BRIEF DESCRIPTIONS OF SPECIAL AWARDS THAT MAY BE PRESENTED AT THE
2017FAUQUIER COUNTY SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING FAIR
Because our science and engineering fair is affiliated with the Society for Science and the Public and the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair 2017 (Intel ISEF 2017), we are able to provide special awards to our students. These awards are given by professional organizations for scientists, universities, academic honor societies, and research branches of the military. Special awards recognize outstanding research in regional science and engineering fairs related to specific science and engineering disciplines. The individual awards vary in terms of specific criteria to be used to make the award and in grade level(s) (middle school or high school) to be considered for the award.The actual award may include a certificate, a letter of congratulations, a medallion, a cash award or a gift card, a gift of a valuable item for a student, or some combination of the above.If there are no projects that qualify for a given special award, the award will not be presented.
AMERICAN METEOROLOGICAL SOCIETY AWARD:The AMS is the nation’s premier scientific and professional organization promoting and disseminating information about the atmospheric, oceanic, and hydrologic sciences. The AMS awards are given for creative scientific endeavorin the atmospheric and related oceanic and hydrologic sciences.
AMERICAN PYSCHOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION AWARD: APA is the largest scientific and professional organization representing the field of psychology in the U.S. and is the world’s largest association of psychologists. This organization works to advance the creation, communication, and application of psychological knowledge to benefit society and improve lives. The APA award recognizes outstanding research in behavioral and social sciences or in a related discipline.
ASM MATERIALS EDUCATION FOUNDATION AWARD: ASM, formerly known as the American Society for Metals, is a professional organization for materials scientists and engineers. The mission of the ASM Materials Education Foundation is “to excite young people in materials, science, and engineering careers.” This award recognizes the outstanding science and engineering fair project related to materials science.
ASSOCIATION OF WOMEN GEOSCIENTISTS:AWG is an international organization that promotesparticipation of women in geosciences and introduces girls and young women to geoscience careers. This award recognizes a female student’s project that increases public awareness of the geosciences, illustrates the interdisciplinary nature of the geosciences, or promotes awareness of the earth as a global system.
INTEL “EXCELLENCE IN COMPUTER SCIENCE” AWARD: Intel supports science fairs around the world because it recognizes the importance of developing the talents of our most promising young minds. In particular, the company hopes to encourage increased participation in computer science, one of today’s fastest growing fields and an important source of innovation for the 21st century. This award is given for outstanding achievement in the category of computer science.
MU ALPHA THETA AWARD: Mu Alpha Theta is the national high school and two-year college mathematics honor society. This award recognizes an individual or team project at the high school level that demonstrates the most challenging, original, thorough, and creative investigation of a problem involving mathematics.
NASA “EARTH SYSTEM SCIENCE” AWARD: “NASA’s Vision: We reach for new heights and reveal the unknown for the benefit of humankind.” This new NASA award is given for studies of the environment and its effect on organisms and/or systems; it also is given for studies of the various components of Earth systems, their interactions, and their evolution. Categories for eligible projects include atmospheric science, climate science, environmental effects on ecosystems, geosciences, and water science.
NOAA “TAKING THE PULSE OF THE PLANET” AWARD: The mission of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is “Science, Service, and Stewardship: To understand and predict changes in climate, weather, oceans, and coasts, to share that knowledge and information with others, and to conserve and manage coastal and marine ecosystems and resources.” This award recognizes a student for outstanding research in a NOAA-related science.
RICOH SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AWARD: Ricoh Americas Corporation has a long-standing environmental mission and commitment to sustainability, bringing corporate, social, and environmental responsibilities in balance. This award will be presented for an outstanding project that has addressed issues of environmental responsibility and sustainable development.
SOCIETY FOR IN VITRO BIOLOGY AWARD: SIVB fosters exchange of knowledge of in vitro biology of cells, tissues and organs from both plants and animals (including humans). SIVB’s focus is on biological research, development, and applications of significance to science and society. This award will be given to the most outstanding 11th-grade student project in the areas of plant or animal in vitro biology or tissue culture.
STOCKHOLM JUNIOR WATER PRIZE REGIONAL AWARD: The Water Environment Federation, which sponsors this award, is a nonprofit technical and educational organization representing water-quality professionals around the world. The award is given to outstanding projects aimed at enhancing quality of life through improvement of water quality, water-resource management, or water and wastewater treatment. Award winners may compete at increasingly higher levels of competition including state, national, and international levels.
U.S. AIR FORCE AWARD: The U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory, which is located at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio, manages the Air Force Science Fair Program. This program offers a unique opportunity for the Air Force to recognize and encourage students who are conducting research in areas of interest to the Air Force and in STEM disciplines in general. In addition, it provides the Air Force with a way to acquaint students with Air Force career possibilities.
U.S. METRIC ASSOCIATION AWARD: This association is a national nonprofit organization that advocates completing the U.S. conversion to the International System of Units (SI, also called the metric system). All middle school students competing in our science and engineering fair are eligible to receive this award. This award will recognize the project that has made the best use of the SI system, and has expressed all measurements, including all calculations, graphs, results, etc., completely and correctly in SI units.
U.S. OFFICE OF NAVAL RESEARCH AWARD:The Office of Naval Research (ONR) supports the Naval Science Award Program for the U.S. Navy and the Marine Corps. ONR is committed to supporting science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) initiatives and programs for our nation’s young people.This award is given to outstanding projects in Naval-relevant science and engineering.
VA DENTAL ASSOCIATION AND NORTHERN VIRGINIA DENTAL SOCIETY SCIENCE TALENT AWARDS PROGRAM: These two organizations promote dentistry and dental research as potential career choices to our science-talented students, their teachers, advisors, and the community. The Virginia Dental Association and the Northern Virginia Dental Society will each give out their own awards and a Grand Prize winner will be selected on behalf of both organizations.
VIRGINIA LAKES AND WATERSHEDS ASSOCIATION AWARD: The mission of the VLWA is to promote and educate the public on good lake- and water- resource management, encourage sustainable stormwater- management practices and protect the welfare of lakes and other water resources within the Commonwealth. This award recognizes projects related to watershed and water-resource management, and/or stormwater projects as they relate to water-quality investigations.
YALE SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING ASSOCIATION, INC. AWARD: This organization participates in the national effort to attract secondary school students into the science and engineering “pipeline.” This award is given to the outstanding 11th grade project in the areas of chemistry, computer science, engineering, or physics. If no 11th-grade project qualifies, then this award will be given to a 10th – or 12th-grade project. In addition to a certificate and a medal, the winner of this award will receive a brochure about undergraduate studies in engineering at Yale, and a list of all winners of this award at regional and state science and engineering fairs will be forwarded to the Yale Admissions Office.