ORONO, Maine (WABI) -Orono High School hosted the 80th annual Maine State Science Fair today.
250 students from high schools all across the state headed to Orono to compete for nearly $1 million dollars in cash prizes and other special awards.
The event was hosted by the Maine Mathematics and Science Alliance (MMSA) and the Jackson Laboratory.
Students presented projects covering a range of scientific disciplines, including biology, psychology, and agriculture.
Laura Muller, Director of Undergraduate Programs at the Jackson Laboratory noted her excitement at watching students enjoy science as they worked on their fair projects.
“I really like the connection with the students because I like thinking with the students about what might be a good next step for them and where they might want to go. I also like asking the students hard questions about the science they’re doing and have them think about, wow, that’s not really the question I meant to answer and I see how I designed an experiment that’s not going to answer the question I want and so I need to think about it more.” said Muller.
High School Senior October Patterson, a competitor at this years’ Maine State Science Fair, discussed getting to share her love of science with her peers.
“I get to talk with all these people that also like to geek out about science. It’s something that like everybody should get the chance to talk about, something they like and not have a limit.” Said Patterson.
Her science fair project was on hydroponics, in which she created a hydroponic system using an old mayonnaise jar.
The Maine State Science Fair aims to inspire young innovators to pursue their interest in STEM careers.
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