Massachusetts Science & Engineering Fair

Thanks to the BROADCOM FOUNDATION for sharing one of our many amazing Massachusetts teachers in recognition of World Teachers’ Day.

ICYMI - https://conta.cc/4du0yqO

Had the pleasure of connecting with incredible people last week at the Portal Innovations, LLC Non-Profits Shaping the Future event, Massachusetts Technology Collaborative's Massachusetts Manufacturing MashUp, and BioProcess International! Amazing to learn more about the diverse industries driving innovation and to build connections that can benefit our Massachusetts Science & Engineering Fair (MSEF) students! Encouraged to hear so much talk about mentoring the next generation—that’s exactly what we’re all about at MSEF! Proud to support future STEM innovators and give them the tools to thrive. #mashup2024 #MSEF #SCIFAIR

?? Happy National Coding Week and thank you BROADCOM FOUNDATION for supporting our students via the?Broadcom Coding with Commitment? award at the Massachusetts Science & Engineering Fair Middle School State Fair. The award recognizes students in middle school who combine STEM learning with coding to solve a community problem they care about in their neighborhood, region, or on planet Earth that aligns with the 17 Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations. The 2024 winner was Aisha from Islamic Academy for Peace. Aisha’s project, "Smart Sensing Stick: Avoiding Waist Up Injuries for the Visually Impaired Using an Ultrasonic Sensor" aims to tackle the high rate of upper body injuries visually impaired people experience by engineering a tool that detects obstacles using an ultrasonic sensor and Arduino. Her innovation aligns with United Nations Sustainable Development Goal #3: Good Health and Well-Being! ?? ?? Hot off the press - Broadcom Foundation recently announced a new partnership with the Congressional App Challenge!?The Congressional App Challenge is a national competition sponsored by the U.S. House of Representatives to promote coding skills and STEM education among middle and high school students.?Congressional App Challenge Partners with Broadcom Foundation to Enhance Digital Literacy and STEM Access for Youth Nationwide We may know some students that would be interested ?? ? Learn more here:?https://lnkd.in/dGexkHA

?? Celebrating National Coding Week! ?? We’re excited to spotlight the incredible impact of coding on fostering creativity and critical thinking among young people. Coding is a cornerstone of STEM education, seamlessly integrating with science, technology, engineering, and mathematics to prepare students for future opportunities. This year’s Middle School Massachusetts Science & Engineering Fair powered by Cabot Corporation showcased some fantastic examples of how coding techniques are being applied to innovative projects: ? SmartSearch: Timesaving Automated Research Processes?by Ekansh The judges praised Ekansh for his ingenuity and creativity in developing an application that effectively summarizes concepts from scattered search results. They commended the sophistication of his solution and his resilience in overcoming challenges he faced. Ekansh's enthusiasm and ability to clearly explain his project and its underlying concepts also impressed the judges. ?? The Best Way to End Police Chases?by Diego Diego’s project addresses a real-world problem with a creative solution, using Arduino coding to tackle the challenge of police chases. Judges recognized Diego’s forward-thinking approach, describing him as a visionary student with impressive technical skills and ingenuity in applying coding to solve complex issues. ?? And a special shout out to Aisha from Islamic Academy for Peace, the 2024 BROADCOM FOUNDATION Coding with Commitment? Award winner! Aisha’s project, "Smart Sensing Stick: Avoiding Waist-Up Injuries for the Visually Impaired Using an Ultrasonic Sensor," addresses the high rate of upper body injuries among visually impaired individuals. By engineering a tool that detects obstacles with an ultrasonic sensor and Arduino, Aisha’s work aligns with the Sustainable Development Goal of Good Health and Well-Being. Kudos to all the talented young coders making a difference through their innovative projects! #NationalCodingWeek #STEMEducation #CodingWithCommitment #BroadcomFoundation #MSEF

???The mini expo at our inaugural MSEF Student Symposium was a vibrant hub of opportunity and connection! Students got to meet representatives from top organizations including MIT Beaver Works Summer Institute, MassBioEd Foundation , Boston University College of Engineering, MIT MITES, Wentworth Institute of Technology, Merrimack College, STEMMIES, Tufts University, University of Massachusetts Amherst, MIT Admissions, and Bridgewater State University. This section of the Symposium was a fantastic chance for students to engage with various STEM programs and explore pathways that align with their interests. One attendee noted, “I thought it was a valuable opportunity to connect with others that are interested in STEM and connect with organizations that provide STEM programs.” We extend our gratitude to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology for hosting us, to AbbVie for your sponsorship, and to National Grid for supporting MSEF’s mentoring programs. A big thank you to all the participating organizations that helped make this event such a success. We’re excited to see how these connections will inspire and shape the future of our STEM community!

Happening Now: The 2024 MSEF Student Symposium is in full swing. Buzz words for the day are community, perservence, and innovation. Students are meeting each other and building their networks. We can’t wait to share more details of the day! Thanks to AbbVie as event sponsor and National Grid for support of MSEF’s mentoring programs.

A huge thank you to NES OPTICA for their renewed support of the Massachusetts Science & Engineering Fair!???? Each year, MSEF students are hard at work conducting independent research projects that push the boundaries of science—many of which explore the fascinating world of optical science. For example: ???A student from Hopkinton High built and tested a noninvasive optical sensor to detect bilirubin in blood, contributing to advancements in diagnosing and monitoring jaundice. ???A student from Cambridge Rindge and Latin worked on increasing the precision of stellar parameters for exoplanets using TESS light curves. ???A student from Westfield High explored the effects of LED lighting on Painted Lady butterflies. These innovative projects wouldn't be possible without the generous backing of supporters like NES OPTICA. Your support is helping inspire the next generation of scientists and engineers in optical fields and beyond. Thank you for making these discoveries possible! To learn more about the New England Section of OPTICA go to www.nesoptica.org #STEMEducation #SCIFAIR #OpticalScience #IndependentResearch #MSEF

Introducing, Jon! As a dedicated volunteer and Fellow at Cabot Corporation, Jon has not only served as a judge but also helped update our Middle School Judge Rubric. We’re incredibly grateful for Jon’s commitment and enthusiasm for Science Fair. Thank you, Jon! #ThisIsScienceFairThursday

It is motivating to meet so many STEM professionals who are eager to volunteer their time to share their story to the next generation of STEM learners and explorers. Through our STEM Sparks series, we are lucky to have many of these sessions recorded and available on YouTube at MassScienceFair. Learn more about the pathways and careers of a wide selection of STEM professionals at the STEM Sparks link at linktr.ee/_MSEF_ #MotivationalMonday #MassScienceFair