Nearly 3,000 students will compete at the 66th Annual SARSEF Science and Engineering Fair
February 25, 2021
(Tucson, AZ) The 66th SARSEF Science and Engineering Fair Powered by TEP is virtual this year and will showcase the work of 2,900 students, pre-kindergarten through high school, from across Southern Arizona. In a difficult year for science education, students went above and beyond to compete at this year’s fair.
One Kindergartener asks, “Can blowing bubbles spread COVID germs?”
A third-grader designed and built a wearable device that lets kids know when others are too close to each other.
A fifth-grader designed and built an economical ventilation system to reduce the transmission of airborne pathogens like COVID aerosols in indoor classrooms.
And that’s just to name a few!
The fair will be held at virtualfair.sarsef.org where visitors can view student projects, engage in science activities, watch videos by science and engineering professionals, and view live-streamed Award Ceremonies.
From Monday, March 1 through Thursday, March 4, judges will review projects and interview students to determine who will win awards. Every grand award winner receives a trophy and a check. For the first time ever, thanks to the fair’s virtual format, elementary school
students will have the option to practice their interview skills with judges along with the middle school and high school competitors.
Finalists will compete for over $100,000 of cash and prizes, including scholarships.
On Friday, March 5, from 9:00am to 2:30pm, SARSEF invites teachers, students, and families to tune in for Future Innovators Day, a live broadcast of science demonstrations, activities and tours. Features include activities from University of Arizona College of Optics, Tucson Reptile Museum, Fred Whipple Observatory, and Museum of Moving Art as well as a glimpse of what it’s like to be a scientist or engineer at Sonora Quest Laboratories, Terracon, On Semiconductor, and many more.
Also, viewers will get a special sneak peek at another SARSEF program called Racing the Sun, a high school program for student teams to design, build, and race solar-powered go-karts.
Saturday, March 6, award ceremonies will be live-streamed on the Fair website. SARSEF has not yet disclosed the location of the filming as a surprise for the audience.
“We are thrilled to bring the excitement and wonder students feel every year at the SARSEF Fair to a virtual format. As we prepare, we are constantly reminded of all the incredible work teachers have done to make this possible. Without them, students would not have the resources and support they need to do the impressive work presented at the fair,” Liz Bowman, SARSEF CEO, shared. “We are also grateful to the volunteers and judges who are lending their time and expertise to students.”
Visit virtualfair.sarsef.org March 1-6 to take part in a celebration of students and their work in science and engineering.