Each year, the Massachusetts State Science and Engineering Fair showcases more than 300 of the “best of the best” high-school science fair research and design projects from across the state, awarding $500,000 in scholarships and prizes. The public showcase will be held at MIT on May 1 &2. Students in Grades 9-12 in Massachusetts may qualify to participate through high placement in either one of the six regional science fairs or their own school science fairs. They must first create a personal account and student profile and receive approval for their research plans.

Fenway High School‘s annual Senior Science Fair will be held on Friday, December 6, 8:30-11:30AM at Boston’s Museum of Science. The school seeks adult volunteers to be judges. You do not need to be a scientist to be a judge; you need an open mind, a positive attitude, and ability to provide candid feedback and thoughtful encouragement. The school will provide a , sample questions, a rubric, and orientation for judges (at 8:30AM). If you’re interested in participating, even if not for the full time, email Joseph Cheung at jcheung@fenwayhs.org. Museum parking will be validated, and you can explore the museum afterwards.

MIT AgeLab will host its annual OMEGA Summit for Grades 9-12 on the MIT campus on October 19, 10AM-2PM. Register here by October 15. OMEGA (Opportunities for Multigenerational Exchange, Growth, and Action) supports student programs and clubs that connect high school students with older adults. At the OMEGA Summit, students will connect across generations, brainstorm and share programming ideas, meet other students from across New England, and plan inter-generational projects in their schools and communities. OMEGA also sponsors the $1000 OMEGA scholarship, which is awarded to students and their organizations leading outstanding inter-generational efforts.

Boston College will hold BC Splash on Sunday, November 3, 10AM-4PM.  Splash is a one-day, student-run program in which undergraduates and graduate students teach mini-courses for students in Grades 7-12. There will be a parallel Parent Program about admissions and financial aid, sample splash classes, student panels, and campus tours There’s a $5 fee for the day, which includes a pizza lunch. Registration is required and is first-come/first-served. A signed liability waiver is also required.  For more information, email bcsplash@gmail.com or call at 617-297-7524. STEM-related classes in the course catalog include:

• Talking to Aliens
• Neuroscience of Social and Emotional Memory
• What is Forensic Science?
• Intro to Advanced Physics
• Intro to Marine Science: How the Ocean Moves & Ocean Pollution
• The Chemistry of Lava Lamps
• Neuroscience and Positive Psychology: Implications for Mental Health
• Science of the Sleeping Brain

BC Splash sent this notice:

Payment of the $5.00 registration fee is a separate process from class registration. Unfortunately due to technical difficulties, access to payment is currently unavailable. This situation will not hinder the ability to sign up for classes. When it becomes available, the steps for payment will be sent to registered students and their guardians. We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience.

Any Massachusetts K-12 school may register by September 18 to participate in the Zero Waste MA STEM Week Challenge — a part of Massachusetts STEM Week. Project Lead the Way and One8 Foundation’s Mass STEM Hub are sponsoring this real-world design challenge and offering educators free curriculum, training, and opportunities to connect with industry. Themes vary by grade level:

• K-2: Exploring food waste, understanding composting and recycling, and reducing your “foodprint”
• 3-5: Learning about novel energy solutions, understanding unintended consequences, and prototyping a way for your school to use cleaner energy sources
• 6-8: Understanding the impact of microplastics on the environment, animals, and our bodies and creating processes to decrease their spread
• 9-12: Exploring electronic waste and ecotoxicology, understanding the implications of the technology we use every day, and prototyping novel ways to refurbish used technology hardware.

Educators may register here by September 18. Volunteers may register here to be mentors and judges. For more information or to offer your own ideas, email stemweek@mass-stemhub.org.

Smithsonian Magazine will sponsor Museum Day on September 21, when you can visit any of 50 museums in Massachusetts, 14 in New Hampshire, and 24 in Rhode Island. Go online to search for a museum and print out a ticket good for free general admission for two people. STEM-oriented museums that are participating include:

Massachusetts

• Amherst College – Beneski Museum of Natural History (free every day)
• Charles River Museum of Industry and Innovation
• Discovery Museum
• Ecotarium
• Harvard Museum of Natural History
• Museum of Printing

New Hampshire

• McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center
• New Hampshire Telephone Museum
• Seacoast Science Center

Rhode Island

• Audubon Nature Center and Aquarium
• Museum of Natural History and Planetarium
• Norman Bird Sanctuary