Athens, Ga. (April 21, 2008) - Approximately 700 middle and high school students from throughout Georgia exhibited projects at the 60th Georgia Science and Engineering Fair (GSEF), held at the Athens Classic Center April 2-5. The University of Georgia has coordinated this program since 1948.

Exhibits in the fair included projects and experiments in seventeen categories. All participants earned the opportunity to compete in the state fair by winning honors in one of the twenty-one GSEF affiliated regional fairs.

Top high school honors went to Archit Bhise, Peachtree Ridge High School, Duluth; Stoyan Ivanov, North Springs High School, Alpharetta; and Marissa Pan and Kelsey Schodowski, Alpharetta High School, Alpharetta. These students, along with 39 others from across the state, received an invitation to compete at the International Science and Engineering Fair in Atlanta, May 11-16, 2008.

Top middle school honors went to Marguerite Bradley, The Walker School, Marietta; Deborah Postma, Brookstone School, Columbus; and James Conners, Fielding Keeley and Joseph Vanterpool, William James Middle School, Statesboro. These students received an invitation to participate in the Society for Science and the Public’s Middle School Program along with twenty-five other middle school students from throughout Georgia.

In addition to the grand award prizes, entrants in the GSEF competed for more than $48,000 in prizes and awards honoring best achievements in specific scientific areas. There were more than 100 award donors from universities, government, industry, and professional organizations.

The exhibits were judged Thursday, April 3, on creativity, scientific thought and engineering goals, thoroughness, skill and clarity. Two hundred judges from the University System of Georgia and contributing societies and industries judged these projects.

On Friday students, parents and teachers participated in various tours of the UGA campus.

Thirty-five projects in the Senior Division received all-expense-paid trips to the 59th Intel International Science and Engineering Fair in Atlanta, Georgia, May 11-16, 2008. These Georgia students will compete against more than 1,400 students from 46 countries. Elizabeth Kornegay of Thomasville Scholars Academy was chosen as the Merial Biological Student of Promise and will travel to ISEF as an observer. The Intel ISEF is best described as the World Cup, The World Series and the Olympics of science competitions.

This article was posted on Monday, April 21st, 2008 at 1:06 pm and is filed under News, Students.