George Mason University (GMU) will host the First Annual Elementary and Middle School Science Fair on April 5, 2014. The event invites participating schools to identify and enroll their top-performing K-8 students for competition in the fair.
Dr. Padmanabhan Seshaiyer, a tenured mathematical sciences professor at George Mason University who serves as the Director of the school’s STEM Accelerator Program, said the event is significant as it offers younger students — students normally excluded from science fairs — the opportunity to compete and become enthusiastic about science.
“This is the exciting part for younger kids to get the feel of being at a regional science fair competition in a university! There is nothing of this sort currently in Northern VA county wide as a whole, because right now schools either do their respective science fairs or the only regional version is beyond 9th grade towards Intel/Siemens,” Seshaiyer said. “This will be the first one of its kind to offer this opportunity to younger kids, hopefully to continue to excite them about science.”
Seshaiyer will be also be offering his perspective about STEM March 8 at WashingtonExec‘s inaugural STEM Symposium. The event promises to bring together more than 500 K-12 students, parents and industry professionals to talk about STEM education and careers. Leidos will serve as the event’s presenting sponsor.
The science fair is being organized by the Pinnacle Academy and College of Science and George Mason University.
