The Adventure of the GA State Science & Engineering Fair
In the judging this time, they had our projects assigned to us. We were grouped by category, with a tier II judge at our head. And we got a full hour to LOOK at all the projects first. I can't remember that happening before and it was delightful. I got a chance to actually LOOK at student notebooks for once! I took pictures of all my projects and a few others. I loved looking at the notebooks - one or two impressed me. One had immaculate writing.
The coolest project at the fiar that I saw was this one printed on a beautiful canvas roll-out. It was about making a material for a suit that could go to Mars, and testing materials against radiation exposure. I didn't get a chance to look at it, but I took a picture for later perusing. It certainly LOOKED impressive. There was other work there that I was quite impressed with - students who had gone to labs or otherwise - and thought through their work really well. Two students built a device that could heat and cool a metal plate, to be put inside a ... the thing you wrap around your wrist if it's broken ... whatever that's called. It was inventive!
All in all, I had fun judging projects. I'm always a little bit hesistant when I get there, but it always ends up being fun, if tiring. I'm so proud always to be at the science fair, which I participated in. It feels good. I wish I could network like some others do. They say it's a good opportunity for that, but I mostly stick to myself. I did talk to one very nice older gentleman in our group though. He wished me well in my studies.