March 13, 2003 News Media Release

Austin Energy Regional Science Festival to attract 1,500-plus students, 100 schools

More than 1,500 students from about 100 schools and 10 surrounding school districts will descend on the Palmer Events Center March 21-22 to showcase their winning science fair projects and compete to advance to state and international competition. Last year, Connally High School student Kevin Gao advanced to the prestigious International Science and Engineering Fair where he finished third competing against the most talented high school students in the country and Canada.

Austin Energy, Austin’s community-owned electric utility, is the major sponsor for this annual event that has been renamed the Austin Energy Regional Science Festival.

All of the students displaying projects have already won science fairs at their respective schools, which include public, private and home schools. The top three finishers at the regional science fair in each category in the junior and senior divisions move on to compete at the Texas State Science Fair and can advance to the International fair to compete for scholarships and cash prizes.

All elementary school students participating in the Austin Energy science festival receive a ribbon and certificate and trophies are awarded to the top five finishers in each of the junior and senior division categories.

Professor R. Malcolm Brown Jr., Johnson & Johnson Chair in Plant Cell Biology at the University of Texas, is the featured speaker during the junior and senior division award ceremonies at 7 p.m. Friday, March 21. Public viewing of projects on Friday is from 4:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.

Interactive games and educational activities hosted by companies such as Sematech, Tokyo Electron and Science Adventures will be available for children from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, March 22 during Exploring Science Day. The award ceremony for the elementary division is at 4:00 p.m. Project viewing on Saturday is from 12:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Admission to all science festival events is free.

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For more information, contact Ed Clark, Public Information.
Phone: (512) 322-6514
Pager: (512) 802-2000