WOOD BUFFALO REGIONAL SCIENCE FAIR
April 16 - 17, 2010
Fort McMurray, Alberta
VOLUNTEERS
We will begin accepting registrations for the 2010 Wood Buffalo Regional Science Fair on December 1st, 2009. Individuals interested in volunteering are asked to contact us by email. If you are volunteering as a judge, please include a very brief description of your judging, teaching, or science background. We will then instruct you on how to register using our online registration system. Once you have received an email invitation, you may begin the online registration process by clicking the button below.
WHAT DOES A SCIENCE FAIR JUDGE DO?
The Wood Buffalo Regional Science Fair represents an opportunity for local educators and industry scientists to come together and encourage our region’s budding young scientists. We were very pleased with the positive responses we received from our judges at last year’s Fair and are certain that, once again, volunteers will find the Fair to be a highly rewarding and memorable experience.
The judging process at the Wood Buffalo Regional Science Fair is similar to that used at the Canada-Wide Science Fair. Each project will be visited by a minimum of three judges over the course of the judging period. Judges should spend approximately 10-20 minutes with the participant(s) to assess their knowledge of the topic they have presented. Each judge will visit several projects and rank these projects based on the characteristics outlined in our judging rubrics. At the end of the judging period, the WBRSF Judging Committee will total up the rankings for each project and determine the top five projects for each category. (Special Award winners are determined by an independent panel of judges).
Although judges are responsible for selecting finalists, it should be remembered that the primary goal of the Fair is to foster curiosity and encourage all students (not just the finalists) to consider careers in science. It is our hope that the fair will be a very positive experience for everyone involved. One of the main goals of a judge should be to recognize the efforts of each student; every student that submits a project is a winner!
To learn more about the intent of science fairs and the responsibilities of science fair judges, please read The Canadian Institutes of Health Sciences’ guide to judging at science fairs.
YOU BE THE JUDGE
We are currently seeking judges for all age divisions (grades 4-12) and project categories. Judges should be enthusiast and have a firm understanding of the scientific method. Although this is the only requirement to judge at the Elementary level, a minimum of a B.Sc., experience teaching science at or above a grade seven level, or experience judging at science fairs is required in order to judge at the Junior or Senior levels.
SCHOOL FAIRS
The Wood Buffalo Youth Science Foundation is pleased to assist local schools by locating additional judges for their fairs. Please contact us if you are interested in participating as a judge at a school fair.
GENERAL VOLUNTEERS
In addition to judges, we also require general volunteers to assist with registration and other functions at the Regional Fair. Please contact us for more details.