Hudson High School students Betsy Hart (left) and Martha
Masich (right) presented their project at the STEM Science
Fair event in the Kent Student Center Ballroom on Jan. 24.

Science, technology, engineering and math – commonly referred to as STEM fields – and area students working in them were spotlighted in the Kent Student Center Ballroom on Jan. 24 at the Fourth Annual Northeast Ohio STEM Project Fair.

Sponsored by Kent State University’s College of Arts and Sciences and organized in partnership with the Northeast Ohio STEM Alliance, the fair featured the work of 280 students in grades 4 through 12.

Many of the students were promoted to regional- and state-level competitions, including Western Reserve District 5 Science Day; NEOSEF, the Northeastern Ohio Science and Engineering Fair; and at the state level, State Science Day.

Kent State’s Robin Selinger, Ph.D., and Edgar Kooijman, Ph.D., served as faculty organizers of the event. Selinger is a professor of chemical physics at Kent State’s Liquid Crystal Institute® and a member of the advisory board of the Northeast Ohio STEM Alliance. Kooijman is an associate professor of biological sciences.

“Science fairs give students the chance to work independently on a project of their own choosing, using scientific tools to investigate how the world works,” Selinger says. “For many students, this experience sparks an interest in taking advanced STEM courses in high school, leading to a STEM major in college and career opportunities in science, engineering and related fields. Kent State's College of Arts and Sciences and the Northeast Ohio STEM Alliance are delighted to work as partners to bring this opportunity to students in our local area.”

The Northeast Ohio STEM Alliance is an advocacy group of parents and community members dedicated to promoting interest and participation in STEM activities.

For more information about the Northeast Ohio STEM Project Fair hosted by Kent State, visit www.neohstem.org.