Judges Needed for Wyoming State Science Fair at UW in March

University of Wyoming faculty, staff and doctoral students, and others with years of science, engineering or math experience are invited to judge youth research projects at the 2020 Wyoming State Science Fair.

The Wyoming State Science Fair is a UW outreach event and precollege science research competition that brings nearly 200 junior and senior high school students -- and potential future UW undergraduates -- to the UW campus March 1-3. Judging will take place Sunday, March 1, and Monday, March 2, in the Wyoming Union.

“The University of Wyoming could not host a science fair without approximately 100 outstanding judges to select winners for category awards and special awards donated by organizations,” says Erin Stoesz, Wyoming State Science Fair director.

Student research projects, which span a broad spectrum of STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) disciplines, are grouped into 12 different categories. Six to eight judges are needed for each category, and one to two judges for each special award, Stoesz says. She adds that the typical time commitment for a category award judge is about three hours, and one-two hours for a special awards judge.

Stoesz says several judges are needed to help select the top two high school student projects, with the winners receiving an all-expenses-paid trip to represent Wyoming at the International Science and Engineering Fair May 10-15 in Anaheim, Calif. The projects are selected from across all Senior Division categories and “should represent the best high school research exhibited at the fair,” she adds.

Final interviews and selection will be Monday, March 2, from 3:30-6 p.m. 

“Judging is an excellent opportunity to make personal connections with potential UW students, and to encourage and subtly mentor the next generation of STEM professionals,” Stoesz says.

For more information about judging, and a list of times, email wyostatefair@gmail.com.