March 26, 2007
Annual Science Fair set for March 29 at SIUC
CARBONDALE, Ill. — Southern Illinois University Carbondale will play host to some 600 junior high and high school students this month during the annual Illinois Junior Academy of Science Region 8 Science Fair.
The event, set for March 29, will bring in students from throughout the region. They will compete in 18 categories ranging from aerospace to behavioral science, said Kathy Pericak-Spector, professor in the Department of Mathematics in the College of Science at SIUC.
More than 150 SIUC faculty and graduate students volunteer to act as judges during the event. They select about 60 projects to advance to the state competition held in Champaign-Urbana in early May.
This year's judging is set for 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the ballrooms at the SIUC Student Center. Projects will be open for public viewing from 1 to 4 p.m. that day. Organizers will present awards during a 5:30 p.m. event at the SIU Arena.
Media Advisory
Reporters, photographers and camera crews are invited to cover the event from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Thursday, March 29, at the SIUC Student Center. For more information, contact Kathy Pericak-Spector at 618/453-5300
The event gives budding scientists an idea of how professionals conduct and present research.
Many departments and units at SIUC sponsor student and school awards at the competition. Winners are eligible for portions of the several thousand dollars in prize money. Only schools registered with the IJAS may participate.
For more information, contact Pericak-Spector at 618/453-5300 or by email at kpericak@math.siu.edu.