Temple University hosted its annual George Washington Carver Science Fair on March 5 at the Aramark STAR Complex, where more than 400 students from the School District of Philadelphia presented their science projects. The event provided an opportunity for students to showcase their experiments and interact with judges, faculty, and student workers from Temple’s STEM fields.
The fair is part of Temple’s efforts to support STEM education in the local community by allowing students to experience a college campus and receive feedback from professionals. Many participants were visiting a university for the first time, which organizers say can help them envision future academic paths in science and technology.
George Mehler, assistant professor in the College of Science and Technology’s STEM Education Network and a judge at the event, said, “Whether it was tap water or pond water, the student took a transect across the city, mostly going through South Philly, which I found creative. They were very deliberate and accurate in how they tested the water for the various components.” Mehler also noted that conversations with judges help students refine how they describe their research and consider future careers: “They tend to ask a lot of questions about Temple and have the opportunity to talk to our Temple student workers, many of whom are majoring in science, mathematics or another STEM field.”
Mehler added that seeing diverse student workers helps prospective students imagine themselves pursuing STEM degrees: “The fact that many of our student workers come from diverse backgrounds helps these prospective students envision a future college pathway for themselves in STEM at Temple when they see someone who looks like them in those roles.” He also highlighted that many participants come from underserved neighborhoods near Temple: “Many of these students later enroll at Temple, and part of their success comes from meeting the Temple students who run these programs.”
Student Louis Sincavage presented research on recycling PET plastic bottles. He said presenting his work at Temple was valuable because it allowed him to learn from judges with industry experience: “Presenting my research here at Temple was really special because we got to see the campus and experience the local Philadelphia area, while also interacting and learning from judges on a higher education level.” Sincavage added that events like this inspire critical thinking about science among young people.
Another participant, David Tran from Northeast High School, used a microwave oven to measure the speed of light as part of his project. Tran expressed interest in attending medical school at Temple: “I would like to go to Temple because they have a great medical school program. I thought this science fair would be a great way to show the university who I am, make connections and share my goals for the future.”
The annual fair continues to serve as an introduction for local youth into scientific inquiry while providing them with resources and encouragement as they consider further studies.
