Science Fair

St. Joseph’s Academy remains committed to addressing the gender gap in STEM. Among the initiatives which help prepare young women to pursue careers in STEM fields is Science Fair.

STEM fields account for some of the fastest growing and highest paying jobs of the future. But women are typically underrepresented in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics disciplines, currently making up less than 30 percent of the STEM workforce.

St. Joseph’s Academy remains committed to addressing the gender gap in STEM. Among the initiatives which help prepare young women to pursue careers in STEM fields is Science Fair.

Students enrolled in an honors science course at SJA participate in Science Fair. While this is usually part of the Biology Honors course, Science Fair is required for any student moving into an honors science course.

SJA’s Science Fair Coordinator helps students select their research topic according to their specific areas of interest. Students then work with the Science Fair Coordinator to determine mentors with whom they can partner. Experiments can be completed at a lab, in a doctor’s office, at home or at school depending on the topic and its complexity.

Students typically spend a year-and-a-half working on their original research project. Grades are given for various elements of the research process.

The Science Fair Coordinator is a valuable resource throughout the research process. She is available for meetings during lunch periods and by appointment. Meetings can be scheduled on Moodle.

Research Categories

• Animal Sciences
• Behavioral and Social Sciences
• Biochemistry
• Biomedical and Health Sciences
• Biomedical Engineering
• Cellular and Molecular Biology
• Chemistry
• Computational Biology and Bioinformatics
• Earth and Environmental Sciences
• Embedded Systems
• Energy: Sustainable Materials and Design
• Engineering Technology: Statics and Dynamics
• Environmental Engineering
• Materials Science
• Mathematics
• Microbiology
• Physics and Astronomy
• Plant Sciences
• Robotics and Intelligent Machines
• Systems Software
• Translational Medical Science

Elements of Research Projects

• Abstract
• Introduction
• Problem/Purpose/Hypothesis
• Materials/Procedure
• Results/Discussion
• Analysis/Statistics
• Conclusions
• Application to Society
• Bibliography

Presenting Your Science Fair Project

Students’ research is presented at the School Science Fair. Judges from a variety of disciplines view the research projects and, based on score and category placement, students are selected to advance to the Region VII Science and Engineering Fair. From there, research projects are judged and selected for inclusion in the Louisiana State Science and Engineering Fair. A number of special awards are given at both fairs, and there are opportunities to earn an invitation to the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair-ISEF in mid-May. ISEF locations rotate each year.

The Importance of Scientific Research Projects

Scientific research projects foster the development of important skills, including reading, writing, spelling, grammar, math, statistics, ethics, logic, critical thinking, computer science, graphic arts, scientific methodology, self-learning of one or more technical or specialty fields, public speaking and defense and much more.

Other benefits enjoyed by students engaging in scientific research:

• Projects showcase a student’s ability to independently explore a topic and ask meaningful questions. 
• Research builds a student’s confidence and challenges her potential.
• The research process can spark a passion for science and technology, potentially leading students to pursue STEM-related careers. 
• Projects are self-validating and exciting.
• A student gains a feeling of independent achievement with the successful completion of a project.
• Students report that participating in Science Fair is a very rewarding experience.
• Students gain invaluable cross-curricular experience.
• Students work in labs and with local scientists/researchers.
• SJA’s Science Fair is an ISEF-affiliated fair.
• Participants have opportunities to participate in the Junior Science and Humanities Symposium as well as Regional, State and International Fairs.

High school students who graduate with a record of awards for original research or engineering at the Regional Fair and beyond have a distinct advantage over other college applicants when being considered and accepted by the schools of their choice. Science Fair looks great on a resume!

History

SJA regularly finishes as the top school at regional and state science and engineering fairs. Science students are invited to present their original research at national and international competitions. In fact, SJA has been represented at the prestigious Intel International Science & Engineering Fair every year the competition has been held since 1998. Students’ research has even helped them earn college scholarship money.

St. Joseph’s Academy is a Regeneron-ISEF affiliated fair and follows and complies with all rules and regulations set forth by ISEF. There are several accompanying forms to follow each project that will need to be approved and dated accordingly.