January 9, 2012

Austin Energy Regional Science Festival Call for Volunteers

Austin Energy is seeking volunteers to serve in a variety of roles at the annual Austin Energy Regional Science Festival, Feb. 22-25, 2012 at Palmer Events Center. This is Austin Energy's largest community outreach event of the year with nearly 4,000 students and their families in attendance. To help make the event a success, volunteers are needed to judge student projects or provide general assistance.

AERSF is a competition for students who are advancing from their local schools. Last year, students from 23 school districts and 10 counties participated. Juniors (middle school students) and Seniors (high school students) submit their projects in 17 science categories ranging from Animal Sciences, Biochemistry and Chemistry to Medicine & Health, Physics and Plant Sciences. Judging is competitive and the top three winners in each category from both divisions advance to the state fair in San Antonio. The overall top five projects in the Senior Division, known as "Best of Fair," advance directly to the international competition.

Because judging is competitive in these divisions, Austin Energy needs subject matter experts to evaluate the projects. About 7-10 projects are assigned to each group of judges (typically consisting of 3 people). After a group has interviewed their assigned students, group members discuss the merit of each project and jointly determine the ranking. It is a two to four hour commitment, depending on the amount of students in each category.

Junior/Senior Division Judging
Thursday, Feb. 23, 2012 at Palmer Events Center
Seniors will be judged from 9 a.m. to about noon (check-in time for judges is at 8 a.m.); Juniors from 1:30 p.m. to about 4:30 p.m. (check-in time for judges is at 12:45 p.m.).

Elementary Judging
Saturday, Feb. 25, 2012 at Palmer Events Center
Grades 5 & 6 will be judged from 8:30 a.m. to 10:15 a.m. (check-in time for judges is at 8 a.m.); Grades 3 & 4 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. (check-in time for judges is at 10:30 a.m.). Elementary students submit their projects by grade level. Each project is judged on its own merit and receives either a 1st, 2nd or 3rd place ribbon.

Adults with a good general education and the ability to talk to young children can judge these projects. The main purpose of the fair is to encourage children to stay involved in science. If you are interested in judging or general volunteering, please register

The Austin Energy Regional Science Festival is one of Texas’ largest regional science fairs and one of just a few that includes elementary students. The event encourages and rewards innovative student research and provides local scientists, engineers and other professionals a chance to volunteer in the community. More than 450 judges and 100 volunteers from the City of Austin, local businesses, colleges, and elementary/middle/high schools contribute annually to the event’s success.

For more information about the Austin Energy Regional Science Festival or questions about volunteer opportunities, please contact Ingrid Weigand at ingrid.weigand@austinenergy.com.