SUNY Potsdam is proud to host the second annual Terra Northeast Regional Science and Engineering Fair for students in Grades 6 through 12, coming up on Saturday, March 17.
Students from Clinton, Essex, Franklin and St. Lawrence counties and the Akwesasne Territory will compete to earn scholarships and win awards at the fair. The event will be held in the College’s Barrington Student Union from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on March 17.
TNRSEF is affiliated with the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair, the world’s largest international pre-college science competition for students in Grades 9 to 12.
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NASA Astronaut Dr. James Pawelczyk will lead a question and answer session at the fair. Pawelczyk will tell students about his experience having served as a payload specialist on a 16-day Spacelab flight flown by the Space Shuttle Columbia. The Neurolab mission focused on the effects of microgravity on the nervous system.
Tours of SUNY Potsdam and hands-on science challenges are also on deck for the fair. Students will compete for various prizes and awards. With one week to go, 90 students have already registered for the science fair.
“SUNY Potsdam is honored to host this fair for the second time. Until our event last year, North Country students had to travel to Syracuse to participate in a fair affiliated with the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair. Bringing the fair to Potsdam allows more sixth to twelfth grade students to showcase their amazing STEM projects. It is our hope that this Science and Engineering Fair will inspire the scientific minds of the future,” said Fair Director Dr. Jan Trybula, an associate professor and chair of the College’s Department of Biology.
Dr. Fehmi Damkaci, president of the Terra Science and Education Foundation, said that Terra organizes regional fairs to “provide students with experiences in science, lifelong perspectives and international contacts, as well as to increase schools’ ability to offer science programs and student support.”
Terra Science and Education, also the organizer and sponsor of the GENIUS Olympiad, one of the largest environmentally-focused project competitions world-wide, has been promoting STEM education across New York State since 2011.
For opportunities to be a judge at the science fair, please visit: https://terrafairs.org/index.php/northeast/judges.
For opportunities to volunteer at the event, go to: https://terrafairs.org/index.php/northeast/volunteers.
Terra Science and Education Foundation is a nonprofit organization promoting the improvement of K-16 education through educational programming, scholarships, research and public forums. For more information, visit www.terraed.org.
About SUNY Potsdam:
Founded in 1816, The State University of New York at Potsdam is one of America’s first 50 colleges—and the oldest institution within SUNY. Now in its third century, SUNY Potsdam is distinguished by a legacy of pioneering programs and educational excellence. The College currently enrolls approximately 3,700 undergraduate and graduate students. Home to the world-renowned Crane School of Music, SUNY Potsdam is known for its challenging liberal arts and sciences core, distinction in teacher training and culture of creativity. To learn more, visit www.potsdam.edu.