Park from 10am-5:30pm.

In conjunction with the Awards Ceremonies, we will also host a Community STEM Expo filled with fun STEM activities, where kids will engage in hands-on science, have the opportunity to mingle with professional scientists and engineers, and celebrate the research conducted by thousands of Arizona students this school year, speech by keynote speaker and award distribution ceremony. 

“If you want to feel hopeful about the future, this is your event! With SARSEF, students don’t have to wait to become scientists or engineers,” Julie Euber, CEO of SARSEF, shared. “With curiosity as their guide, they can start asking questions they care about and use science and engineering to find solutions that are meaningful to them, and even, the world. Being witness to their enthusiasm, dedication, and innovation can be truly awe-inspiring.”

What You Can Expect

• Dozens of hands-on STEM activities from exhibitors from 11:00a-3:00p
• The SARSEF Innovators Hall, where attendees can explore student projects from the 2023 Fair
• SARSEF Science Mart for all of your STEM swag needs
• Innovators Hall where any student that has done research this year, teacher, or Fair judge can claim a gift
• Scavenger Hunt for families to explore the exhibitors and claim a prize upon completion
• Onstage live entertainment including three awards ceremonies for the Fair
• Sweet and savory Food Trucks from 11:00a-3:00p
• Plenty of room for outdoor seating on the grass in front of the amphitheater (bring your own blankets and chairs) 

About SARSEF:

SARSEF was formed in 1955 in an effort to increase student interest in the field of science. The mission of SARSEF is to engage Arizona’s Pre-K-12 grade students in critical thinking and problem-solving skills as they participate in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) through inquiry-based learning and research.

SARSEF accomplishes this mission through a variety of programming including a high school mentoring program, the STAR Lab, SARSEF Fair Week, educational outreach programs with an emphasis on underrepresented populations in the sciences, teacher professional development, ACES Camp for Middle School girls, Racing the Sun, and Arizona STEM Adventure.

To learn more about SARSEF programs and how students, teachers, and families can get involved, visit sarsef.org

Media Contact:

Yvonne Pysher, Director of Marketing and Communications

SARSEF

(520) 525-5230

yvonne@sarsef.org

DOWNLOAD PDF OF PRESS RELEASE & MEDIA ALERT

Congratulations to all students who participated in this year’s Junior Science and Humanities Symposium (JSHS). The JSHS Program is a national competition promoting original research and experimentation in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) at the high school level and publicly recognizes students for outstanding achievement.

The JSHS program is one of the nation’s longest-running STEM competitions. It is a collaborative effort between the research arm of the Department of Defense (DoD) and nationwide academic research institutions and is administered by the National Science Teaching Association (NSTA).

The following students will be advancing to the National Junior Science and Humanities Symposium:

1st Place: Prisha Shroff

Award: $2,000 JSHS Scholarship and  $1,000 University of Arizona Scholarship

School: Hamilton High School – Chandler, AZ

Mentor: Hassan Ghasemzadeh, Associate Professor- Arizona State University

Title: HyperGlycemiaAssist: Personalized Blood Glucose Level and Postprandial Hyperglycemia

Prediction using Neural Networks

2nd Place: Chloe Zhan

Award: $1,500 JSHS Scholarship and $1,000 University of Arizona Scholarship

School: Hamilton High School – Chandler, AZ

Teacher: Debbie Nipar, Hamilton High School

Title: Forecasting County-Level Crop Yield in Top Agricultural-Producing States Using Satellite Data

3rd Place: Valeria Tocanos-Pasos

Award: $1,000 JSHS Scholarship and $1,000 University of Arizona Scholarship

Flowing Wells High School – Tucson, AZ

Mentor: Jessica Dietrich, Flowing Wells High School

Title: Examining Hindbrain Activation at Multiple Time Points Following a Small Intestinal Lipid Infusion

in Mice

4th Place: Baochan Fan

Award: $1,000 University of Arizona Scholarship

Hamilton High School – Chandler, AZ

Mentor: Dr. Min-Hyun Kim, PhD, Arizona State University

Title: Hypothalamic EZH2: A Key Regulator of Leptin Sensitivity in Obesity

5th Place: Maritza Roberts-Padilla

Award: $1,000 University of Arizona Scholarship

BASIS Tucson North – Tucson, AZ

Mentor: Dr. Derek Reichel, Roche

Title: Batch Adsorption Study of Methylene Blue using Fresh Prickly Pear Cactus Cladodes as a

Model Material for Textile Wastewater Remediation

Alternate: Meenal Srivastava

BASIS Scottsdale – Scottsdale, AZ

Title: Trust in the Use of Artificial Intelligence Technology in Healthcare

1^st Place Poster Presenter: Roberto Serna

Harvest Preparatory Academy – Yuma, AZ

Teacher: Alfred S. Santos

Title: Burnt Potato Peel (BPP)Powder: A Novel Biosorbent to Combat Pharmaceutical Pollution.

2^nd Place Poster Presenter: Leonocio Villareal

Harvest Preparatory Academy – Yuma, AZ

Teacher: Alfred S. Santos

Title: Investigating the Effects of Phenylalanine and Lysine on Phaseolus Vulgaris Grown in Acidic Soil

AZ JSHS Teacher of the Year: Alfred Santos

Harvest Preparatory Academy – Yuma, AZ

Thank you Tim Schaffner and Anne Maley-Schaffner for launching SARSEF’s For The Love of Science campaign. Gifts will be matched up to $3,500. Help us go beyond our $6,000 goal!

There’s chemistry in the air! This February, we are celebrating our love of science! We will highlight students’ science fair projects that were driven by wonder, curiosity, and passion for the world around them. We also can’t forget about Arizona’s birthday on Valentine’s Day, so we will spread the love by featuring classroom-level research projects that emphasized on topics relevant to students and their rural communities in our beautiful Grand Canyon State.

Join us and spread the love of science by supporting SARSEF and making a gift today! A special thank you to Tim Schaffner and Anne Maley-Schaffner for matching gifts up to $3,500!

“Scientific knowledge is vital in education and in life. We support SARSEF’s leadership in engaging youth to explore the world around them and how they can make a difference. In doing so, youth begin to believe in themselves and gain confidence and skills needed in our community.” – Tim Schaffner and Anne Maley-Schaffner

Double your impact today and receive a limited edition For the Love of Science sticker! Type “Love” in the comments section when making your gift.

Click here to donate and support SARSEF!

Student Project Spotlights

For the Love of Discovery

Meet Finnigan McGill, inventor of A-BiRD, an automated bird recognition device!

Last year, Finnigan’s successfully designed and engineered A-BiRD, a device to collect continuous and objective data for ornithologists.

The Automated Bird Recognition Device provides consistent data to help track the rise and fall of bird populations by species. Since the system can operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week, the continuous coverage improves the accuracy and continuity of bird data. A-BiRD can be employed globally for objective data collection without relying on human intervention!

Finnigan’s project led to winning the Coding with Commitment Sponsored Award given by Broadcom Foundation. The award included public recognition by the foundation, a $250 gift certificate, and a Raspberry Pi Foundation Official RP 400 Personal Computer Kit.

Click here to watch Finnegan’s YouTube video to learn more about his project.

Click here to view Finnegan’s project.

For the Love of Our Planet

Meet Insee Eckstrom, a bright 5^th grader with a passion for saving our world’s ocean’s!

First motivated by the use of ferrofluid to clean up microplastic in the oceans, he hoped his ideas and invention could help clean up larger plastic pieces before they turn into microplastic. His research focused on exploring plastic and magnetic properties to save the world ocean’s!

Insee will continue to develop his research and prototypes. Who knows… his system could help remove plastic in Tucson’s flashfloods.

Click here to view Insee’s project.

For the Love of the Universe

Meet Yaritza Durazo, a recent Sunnyside High School graduate, SARSEF Fair participant and ISEF finalist, Flinn Scholar, and fierce Latina with a passion for physics!

Last year, Yaritza’s SARSEF project explored chaotic orbits that could make space mission designs more effective and allow us to understand the past and future of our solar system!

Using the Lyapunov exponent in the restricted three-body problem, Yaritza’s research concluded that increasing the Jacobi constant and mass of the planet had opposite effects on the stability of orbits and by rediscovering the 2/7 power law, once can now see the equivalence between two different chaos criteria.

Yaritza’s curiosity and love for Physics and Astronomy lead to an incredible discovery that will continue to support space exploration!

Click here to view Yartiza’s project.

For the Love of Arizona!

Read the Arizona Daily Star Article highlighting SARSEF Rural High School program

SARSEF launched a new rural high school program across Arizona, connecting students with support and resources that are often lacking in geographically remote locations. The program brought university-level research to high school students as they participated in whole class based authentic scientific projects. Teachers were paired with Research Fellows from the University of Arizona and worked together to elevate student research!

The classroom-level research projects emphasized topics relevant to students and their rural communities.

Your gift can now have a greater impact. The Connie Hillman Family Foundation has committed to granting SARSEF $1 (up to $200,000) for every $2 (up to $400,000) raised through new donors or increased gifts from existing contributors.

Read the Arizona Daily Star Article highlighting the SARSEF’s Challenge Grant Campaign

(Tucson, Arizona) SARSEF is launching a two-year challenge grant campaign in partnership with the Connie Hillman Family Foundation (Hillman Foundation) designed to have an immediate and long-lasting impact on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education across the state of Arizona.

The Hillman Foundation has pledged to granting SARSEF $1 (up to $200,000) for every $2 (up to $400,000) raised. The challenge grant applies only to gifts received from new donors (individuals, foundations, and corporate) and increased gifts from existing contributors.

“SARSEF has seen a significant amount of growth over the last few years in response to students’ critical need for access to quality science education – especially for students from historically marginalized groups that have not had the same access to careers and education in science fields.” Julie Euber, SARSEF’s CEO, shared. “With the support of the Hillman Foundation, we can sustain that growth and provide authentic experiences in science and engineering for more students across the state of Arizona.”

Founded in 2011, the Hillman Foundation has awarded more than $14 million to local nonprofit organizations. Recognizing that STEM education is vital and that future-readiness requires students who can connect learning across disciplines to understand and solve real-world problems, this challenge grant will have a lasting and transformative impression across the state of Arizona.   

 

About SARSEF:

SARSEF was formed in 1955 in an effort to increase student interest in the field of science. The mission of SARSEF is to engage Arizona’s Pre-K-12 grade students in critical thinking and problem-solving skills as they participate in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) through inquiry-based learning and research.

SARSEF accomplishes this mission through a variety of programming including a high school mentoring program, the STAR Lab, SARSEF Fair Week, educational outreach programs with an emphasis on underrepresented populations in the sciences, teacher professional development, ACES Camp for Middle School girls, Racing the Sun, and Arizona STEM Adventure.

If you would like to know more about SARSEF and how you can become engaged in STEM, volunteer for our organization, or donate, visit us at sarsef.org.

Media Contact

Yvonne Pysher, Director of Marketing and Communications

SARSEF

520-525-5230

yvonne@sarsef.org

DOWNLOAD PDF OF PRESS RELEASE

America Miranda, SARSEF Program Manager, has been named the first ever Phoenix YWCA Emerging Leader.

YWCA’s Tribute to Leadership Awards Program has been an annual celebration to recognize the accomplishments of leaders in our community who strive to improve the lives of women, girls, and people of color through leadership, advocacy, and community service.

America joined the SARSEF team in January 2021 with 15 years of experience in large scale event and concert production, as well as experience coordinating community and school programs. Beyond her work at SARSEF, her volunteer work shows a clear dedication to building just communities in Arizona.

Her service includes but is not limited to:

• Volunteering with Abolition Yuma County which advocates for migrant individuals seeking asylum to do free translating, help find resources, and whatever is needed.

• Volunteering with several different groups to do border aid runs in Nogales and Ciudad Juarez, providing water and food to migrant individuals.

• Delivering clothing, shoes and monetary help in Mexico, mainly Sonora, on a monthly basis

America Miranda has demonstrated an outstanding commitment to eliminating racism and empowering women in Arizona. At SARSEF, she runs two programs serving students statewide. SARSEF’s Racing the Sun is a statewide high school college-preparatory program that engages teams of high school students to design, build, and race their own solar go-karts. They learn engineering and communication skills, explore related careers, and join the race to make transportation sustainable. While the pandemic brought a new set of challenges, it took the right person to build the program to new heights while actively ensuring the program is engaging and supporting high school girls as well as Hispanic and Latino families. America Miranda has taken on that challenge and is building toward a program more reflective of the state’s population. Not only is she working to build relationships and recruit teams near the US/Mexico border, successfully registering a team in Rio Rico this year, she also registered the first all-female racing team since SARSEF acquired the program in 2019.

From America’s first day at SARSEF, she has been an advocate for Hispanic and Latino families. She understands that our efforts need to go beyond translation projects. She actively ensures that SARSEF shows up where Hispanic and Latino families will be and builds spaces for them within the science and engineering education community.

Another great example of her work is SARSEF’s annual ACES Camp, a week-long summer camp for ~40 middle school girls in the Sunnyside Unified School District. While America had worked on the camp previously, this summer was her first time as Camp Director. She introduced several innovative features that were pivotal to the camp’s success including bilingual curriculum and sessions with Hispanic and Latino women in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) who shared about their careers and encouraged the campers to pursue STEM. The camp’s final celebration welcomed the campers’ families, where students showed off their real-world, problem-solving projects to proud caregivers while a mariachi band played in the background. Speakers motivated families to keep their kids involved in science and engineering while offering their support and resources. Siblings wanted to know when it would be their turn to be ACES campers. SARSEF’s exit survey showed that by the end of ACES Camp, 61% of the campers said they were highly likely or likely to choose a career in science or engineering.

Join us in celebration on Wednesday, March 29^th at The Croft Downtown in Phoenix, Arizona from 4:30-7:30! Purchase your tickets here!

(Tucson, AZ) Judge and volunteer registration is now open for SARSEF’s 68th annual Regional Science and Engineering Fair. The 2023 Fair will be a hybrid event with all student projects submitted digitally, celebrated during an outdoor Community STEM Expo and Award Ceremony at Reid Park, on Saturday, March 11th, in person from 10:00am-5:30pm. Volunteers are needed for both virtual and in-person roles, serving as judges, monitors, and event support. Join us in supporting the innovators, problem solvers, and leaders of tomorrow from the comfort of your own home, or in-person as we transform Reid Park into a STEM wonderland.

For more info on the Fair, visit https://sarsef.org/sarsef-fair/

“Do you remember a teacher or mentor from your childhood who pointed out that you were good at something? As a volunteer or judge at the SARSEF Science and Engineering Fair, you get to be that person encouraging and rewarding students for their hard work in the sciences. Imagine the difference you can make in their lives,” shared Julie Euber, SARSEF CEO.

This year’s judging will take place virtually and in-person from March 6-March 8, 2023. PreK-Middle school judging will be held virtually, while high school judging will take place in-person at the University of Arizona Ballroom.

• Elementary school judges must have a high school education, with some experience with the age level selected, and/or interest in the field selected.
• Middle School judges should hold a bachelor’s degree and have some experience in their field or teach in the selected area.
• Judges at the high school level should be professionals in their fields (at least three to five years’ experience preferred) and/or be in the process of obtaining or hold advanced (master’s or doctoral) degrees.

For more information on serving as a judge and to register, visit https://sarsef.org/volunteers/judges/

“SARSEF is an incredible foundation, with numerous opportunities for scientists and engineers to serve as mentors. I eagerly look forward to volunteering as a judge every year for the SARSEF Regional Science and Engineering Fair. It is an excellent way to support young scientists and to also give back to the community. I learn something new every time that I volunteer, and I feel honored to serve as a mentor to young scientists. I strongly encourage all scientists and engineers to volunteer for this incredible opportunity to support young people in STEM fields.” said Jennifer Noble, Ph.D., Scientist and dedicated SARSEF judge.

The 2022 Fair had over 1,500 projects submitted, representing the work of nearly 7,000 students. Judges gave out over 1,000 awards, prizes, and scholarships, totaling $128,150.38.

642 students won awards on individual and team projects, while 3,990 won awards as part of a class project – 63% of all award winners attended a Title I school. Awards are given to students and teachers in all grade levels and subject areas. Volunteer opportunities are available February 27 through March 11. Time commitments range from a few hours to several days.

For more information on volunteering and to register, visit https://sarsef.org/programs/competitions/sarsef-science-and-engineering-fair/

Beyond the fair, SARSEF works year-round to ensure all students have the resources and access they need to pursue their own science projects. Students are encouraged to think of a problem in their lives, community or world that they would want to solve, while teachers and parents receive guidance on how to support students’ work.

About SARSEF:

SARSEF was formed in 1955 in an effort to increase student interest in the field of science. The mission of SARSEF is to engage Arizona’s Pre-K-12 grade students in critical thinking and problem-solving skills as they participate in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) through inquiry-based learning and research.

SARSEF accomplishes this mission through a variety of programming including a high school mentoring program, the STAR Lab, SARSEF Fair Week, educational outreach programs with an emphasis on underrepresented populations in the sciences, teacher professional development, ACES Camp for Middle School girls, Racing the Sun, and Arizona STEM Adventure.

To learn more about SARSEF programs and how students, teachers, and families can get involved, visit https://sarsef.org/

Media Contact:

Yvonne Pysher, Director of Marketing and Communications

SARSEF

(520) 525-5230

yvonne@sarsef.org

DOWNLOAD PDF OF PRESS RELEASE

(Tucson, Arizona) In partnership with ASU- Arizona STEM Acceleration Project, SARSEF is expanding accredited professional development opportunities across the state of Arizona. The sessions will focus on phenomena-based learning, modeling for teachers on how take students noticing and wondering and turn it into a phenomena-based inspired science project and learning experience.  

Phenomena-based learning encourages students to ask questions, discover connections, and design models to make sense of what they observe. This allows students to engage in real world and authentic problems that matter to them.  

“I am excited about empowering teachers to bring Phenomena-based Learning into their classrooms,” said Jessica Howe, SARSEF Manager of In-School Outreach, “this project will enable deeper learning as students will make connections across subjects and see practical relevance to real life. They will develop stronger skills in communication, teamwork, critical thinking, and problem solving. My hope is to inspire students, with their teacher’s guidance, to take ownership of their own research and learning.” 

Sessions will be held in the following cities: 

If you are interested in registering, please visit https://sarsef.org/asap-registration/ 

About SARSEF:

SARSEF was formed in 1955 in an effort to increase student interest in the field of science. The mission of SARSEF is to engage Arizona’s Pre-K-12 grade students in critical thinking and problem-solving skills as they participate in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) through inquiry-based learning and research.

SARSEF accomplishes this mission through a variety of programming including a high school mentoring program, the STAR Lab, SARSEF Fair Week, educational outreach programs with an emphasis on underrepresented populations in the sciences, teacher professional development, ACES Camp for Middle School girls, Racing the Sun, and Arizona STEM Adventure.

To learn more about SARSEF programs and how students, teachers, and families can get involved, visit sarsef.org

Wow! Can you believe the year is almost over?!

For us, it was all about you – our community of committed students, parents and caregivers, educators, volunteers, donors, supporters, board and staff – and the impact we had across the state of Arizona.

We’re taking a moment to reflect on the past twelve months and all we have accomplished together in creating Arizona’s future critical thinkers and problem solvers through science and engineering.

2022 Highlights

Looking back on this year and reflecting on some of our favorite moments, we are humbled and grateful on the impact we had on so many students, parents and caregivers, educators, and science education.

As we continue to build Arizona’s largest pipeline of future critical thinkers and problems solvers, SARSEF moved office locations to the Community Foundation for Southern Arizona in October! Our team also grew, welcoming four new staff members: Kate Fitzpatrick– Corporate & Community Engagement Manager, Jessica Howe– Manager of In-School Outreach, Rose Prendergast– Racing the Sun Specialist, and Yvonne Pysher– Director of Marketing and Communications.

SARSEF programs were also on a roll this year! We launched a new rural high school program, bringing university-level research to four rural high school classrooms in Douglas, Safford, Sahuarita, and Willcox, Arizona (read more about it here). Our Summer Camp programming also expanded as we partnered with the Arizona Science Center to bring Camp Innovation to over 50 students in July. 

We are also excited to share that Amber Folkman, Manager of School Relationships and Impact and SARSEF, were selected to participate in Social Venture Partners ‘Fast Pitch’! It is a program for nonprofit leaders and an event designed to create community level change (learn more about Fast Pitch here).

Our Education team has also been busy, reaching students, parents and caregivers, and educators all across the state. We launched our first ever Science Fair Workshop, serving over 1,000 students to inspire and get them excited about the science fair. We have also expanded our Professional Development Program, serving educators in Bisbee, Phoenix and Tucson, Arizona.

Last, but certainly not least, 460 committed volunteers donated over 4,000 hours in service! Looking back on this year proves that passion and commitment of creating Arizona’s future critical thinkers and problem solvers through science and engineering is fueling positive change for a better tomorrow. 

About SARSEF:

SARSEF was formed in 1955 in an effort to increase student interest in the field of science. The mission of SARSEF is to engage Arizona’s Pre-K-12 grade students in critical thinking and problem-solving skills as they participate in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) through inquiry-based learning and research.

SARSEF accomplishes this mission through a variety of programming including a high school mentoring program, the STAR Lab, SARSEF Fair Week, educational outreach programs with an emphasis on underrepresented populations in the sciences, teacher professional development, ACES Camp for Middle School girls, Racing the Sun, and Arizona STEM Adventure.

To learn more about SARSEF programs and how students, teachers, and families can get involved, visit sarsef.org