Nearly 250 fifth through 12th-grade students from 21 regional schools recently participated in the 73rd Northwest Arkansas Regional Science and Engineering Fair at the Arkansas Union.

The annual science fair works to improve STEM education by encouraging students — future scientists, technologists, mathematicians and engineers — to explore STEM disciplines through their research and problem/project-based learning, to apply the knowledge gained from their research and to communicate their results.

Over 200 U of A faculty members, graduate students and undergraduate students served as judges and volunteers for the fair, all coordinated by Shawn Bell, director of the university's Center for Mathematics and Science Education.

"The Northwest Arkansas Regional Science and Engineering Fair is not just a showcase of projects; it's a platform that shows students' dedication, hard work and the art of developing research skills," said Shawn Bell, the director of the university's Center for Math and Science Education. "The fair enables students in our region to compete at a local, state, national and even global level. Without it, our students, especially in smaller districts, would never have this opportunity."

The fair's winners were crowned in a ceremony at the end of the day attended by the students, parents and many teachers and judges. The Senior Division winners from area schools are Chandra Suda, Xavier Herzig and Siddhartha Milkur.

Senior Division category winners will now advance to the state Science and Engineering Fair at the University of Central Arkansas in Conway on March 30-31. Overall Senior Division winners and their teachers will be sponsored to travel to the International Science and Engineering Fair in Los Angeles in May.

Among the many educators who accompanied students to the science fair were the College of Education and Health Professions' Noyce fellows. These M.A.T. students in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction mentored students throughout the fall semester to create authentic science investigations at their internship schools in the Springdale school district. 

The Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program provides funding to higher education institutions to provide scholarships and support to recruit and prepare STEM majors and professionals to become K-12 teachers. For the past three years, the Department of Curriculum and Instruction has been the home of the TEAAMS project, funding a total of 20 future math and science teachers.

These Noyce fellows are mentored by a team of faculty members -- Kim McComas, William F. McComas, Laura Kent, Stephen Burgin and Shannon Dingman -- who lend support and advice to the fellows participating in the program.

William McComas, Parks Family Professor of Science Education, welcomed all the participants by remarking that "participating in the science fair is as close as possible to being a scientist. Most science classes teach the facts of science and may teach something of the 'rules' by which science produces new knowledge, and that's good, but this is like learning the rules of baseball or football and recognizing some of the star players but never being allowed to play the game. Participating in the science fair gives students an opportunity to 'do' science and really come to understand how science works."