Durham Regional Science Fair winners capture national awards

The University of Ontario Institute of Technology’s Faculty of Science, which hosted the Durham Regional Science Fair (DRSF) in April, congratulates its two grand prize winners for capturing national awards at the 56th Canada-Wide Science Fair (CWSF).

Ayemen Faridi, a Grade 11 student at J. Clarke Richardson Collegiate, Ajax and Ayanna Jeyakanthan, a Grade 7 student at Roland Michener P.S., Ajax represented Durham Region at the CWSF in Regina, Saskatchewan from May 15 to 20.

Faridi won the Canadian Acoustical Association Award, which includes a $1,000 prize and a subscription to the Canadian Acoustical Association journal. Faridi investigated the effects of the intensity and pitch of white noise on human concentration for their project Mastermind: The Effect of White Noise on Cognitive Concentration in Females.

Jeyakanthan won a Bronze Medal in the Junior Division (grades 7 and 8), which includes a medal and a $1,000 entrance scholarship to Western University in London, Ontario. Jeyakanthan examined the effects of microwave radiation on bacteria, fungi and plants in their project The Effects of Microwave Radiation.  

The national science fair featured 390 projects by 443 top young scientists advancing from more than 100 regional competitions across Canada. More than 500,000 students from across Canada start out each year competing in local school and club science fairs before advancing to the regional fairs and ultimately being selected to compete nationally.

As a former CWSF finalist, and now DRSF co-ordinator, Faculty of Science Senior Lecturer Mary Olaveson stresses what a wonderful experience the CWSF is for all participants. 

“It is life-changing—a very special week each year that gives young people who are brought together by a common interest in science a chance to meet like-minded youth from all across the country, share and compare their ideas and experiences, and make long-lasting connections and friendships,” says Olaveson. “This year’s Durham Regional Science Fair was the most successful in years, with more than 60 participants and 60 projects.”

Olaveson adds, “The success of our small team of two finalists at the CWSF is icing on the cake. It is also a credit to our team of regional judges, whose high standards and critical assessment of projects allowed our region to compete successfully at the national level. I want to thank the volunteers who made the regional fair run so smoothly. In particular, we are grateful for the support of our many sponsors, including the university’s Faculty of Science, which covered all expenses for Ayemen and Ayanna at the CWSF. Without all of this support, the success of the Durham Region team this year would not have been possible.”

The next DRSF will take place Saturday, April 7, 2018 at the University of Ontario Institute of Technology’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.

The next CWSF will take place at Carleton University in Ottawa, Ontario in May 2018.