Tag Archives: Science

Ying Tri Region Science And Engineering Fair & Central New York Science And Engineering Fair Judging Opportunities

Greetings fellow astrophiles,

Two requests for judges have come across my inbox from TACNY for the Ying Tri Region Science and Engineering Fair (TRSEF) this Sunday (March 17th) and the Central New York Science And Engineering Fair (PDF Link) next Sunday (March 24th). I am volunteering for both events and encourage others with any science inclination to see just how smart some of our CNY teenagers are.

1. Ying Tri Region Science and Engineering Fair – Sunday, March 17th

The Ying TRSEF has doubled in size this year, so we need over 120 judges. As a result, I’m personally inviting CNY Observers and Observing members, hoping each would like to inspire middle and high school students on March 17th up at OCC.

Judges train from 9:30-11:15, then interview the students and deliberate with their judge team until 3:00 latest. We provide both breakfast and lunch, and our students are absolutely marvelous!

Please encourage your members to judge; they register online, so it’s easy.

2013march11_judging

2. Central New York Science And Engineering Fair – Sunday, March 24th

The Central New York Science and Engineering Fair (CNYSEF), formerly known as the Greater Syracuse Scholastic Science Fair, is in need of judges to evaluate students’ competition projects on Sunday, March 24, 2013, at the SRC Arena, which is located on the Onondaga Community College campus. Judges should arrive at the SRC at 8:00 a.m. The judging begins at 9:00 a.m. and the awards ceremony commences at 2:00 p.m. Breakfast, lunch and training for Judges will be provided on competition day. The CNYSEF is organized through the MOST, sponsored by Lockheed Martin, and is further supported by contributions from TACNY, NASA New York Space Grant, Time Warner Cable, Bristol-Myers Squibb, and several other local companies.

A bit about the CNYSEF:

Students from Cayuga, Cortland, Madison, Onondaga and Oswego counties will compete for designations as Honors, High Honors, and Highest Honors in two divisions: the Junior Fair for 4th-8th grade students, and the Senior Fair for 9th-12th grade students. Competitors are also awarded several unique Special Awards in addition to the categorial awards mentioned immediately prior. Judges do not need to be experts in science or engineering to listen as the students demonstrate how much they have learned and accomplished.

Those interested in serving as judges, please register online here. For more information, contact the CNYSEF Director, Peter W. Plumley, PhD, at CNYSEF@most.org.

The encouragement and interest shown by volunteer judges is an essential part of the students’ science fair experience. Help inspire our future generation of engineers and scientists.

Many, many thanks,
Diane & the CNYSEF Organizational Committee

TACNY Junior Cafe Scientifique: “Where Is the Science in Hollywood’s Sci-Fi Blockbusters?”

Saturday, February 16, 9:30-11:00am

Milton J Rubenstein Museum of Science & Technology, Syracuse NY


People often walk away from well-advertised Hollywood blockbusters, such as Avatar, Armageddon, Star Trek, Harry Potter or Hunger Games, believing that what they have observed on the big screen is real. Where do the fantasy and reality begin and end? Can life be found on other worlds? Is it possible to stop an asteroid on its way to impact Earth? What is warp speed? How do witches and wizards move from one place to another? Again, where does fiction end and reality occur?

People interested in learning more about the science in movies are invited to attend the free Junior Cafe presentation on Saturday, Feb. 16, from 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. at the Milton J. Rubenstein Museum of Science and Technology (MOST) in Syracuse’s Armory Square. Walk-ins are welcome, but we ask that people RSVP by emailing jrcafe@tacny.org by Feb. 13, 2013.

Presenter: Walter L. Sharp, “Len,” MS, CAS, is a Member of the TACNY Board of Directors, and an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Education at LeMoyne College. Len was a science teacher for 40 years and enjoys sharing sci-fi films that are related to earth science topics with his students. Len is a Past President of the Science Teachers Association of New York State (STANYS), the National Earth Science Teachers Association (NESTA), and the National Association of Presidential Awardees in Science Teaching (APAST). He was a Presidential Awardee in Science Teaching, which was cited by President Carter in 1996, and a National Science Teacher Association (NSTA) Distinguished Teacher. Twice named a National Association of Geoscience Teachers Outstanding Earth Science Teacher, Len is also a Christa McAuliffe Fellow, a Fulbright Memorial Fund Fellow to Japan, and a two-time Earthwatch Fellow. Len was a presenter for Vice President Al Gore’s Project Climate. Len has hiked all seven continents, 21 foreign countries, and 114 National Park monuments, parks, historical areas, battlefields and the like. His hobbies include collecting sci-fi films (1902-present), hiking, photography, travel, fossil collecting, golf and pool.

TACNY Junior Cafe Scientifique

TACNY Junior Cafe Scientifique, a program for middle-school students founded in 2005, features discussions about topics in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics in an informal atmosphere and seeks to encourage students to consider careers in these areas. Students must be accompanied by an adult and can explore the MOST at no cost after the event.

Technology Alliance of Central New York

Founded in 1903 as the Technology Club of Syracuse, the nonprofit Technology Alliance of Central New York’s mission is to facilitate community awareness, appreciation, and education of technology; and to collaborate with like-minded organizations across Central New York.

For more information about TACNY, visit www.tacny.org.