Science & Technology Fair winners announced

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Auckland city winners

Two Epsom Girls’ Grammar students have taken out the NIWA Premier Gold Award for the best exhibit in this year’s NIWA Auckland City Science and Technology Fair.

Aimee Zang and Rena Liu were competing against about 250 students from 23 schools around Auckland. They were awarded the $600 premier award for their project entitled Tenocyte Regeneration.

Emily Danesh-Meyer from Auckland Diocesan School For Girls received the runner-up prize of $350 for her project A Fishy Business, while Aden Borlase Mills from Ponsonby Intermediate was awarded the NIWA Auckland prize for the best exhibit in atmospheric and water science.

A diverse array of entries was judged by a team of people, including scientists, educators and industry representatives. Prizes were awarded for a range of scientific research projects including excellence in biology, best use of statistical data, best entomology and the opportunity to be a scientist for a day.

For more information see:   www.scifair.org.nz

Wellington winners

A Wellington High School student has taken out the prize for best overall exhibit at this year’s NIWA Wellington Regional Science and Technology Fair.

Callum Davidson, a Year 10 student, won the $1000 Royal Society of New Zealand Wellington Branch prize with his project entitled Falling Sand.

Therese Featherston, a Year 13 student from Queen Margaret College, won the Victoria University Innovation Prize of $4000 towards the fees in the first year of an undergraduate degree in science or engineering. Therese’s exhibit was called The Matter of GATA?

Sarah Scott, a Year 7 student from St Benedict's School, won the Victoria University Faculty of Science prize of an iPad for the best Class 1-4  (Years 7 - 10) exhibit. Sarah’s project “Who has the most bacteria in their mouth? Police officers or police dogs?” was also judged first equal in Class 1.

The fair, sponsored by the National Institute of Water & Atmospheric Research (NIWA), is open to the public tomorrow from 9.30am-12.30pm at the Laby Building, Victoria University.

Prizes will be awarded tomorrow, starting at 1pm.

Chief Judge Bradley Douglass, from Victoria University’s School of Chemical and Physical Sciences, said he was impressed by the standard of this year’s entries.

“It was so impressive to see the works our younger generation have produced for this year's Science Fair.  We've seen just the start of what these students will go on to achieve, and it shows their tremendous ability to turn a blank slate into a project they can be proud of, with support and resources from mentors around them.”

There were 430 exhibits at this year’s fair.

Other winners:

Louis Thomas, from Northland School, and Carlos Mendonca, from Raroa Intermediate, were judged first equal in Class 2 (Year 8). Louis’ project was: How now green cow - which cows’ feed lessens methane and carbon dioxide emissions? and Carlos’ project was Smoke in the Water.

Margarita Montes de Oca, Susie Lee and Winnie Ng, from Wellington Girls' College, with Underwater Wall.E were judged first in Class 3 (Year 9).

Jack Tregidga, a Year 11 student from Wellington High School, won the University of Otago Prize of a trip to 2015 Hands on Science summer school.  His exhibit was Astroblaster.

Details of the main prizewinners, and the first prizewinner in each class are posted at: www.sciencefair.org.nz.

Waikato winners

Students from three Cambridge schools have scooped the major prizes at this year’s NIWA Regional Waikato Science and Technology Fair.

The 2014 NIWA Premier Award winner was Hannah Bradshaw, a Year 8 student from Hautapu School, Cambridge for her project: The Effects of Sunspots on the Earth’s Magnetic Field.

Hannah’s project investigated the relationship between sunspots on the sun’s surface and small changes in the earth’s magnetic field.  Using a magnetometer she constructed using an empty soda bottle and hanging bar magnet, Hannah was able to measure magnetic field disturbances and compare these recordings with sun spot observations she made using a pinhole camera.  She was then able to compare her own sunspot counts and magnetic field measurements with sun spot records found online to show that indeed there did seem to be a relationship.  Hannah observed that there was increased disturbance to the earth’s magnetic field at times when there were a higher number of sunspots.

The judges were impressed with Hannah’s knowledge and ability to carry out the technical measurements while solving problems as she progressed.  Hannah also won the DairyNZ Trophy for Best Planet Earth & Beyond exhibit. For her efforts Hannah has taken home two gold medals, a trophy and more than $1200 in prize money.

The runner-up was Joe Dillon from Cambridge Middle School.  His project, Echo Location Location Location, looked at the presence of bats in Cambridge.  Joe also received the Livestock Improvement Corporation Trophy for Best Living World exhibit and a special award from the Department of Conservation.

The winner of this year’s NIWA Work Experience Scholarship for top senior student was another Cambridge student, Marizka Oberholzer from St Peter’s School who won with her project , 27 Seconds and Bam They’re Dead. Her prize gives her paid work experience working alongside scientists at NIWA Hamilton over her summer break.

A new award introduced for 2014 was the NIWA shield for Best Overall School Achievement at the fair.   St Peter’s school in Cambridge won this, closely followed by Berkley Normal Middle School.

More than 290 projects from students in Years 7-13 were entered in the annual fair this year from 27 schools around the Waikato.

NIWA ecologist and science fair co-ordinator Tracey Burton said there were some outstanding entries in this year's competition and she was excited to see so many of the students investigating issues that affect our health and environment using good scientific processes.

Kelvin Hogg, chair of the science fair committee and head of science at Hamilton's St Paul's Collegiate, said the quality of the exhibits had exceeded expectations.  "I am very encouraged by the complexity of the topics and the thoroughness of the research. Our scientific future is in good hands."

He also wanted to thank the parents and teachers who have put in a vast amount of time and effort to support our budding young scientists.

For full results and photographs see www.waikatosciencefair.org.nz

Bay of Plenty winner

A Katikati student has taken out the premier award at this year’s NIWA Bay of Plenty Regional Science and Technology Fair.

Katikati College’s Fergus Chinnery was awarded the NIWA premier prize of a cup and $600 for his project: Can I Increase the Odds? The project examined the cleaning and harvesting of seeds from selected clover plants in order to increase the odds of finding a four leaf clover on one plant.

Fergus also received the Otago University Summer School Award for the best application of scientific method and the Don Raynor Memorial Award.

Meanwhile, Mount Maunganui Intermediate student Ben Tustin received the Kiwanis Reserve Award for second overall winner which saw him awarded a cup and $400. His project was entitled Trouble at C. His project also won the Rotorua District Council Mayoral Award for health and welfare.

More than 170 projects from students in Years 7-13 were entered in the competition from across the Bay of Plenty.

The full of list of winners will be  available at www.bopscifair.org.nz.

Manukau winner

A Pukekohe High School student has taken out top honours in the NIWA Manukau Regional Science and Technology Fair.

Year 10 pupil Eurmika Penaflor took out the premier award, receiving $1000 in prizemoney, for the best exhibit for her project entitled A Fantastic ApPEEL of Bioplastics. Eurmika recycled waste from grapefruit and lemon peels into a biodegradable plastic product.

The runner up was a Year 8 student from Somerville Intermediate. Ella Lee tested different types of hair ties. Ella tested their life span and durability and found that those that have better durability do not necessarily have the longest lifespan. She won $250.

Manurewa Year 12 student Ranish Chand was awarded the University of Otago hands-on science award for his project, entitled Chemical vs Natural.

More than 150 projects from students in Years 7-13 from about 20 schools in the Manukau region entered in the annual fair with students competing for prizes in several categories.

The full of list of winners from the Manakau Science Fair will be available at www.sciencefairmanukau.org.nz.

 

Waikato Premier Award winner Hannah Bradshaw and runner-up Joe Dillon.
Rotorua TV interviewing BOP winning student, Fergus Chinnery. [NIWA]

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