Volunteering at the 2023 High School Science Fair as an in-person, on-site judge, reminded me of my experience volunteering at the Science Fair in the 2021. At that time, with ongoing pandemic, Science Fair 2021 was, by necessity, organized as a virtual event.
Even virtual experience did not diminish its meaning and significance.
After more than 10 hours long Science Fair Day, I felt as tired as being the whole day at work. At the same time emotionally, I felt in owe, inspired, and energized.
At the end of a long day, those were some of my insights and observations:
Insight 1: Youth is our future.
Despite the challenges of Covid-19 pandemic, over 100 students demonstrated scientific curiosity, innovative thinking, adaptability, determination, resilience, and laudable persistence.
Witnessing their curiosity and a desire for scientific truth, critical thinking, and effort to better understand the world we live in was encouraging and inspiring.
Insight 2: “Research is formalized curiosity. It is poking and prying with a purpose”. Zora Neale Hurston
The morning started with expertly led orientation session for judges from United States and abroad. The “abroad” feature was uniquely available to virtual event. Technologically, organization was done very well and for the most part, went smoothly.
The main technical glitches we experienced had to do with staying within 10 minutes judging time limit per judge (as some were running late). Anyone staying longer than 10 minutes caused delays for other judges in accessing student’s virtual room and oral poster presentation for judging. Once these glitches were worked out, the rest of the day ran pretty smoothly.
Technology has once again proved to be a useful servant. Pandemic opened some new doors for all of us to utilize technology for distance learning, remote e-Learning and hosting virtual events. At the time, for a time period, it was a new normal.
Insight 3: Adaptability is one of the most important factors for survival.
Students adjusted to new normal as well. They learned how to present their work virtually. They were kind, thoughtful, professional.
Many times, I heard their personal stories about needing to adapt and change their initial research plans. They often had to find an alternative, that was acceptable and compliant with overall covid-19 pandemic situation and imposed restrictions.
Seeing students doing the best they can with what they had was inspiring.
Some of the students were remarkably creative while having lots of fun learning.
Others demonstrated incredible abilities of being self-starters.
I witness no paralysis of analysis. I witnessed young people of action and tremendous dedication and self-discipline. It reminded me of students playing sports. Doing research is like playing sports. It is an interesting analogy. Some students put in 15, 20 or more hours a week for studying, researching, training, experimenting, improving. Just like playing sports or playing an instrument.
One high school student read over 100 scientific articles and signed up for 2 Coursera courses (about 100 hours each), in order to understand the topic well. Once he understood the depth of the problem, he contacted the authors of some of the top publications in the field, to inquire about data sharing. That student aimed to develop a new computer model to improve overall disease detection.
He completed all coding himself. He worked daily for over 3 months. As a result, he created a new model and research algorithm, which was impressive. He is clearly destined for a bright future in computational biology.
His work was original. He created new outcome. He tested analytical approach. And, he did all this on his own initiative and creativity. What would have happened if he actually received some mentoring? I sincerely hope that someone will spot this amazing talent on his further educational journey and will provide him necessary mentoring and guidance for success.
Insight 4: “Your future is created by what you do today, not tomorrow.”
I encouraged him for his future journey and conveyed my sincerely good wishes and a hope for bright future and continued success.
But he was not alone. There were more students like him: both boys and girls.
Some students knocked on doors after doors. They kept knocking until somebody answered.
Insight 5: Persistence sometimes makes impossible – possible.
It is so important to remember to keep knocking. Even if someone closes the doors on you.
Insight 6: Never give up. Determination will get you through anything.
One student sent out 34 emails until he received a reply.
Insight 7: 21st century skills include ….
Some students demonstrated computer science and machine learning brilliance, but they were also great communicators.
Insight 8: Who says you cannot have it all?
The quality of some of students’ projects was at the college or graduate school level.
Insight 9: Never underestimate what students can conceive or achieve if you let them get out of their chairs.
One girl scientist had an idea. She could not find a mentor. So instead, she watched every single YouTube video available on the topic. Through this she connected with a graduate student in another state who helped her with her research.
One student was inspired by her live-in grandma with Alzheimer’s disease. She researched the topic and wrote computer algorithm herself.
Insight 10: We need women in medicine who code.
Seriously, we do.
And yes, we do need women in medicine who code.
Insight 11: “We must believe in ourselves, or no one will believe in us.”
Witnessing the hard work, level of commitment and dedication of some of those bright minds at this Science Fair gave me hope for the future.
As the day faded away Nelson Mandela’s words echoed so clearly: “Children are our greatest treasure. They are our future”. At the end of the day, as throughout my whole life, I believed with all my heart that students are our greatest treasure and our future.
We all need to make sure to take care of them with our most sincere and genuine effort. Their success is our ultimate reward.
Jasminka Vukanovic-Criley MD, FACP, FHM is a multiple award-winning physician, from cancer researcher, internal medicine physician, and Medical School Associate Clinical Professor to entrepreneur. She has mentored many undergraduate, graduate, and postgraduate students and faculty. She is the Principal Investigator on studies from the National Institutes of Health and the U.S. Department of Education creating research-driven #edtech games and digital media to improve health, civics, science education, and healthy habits. Dr Criley is also a founding Board member of Physician’s Weekly. She can be reached on X at @criley_md and at www.linkedin.com/in/jasminka-criley-md