For the first time next spring, the Jandon Center for Community Engagement at Smith will host the Region 1 Massachusetts Science and Engineering Fair (MSEF), bringing together some of Western Massachusetts’ most promising — and most disadvantaged — middle and high school students.
The Massachusetts Science and Engineering Fair enables thousands of middle and high school students to engage in independent research projects at their schools, guided by teachers and mentors and funded by organizational grants. Their projects engage with real-world issues: last year’s projects tackled everything from coral bleaching to identifying pancreatic cysts. Students then have the opportunity to present their work to a panel of judges who are shining examples of how to build a successful career in the sciences.
MSEF’s goal is to “inspire and mentor” students in their path to higher education and a career in STEM. Throughout their 70 year history, MSEF has awarded $20 million in scholarships and prizes to promising young people, many of whom come from disadvantaged backgrounds who would not otherwise have access to an academic career in STEM. As well as substantial monetary prizes, this research builds essential skills for academic success and bolsters college applications.
In one of their biggest initiatives to date, Smith’s STEAM Outreach Program is collaborating with MSEF to make opportunities in the sciences more accessible and affordable to students in underserved schools. Previous years have seen only a small percentage of Western Massachusetts’ 100 schools participate; the former location in North Adams, as well as the lack of information about funding opportunities, have made projects difficult in other parts of the region. However, Northampton’s more central location will bring students from the region’s most disadvantaged areas, potentially eliminating logistical problems that have prevented high-need students from participating before.
The STEM Outreach Program at the Jandon Center for Community Engagement is also undergoing a transformation from STEM to STEAM, combining traditional sciences with arts subjects. STEAM emphasizes inquiry and problem-based learning methods that draw on and support Smithies’ knowledge and skills in communicating, thinking critically, acting creativity and collaborating across diverse teams. The fair is one in a series of changes that aims to increase access to and participation in sciences among students at Smith and in the wider community.
STEAM Outreach Coordinator Deborah Day hopes that Smith can use its resources to increase access to STEAM opportunities for young people. One such resource is the STEAM Ambassador program, in which Smith students act as mentors for younger students, guiding them through research in interdisciplinary fields such as climate change and environmental concerns, behavioral and social sciences, computer science and AI. The hope is that this mentorship will increase participation in the Western Massachusetts regional fair.
“One large benefit of having students participate in science fairs is the opportunity to receive educational scholarship,” says Day, “not to mention experiential learning opportunities that include communication, critical thinking, creativity and collaboration.”
“The initiative to bring MSEF to campus resonates perfectly with Smith College’s vision of advancing equity in education and learning, demonstrating innovative approaches to teaching, research and inclusion,” she added.
The 2020 Western MA Science and Engineering Fair is slated to take place on Saturday, March 7th for high school students and Saturday, April 4th for middle schoolers. Both fairs will be held in the Smith College Conference Center. Members of the Smith community who would like to be involved on a deeper level as a mentor or Advisory Committee member are encouraged to contact Deborah Day at dday@smith.edu.
