Tag: science-fair

The call has gone out. I just got my renewal reminder to be a judge for this year’s California State Science Fair. They are also looking for new judges. So, if you will be available on May 24 and can get down to USC, and if you would be qualified, then please consider signing up to judge. The stated qualifications are:

Almost all of our judges are currently active practicing scientists and engineers with Ph.D. or equivalent degrees in their fields. Persons retired from such positions are also qualified. The minimum requirement is a Bachelor’s degree in a technical field and several years of professional practice, which includes post-doctoral graduate students in scientific or engineering fields.

Update: I’ll note they have accepted folks with Master’s degrees in the past, depending on the area and their need for judges.

You can register at the Judge Registration Web Site. I’ll be judging again this year (Math and Software), and quite likely, ellipticcurve will be judging as well. I hope to see you there. I’ve found it quite rewarding, and it is remarkable to see what our kids can do.

Tonight, I went to my daughter’s open house at school. This is a Math/Science/Technology magnet in the much-maligned Los Angeles Unified School District. These kids (grades 2-5) were doing the exact same projects as the ones at the science fair: acid rain, runoff, tensile strength, product comparisons, friction. Their boards may not have been as fancy, and they might not have had the same rigor — but this is elementary school.

I said it before: Our kids are great!

Don’t believe what people tell you. We’ve got great kids out there.

This morning I was a judge at the California State Science Fair, and I was blown away by the talent of the kids out there. From a 6^th grade girl who was totally astounding me with her presentations of group theory and spatial mathematics, to an 8^th grade boy who was developing new means to power airplanes, to all the kids who were demonstrating such remarkable talent… I was just speechless (and for me, that’s rare). Follow the link above to the science fair page, and look at the projects. You’ll be astounded as well.

This evening, I attended Shavuot services at Temple. These were also Confirmation (approx. 10^th grade graduation) services. Our sole confirmand, a young lady of 15 years, again astounded me with her sermon, about the renewal of committment, given with more force, enthusiasm, and energy than many a rabbi. This young lady will go far, and the world will be better for it.

We’ve got great kids out there.

Headache finally cleared around 1:00 PM. Had fun looking at the exhibits at the CSSF. Quite a few of them impressed my daughter, and she may try some of the next year (and she’s doing good: her project made it out of her classroom into the auditorium, meaning it has a chance of winning a prize).