The South Central/Southwest (SC/SW) Minnesota Regional Science and Engineering Fairs bring together the most outstanding projects, which have been selected from local fairs.
The South Central and Southwest regions are two of the eight regions in Minnesota. The South Central region encompasses the schools in the counties of Blue Earth, Brown, Carver, Faribault, Freeborn, Le Sueur, Martin, McLeod, Nicollet, Scott, Sibley, Waseca, and Watonwan. The Southwest region encompasses the schools in the counties of Chippewa, Cottonwood, Jackson, Lac Qui Parle, Lincoln, Lyon, Murray, Nobles, Pipestone, Redwood, Renville, Rock, and Swift.
The South Central/Southwest Minnesota Regional Science & Engineering Fair - Junior/Senior High Division - will take place on Saturday, February 21, 2009 at the Student Centennial Union at Minnesota State University, Mankato and is for students in grades 7-12. The annual fair attracts more than 250 projects and research papers from the two regions. More than 400 volunteer judges and staff personnel also contribute their time for the benefit of students and science.
The South Central/Southwest Minnesota Regional Science & Engineering Fair — Elementary Division - will take place on Saturday, May 2, 2009 at Myers Field House and Taylor Center and is for students in grades 3-6. This annual fair attracts approximately 1,300+ projects from southern Minnesota. Nearly 450 volunteer judges and staff personnel take part in this fair.
These combined totals make the South Central/Southwest Minnesota Regional Science & Engineering Fair one of the largest affiliated science and engineering fairs in the United States!
The South Central/Southwest Minnesota Regional Science & Engineering Fairs are both a competition and an educational experience. Minnesota State University, Mankato, regional businesses and industries, and individuals with scientific interests sponsor the fairs. We are very appreciative to all these contributors.
The science fair project is the culmination of hard work and persistent investigation. It affords a young scientist the opportunity to share their interests with parents, relatives, neighbors, and teachers as well as the chance to be interviewed by the judges who are scientists, engineers, doctors, and others with scientific interests.
The opportunity significantly contributes to the education of students in the thinking process of formulating the project and actually doing the experiments. It may mean the beginning of a life-long fascination with science.
