Record number of projects at 2017 Durham Regional Science Fair

A new record for community participation was established at the annual Durham Regional Science Fair (DRSF) hosted by volunteers with the Faculty of Science at the University of Ontario Institute of Technology. The event is one of more than 100 regional science fairs held each spring across the country. Two area students will represent Durham Region at the national science fair next month in Saskatchewan.

This year’s DRSF featured 58 projects and more than 60 students from grades 4 to 12 representing more than two dozen schools in Ajax, Oshawa, Pickering, Whitby and the townships of Brock, Scugog and Uxbridge. More than 200 visitors (family, teachers, media and public) checked out projects during the public viewing to show their interest and support for the young scientists of Durham Region.

Grand Prize winners

Senior category student winner Ayemen Farudi (J. Clarke Richardson Collegiate, Ajax) investigated the effects of the intensity and pitch of white noise on human concentration in her project entitled Mastermind.

Junior category student winner Ayanna Jeyakanthan (Roland Michener P.S., Ajax) examined the effects of microwave radiation on bacteria, fungi and plants in her project entitled The Effects of Microwave Radiation.  

Congratulations to Ayemen and Ayanna, who advance to the Canada-Wide Science Fair (CWSF) in Regina, Saskatchewan beginning Monday, May 15. The weeklong CWSF will feature 500 top young scientists from across the country.

2017 DRSF award winners

Senior (grades 11 and 12):

• First: Ayemen Farudi (J. Clarke Richardson Collegiate, Ajax)

Intermediate (grades 9 and 10):

• First: Ammar Farudi (J. Clarke Richardson Collegiate, Ajax)

Junior (grades 7 and 8)

• First: Ayanna Jeyakanthan (Roland Michener P.S., Ajax)
• Second: Rumesha Khan and Nicolette Christodoulakis (Roland Michener P.S., Ajax)
• Third: Marthena Makary (Roland Michener P.S., Ajax)
• Honourable mentions:
  • Amber Rizvi (William Dunbar P.S., Pickering)
  • Shiv Patel (Alexander Graham Bell P.S., Ajax)
  • Alex Bellman (Dr. S.J. Phillips P.S., Oshawa)

Elementary (grades 4 to 6)

• First: Aashish Vivekanand and Yusuf Kalamadeen (John Dryden P.S., Whitby)
• Second: Aaliya Moolla (Sir William Stephenson P.S., Whitby)
• Third: Ryan LeRiche (John Dryden P.S., Whitby)
• Honourable mentions:
  • Jessica LeRiche (John Dryden P.S., Whitby)
  • Manaar Fatema Hussain (Valley Farm P.S., Pickering)
  • Mansha Manivannah and Subega Sivanenthira

Special awards

• UOIT Innovation Awards: Aaliya Moolla (Sir William Stephenson P.S., Whitby) and Alex Bellman (Dr. S.J. Phillips P.S., Oshawa)
• Lake Simcoe Conservation Authority Award: Aaliya Moolla (Sir William Stephenson P.S., Whitby)

Looking ahead to 2018

The next DRSF will take place Saturday, April 7, 2018 at the university’s north Oshawa location. All students in grades 4 to 12 in Durham Region (which includes Ajax, Oshawa, Pickering, Whitby, and the townships of Brock, Scugog and Uxbridge) are welcome to participate. For additional details, registration information and contacts, check out the DRSF website.

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