Seed Magazine sent two intrepid reporters to Albuquerque to cover this year's Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (you may remember those under the old name of "Westinghouse"). They are busy filing their reports and you can find them all on the special scienceblogs Intel ISEF blog.
We never had science fairs in Yugoslavia - the science competitions were all in a paper-and-pencil style (like Math Olympiad), nothing to make or do, just theory and solving problems. I usually did better in math and English (as ESL) than in physics, chemistry and biology championships. But my daughter did participate in a science fair a couple of years ago and I am sure happy science fairs exist - if not, someone should invent them.
More like this
This is a website by, for, and about some of the most inspiring young people in the world: the finalists of the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair.
From AppleInsider:
In 2006, Shannon Babb won both first prize at the Intel Science Talent Search (STS) and the prestigious Seaborg Award at Intel Intel ISEF for her work tracking water quality around her home in Utah. The Seaborg Award allowed her to travel to the 2006 Nobel Prizes in Stockholm, Sweden.
What biological organ does this machine resemble?
I was working with two students in my lab on projects that ended up going to this science fair. We never really had that sort of thing when I was at school (in the UK), science fairs were as you describe - like voluntary exams. I wish I'd had that kind of opportunity and I'm hoping that our two students have a great time. I almost wish that I could have gone.
Anyway, thanks for reminding me that it was going on this week.