USGS Participates in Judging Falmouth Academy Science Fair Projects


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USGS Participates in Judging Falmouth Academy Science Fair Projects

By Jeff Williams
April 2008

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Middle- and high-school science fairs are important events each year that spark students' interest in science and motivate them to pursue scientific study in high school and college and, eventually, go into scientific careers. Fairs also serve to increase public understanding and appreciation of a wide range of scientific issues, including the need to use science to protect the environment and the Earth's natural resources and to aid humankind.

All students in Falmouth Academy do hands-on science and are involved with the annual science fair, where three judges evaluate each project. Students at this deliberately small school are regularly invited to go on to regional, State, and international science competitions, where they break small-school records.

Above left: Sophomore Ian Remillard explains his project, "The Effect of Arrow Fletching on Drag," to Joseph Pedlosky, senior scientist emeritus at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. Photograph by Susan D. Moffat, Falmouth Academy. [larger version]

Above right: Junior Hannah Allen explains her project, "Viability of Fragments of the Invasive Colonial Tunicate Didemnum sp." Photograph by Susan D. Moffat, Falmouth Academy. [larger version]

On Friday, February 15, 2008, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Woods Hole Science Center contributed 10 scientific staff to serve as judges for the Falmouth Academy Science Fair competition. The Academy is a private school in Falmouth, Massachusetts, that has been in operation for 30 years; the 2008 event was its 20th Science Fair. Nearly 200 students exhibited projects covering a range of topics, from "The Effect of Sleep Deprivation and Circadian Rhythm on Cockroach Olfactory Memory" to "How Do Currents and Water Heights Change During a Tidal Cycle?" to "Factors Affecting the Size of Sugar Crystals in Fudge." The USGS Woods Hole Science Center scientists who served as judges were Elizabeth Bailey, John Bratton, Brian Buczkowski, Deborah Hutchinson, John Pohlman, Andrew Schroth, Rich Signell, Dave Twichell, Bill Waite, and Jeff Williams. In addition, as part of an award ceremony toward the end of the fair, Jeff Williams presented a special award, the Estuarine Water Quality Issues Award, sponsored by the Falmouth Associations Concerned with Estuaries and Saltponds, to junior Annie Stimson for her outstanding project, "Does Housing Density Around Ponds Affect Pond Nitrate Levels?" (The answer is "Yes!')