10 August 2011 Young scientists showcasing their talent

Every year students from Lincoln High School and Lincoln Primary School work on high calibre science projects, judged by Lincoln University staff, with the ultimate aim to represent their school at the Canterbury-Westland Schools’ Science and Technology Fair (being held this year in September).  The projects were judged on Thursday 4 August 2011 at the School Hall, Lincoln High School.

“Lincoln University has for many years supported this mini science fair which showcases the talent of our future scientists” says Lincoln University’s Science Outreach Coordinator Sue Unsworth .  “We are passionate about encouraging young students to take a keen interest in science and to investigate scientific ideas that interest them”.

Santhia Hamburg, Assistant Head of the Science Department at Lincoln High School co-ordinated the science fair.  “I look forward to seeing the diverse range of projects from the students.  They have all been working hard on their projects and this science fair gives them an opportunity to showcase their talent to classmates, parents and most importantly the judges.  Having Lincoln University’s staff take time out to judge for us shows the students the importance of the projects they work on and also introduces them to the possibilities post-school in science.”

One of the projects was called ‘Shaking up the Habitat’ by Year 7 Lincoln Primary School student Edgar Paterson.  His aim was to know if liquefaction from earthquakes affected the diversity of insects, spiders and other invertebrates.  Edgar thought that liquefaction might reduce the diversity and number of individuals because the silt and sand has changed the habitat.  After research he discovered that were was no big effect from the liquefaction. The only concern might be that the ecosystem health is down in the liquefaction areas.  Interestingly there was a much bigger difference between crop and pasture.  In the pasture where the calves were, the ecosystem health was a lot worse than in the liquefaction areas.  His conclusion “Cows are worse than earthquakes for farm ecosystems!”  Edgar went on to win the Year 7 category.

The winners were:

• Year 7 – Edgar Paterson, Lincoln Primary School
• Year 8 – Hamish Richards, Lincoln Primary School
• Year 9 – Jarvis Wilson, Chris Bell and Angus Webb, Lincoln High School
• Year 10 – Jilada Eccleston, Lincoln High School
• Year 10 Technology Project –Dacre Herlihy, Lincoln High School
• Overall joint winners –  Edgar Paterson and Jilada Eccleston

Each winner from years 7 to 10 received a prize from Lincoln University and will represent their respective school at the Canterbury-Westland Schools’ Science and Technology Fair.  The Fair is being held on Sunday 11 September and Monday 12 September 2011 at the Addington Events Centre.  This event attracts up to 400 entries from intermediate and secondary schools throughout the region.