Youth Science Canada is a nationwide non-profit that fosters interest in the application of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). This past month, YSC successfully hosted a virtual science fair that saw student projects covering a range of topics, including issues related to the COVID-19 pandemic as well as several remarkable and innovative engineering projects. YSC’s STEM fairs are recognized internationally, and past winners have often had remarkable opportunities for their future academic studies and professional careers.
This year, STEM fair went online in lieu of the traditional in-person fairs.
Students submitted projects that fit into one of eight challenge categories: Agriculture, Fisheries & Food , Curiosity & Ingenuity, Digital Technology, Disease & Illness, Energy, Environment & Climate Change, Health & Wellness and Natural Resources. A total of 635 projects were submitted, resulting in 275 virtual ribbons awarded at three levels. This year’s fair received a greater level of participation than ever before, with over 1,300 students participating, it is truly a sight to behold!
Let’s check out some of the main online features that helped make the fair a success.
The Entrance: Become Captivated among Remarkable Ideas
The highlight of the online STEM fair is the use of Make: Projects to display the 635 student projects. Make: Projects is a collaboration platform that brings together makers, engineers, inventors and doers to develop their passions or solve society's biggest challenges. By hosting the fair on the Make: Projects, students had the ability to gain a following and receive inspiration and feedback from their peers, teachers, parents and supporters.
The event was organized within the framework of a true science fair, carrying passionate projects created by young engineers and scientists, while keeping the navigation through the event simple and user friendly.
When landing on the YSC Online Stem Fair homepage, users are taken to a lobby-style entrance, where they can view a special message from an astronaut with the Canadian Space Agency, explore student projects, connect in the community chat, or check out expo “booths” from universities and other programs geared towards student interest (cover image above).
Upon entering the “Exhibit Hall”, which showcases the student entries—students and spectators can then view the Outstanding Projects, the ribbon winners of the event or browse all STEM projects by challenge category.Ribbons were awarded by regional committees, YSC itself and special challenge sponsors including Intact for “Environment and Climate Change”, Cenovus for “Energy,” Rogers for “Digital Technology”, NSERC for “Curiosity and Ingenuity” and our own engineering.com for “Natural Resources.”
How was success measured? A great project required much more than just an idea. To be truly viable, a project was:
Engineered and technically feasible.Viable to market.
Economically and financially rewarding.
Socially approved.
Passionate.
Ribbon winners deliver that ingenuity. Students targeted modern issues such as analysis for artificial intelligence and systems designs, to age-old industrial issues such as improving fuel efficiency and finding answers to environmental challenges. It is inspiring to see.
Audience Participation is Highly Accessible and Impacting
Like any true fair or convention, the most adored part of this event is its audience, and the impacts that viewers can leave on the participants are grand. The online convention format easily allows audiences to communicate with the contestants. A great deal of support and encouragement has been shown through views, likes and comments – over 8,000 comments on the projects have been made to date!
“Congratulations to all of the grade 7-12 and Cégep students who worked tirelessly on completing a STEM project this year, even in the face of unprecedented challenges,” says Reni Barlow, executive director of Youth Science Canada. “We could not be prouder of your resilience, passion and creativity. You stepped up – virtually – in large numbers, to demonstrate unequivocally that scientific enquiry and curiosity, as well as a quest for a better world, are very much on the minds of Canadian youth. That certainly bodes well for the future.”
The idea for a YSC online STEM project showcase originated in early 2018, but was originally planned for 2022 as part of a larger outreach initiative. The arrival of COVID-19 accelerated those plans, aided by the support of partners.
Keep an eye out for further follow up on this exciting event following interviews with the ribbon award winners!