Canterbury Westland Science and Technology Fair

NEWS RELEASE: LINCOLN UNIVERSITY

Friday, August 19, 2005

Best and brightest on show at Canterbury Westland Science and Technology Fair

The best and brightest young minds in Canterbury and perhaps the country will be on show at the Christchurch Convention Centre this Sunday (21 August 2005).

The Lincoln University Canterbury Westland Science and Technology Fair has attracted around 400 students this year from schools all around the region. Schools have been running their own mini Science and Technology Fairs over the past few months to select their best Science and Technology students.

“We are seeing a huge interest from schools and students in Science and Technology. In a typical Kiwi way many of the exhibitions are aimed at solving practical problems that these young people have encountered,” says Dr Jon Hickford, Chief Judge of the event and a Senior Lecturer at Lincoln University, the principal sponsor of the Fair.

“Students enter for the challenge but have the added benefit of cash prizes and of course the prestige if they win a category.”

“Some schools tend to figure very strongly from year to year, for instance Cobham Intermediate, which again is fielding an impressive array of 18 entries from its Year 11 and 12 students.”

Some of the exhibit topics from Cobham this year are: Recycling Grey Water; Projectile Weight and Distance; Acid Rain, Plants Cry for Help; To Graze or not to Graze; Tsunami; Lick This!

“We believe the enthusiasm for the Fair is part of the culture of innovation and success that has developed in Christchurch and Canterbury. We have some of the best businesses in the country, and the current generation of students bodes well for that to continue,” says Jon Hickford

There is more than $23,000 awarded in prizes and over 100 prizes in total.

The most prestigious Best in Fair prize provides a tertiary scholarship for three years study at either Lincoln University or CPIT, worth over $4000 per annum.

Other prizes include $1000 from Meat and Wool NZ for the best exhibition in its category, and $300 from AgResearch. Environment Canterbury offers a prize with $1000 cash to the school and $400 to the student.

An army of approximately 100 judges will spend Sunday morning judging the exhibits, which is based on age group – Year 7, Year 8, Years 9-10, and Years 11-13 – and category, either Science or Technology.

The public is welcome to attend the Fair from 1.30pm on Sunday. Entry is a gold coin donation.

ENDS

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