NEW ORLEANS – Approximately 400 middle and high school students from Orleans, Jefferson, Plaquemines and St. Bernard parishes will display the results of their scientific inquiry at the 59th Annual Greater New Orleans Science and Engineering Fair (GNOSEF), Feb. 24 – 26, 2015, at the UNO Human Performance Center.
Student exhibits will be on display to the public on Wednesday afternoon and Thursday morning. Admission is free and open to the community. The GNOSEF’s schedule of events include:
Tuesday, Feb. 24
12:00 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.
Load-in of student exhibits
Wednesday, Feb. 25
9:00 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.
Judging of student exhibits
Wednesday, Feb. 25
3:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.
Public viewing
Thursday, Feb. 26
9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Public viewing
Thursday, Feb. 26
5:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
Awards Ceremony in the UNO Ballroom
GNOSEF encourages independent student research in science, technology, engineering and math. The Fair is open to any student nominated by their middle or high school within the designated parishes. Entrants fall into two divisions: Junior Division, comprised of middle school students (grades 6-8) and Senior Division, comprised of high school students (grades 9-12).
More than $50,000 in cash/ non-cash awards, prizes, grants and scholarships will be awarded to GNOSEF 2014-2015 winners/ teachers and schools, including a trip for four students and two teachers to the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (Intel ISEF), which draws more than 1,600 students from 70 countries with more than $4 million in cash awards and prizes.
Selected category winners at the GNOSEF in New Orleans are also eligible to compete for state honors at the Louisiana Science and Engineering Fair (LSEF) held at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, March 23 – 25, 2015, with those winners going on to the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (Intel ISEF) to be held May 10 – 15, 2015 in Pittsburgh, PA.
Last year’s GNOSEF Senior Division winners were: Helene Lovett, Lusher Charter School; Caitlyn Kelly, Benjamin Franklin High School; Paris Evans, Patrick F. Taylor Science & Technology Academy; and Pedro Rivera, Holy Cross School. Winners in the Junior Division were: Matthew Perniciaro, John Curtis Christian; and David Moses and Donovan Carney, Benjamin Franklin Elementary.
Throughout the three-day event, students will be able to participate in social media contests featuring trivia questions and Instagram photos/ videos of their GNOSEF experiences, making them eligible to win their very own Drone or other great prizes.
“This annual gathering of smart, curious students and dedicated STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) teachers serves as an educational platform for building a brighter future for everyone in our community,” Annette Oertling, Ph.D., GNOSEF Fair Director, said.
The Greater New Orleans Science & Engineering Fair is hosted by Tulane University, University of New Orleans and the non-profit Greater New Orleans Science & Engineering Fair, Inc. Additionally, it is supported by local industries, foundations and individuals, including major donors H. Britton Sanderford, Jr. and the Patrick F. Taylor Foundation.
"As sponsors of the Greater New Orleans Science & Engineering Fair,” Sanderford said, “we are committed to supporting this event because what the students learn from this, and their school science fairs, is extremely important to developing the skills they will need in their future education and careers.”
