Have you ever wondered which over-the-counter pain medicine — Ibuprofen, acetaminophen or aspirin — dissolves the fastest in an acidic stomach? Lemon juice could be the key to this discovery. Or, could recyclable materials be used as "solar ovens" to harness the sun's heat to cook food? Students from across southeast Texas will attempt to answer these questions and more at the 61st annual Science and Engineering Fair of Houston (SEFH).
The event presented by Chevron and the University of Houston STEM Center runs from 8 a.m.– 6:30 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 15 at the George R. Brown Convention Center. SEFH attracts more than 1,000 middle school and high school students (grades 7-12). Projects span 17 science fair categories ranging from medicine and health to physics and mechanical engineering.
Heather Domjan, SEFH executive director and interim director of the UH STEM Center said students from Kids Lives Matter, a nonprofit organization that enriches the lives of children in underserved areas, will get to compete in the fair for the first time this year. The students come from Houston's Third and Fifth Wards, and their research is inspired by what they've learned in STEM Zone Saturday, an educational outreach collaboration between the UH STEM Center and the nonprofit organization.
"They have never conducted a scientific and engineering project in this manner and have dedicated themselves to overcoming their circumstances to start a positive trajectory toward careers in science, technology, engineering and math," said Domjan. "What they are doing reflects the true spirit of scientific research."
WHAT: 61st Annual Science and Engineering Fair of Houston
WHO: More than 1,000 middle and high school students from across Southeast Texas
WHEN: 8 a.m.– 6:30 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 15; judging will run from 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Public Day for the community to visit the projects runs from 4:30–6:30 p.m.
WHERE: George R. Brown Convention Center, Hall E, 1001 Avenida De Las Americas, Houston, 77010 (click here for directions and parking information)
SPECIAL NOTE: The SEFH awards ceremony will take place at the University of Houston Student Center South, Houston Room from 1-3 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 22. First and second place winners advance to the Texas Science and Engineering Fair (TXSEF) at Texas A&M University on March 28. Grand award winners will be eligible to compete in the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) 2020 in May in Anaheim, California.
