AWA at the Calgary Youth Science Fair

April 14, 2025

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• Awards

Text and photos by Sara Heerema

 

The Calgary Youth Science Fair (CYSF) has been running for even longer than AWA (since 1962!), and includes projects from more than 800 Calgary students from grades 5 to 12. I had heard that it was Canada’s largest science fair, and this was made obvious as I walked into the huge space at the University of Calgary Oval and saw the hundreds of posterboards set up in neat rows. The Alberta Wilderness Association has sponsored an award at this event for many years, and I was excited to see the variety of projects that might be considered. It was a blast from the past for me to attend this year, as I distinctly remember how proud I was to walk away with a bronze medal for my own project showing off how different detergents impacted bean plant growth.

I walked through each aisle, noting the diversity of topics that these young researchers had spent between 3 months and 4 years working on. Many of the projects focused on ideas like cancer and health research, AI systems, robotics, and the environment. Some of the eye-catching titles included: AI-driven early detection of breast cancer, The effect of screens on kids, Why don’t microwaves heat food evenly?, How do self-driving cars respond to obstacles in their path?, How do light colors affect plant growth?, Is there a planet B?, and Why do people have phobias?.  Schulich School of Engineering also made their presence known, giving out 3D printed dinosaurs, showcasing their racing team, and providing opportunities for kids to learn about a future in STEM.

This year’s recipient of the Alberta Wilderness Association Award was Jasmine Jutras, for their project: How to minimize the firebreak impacts on the environment?

Congratulations, Jasmine! We can’t wait to see what your project will be next year!