MEDIA ADVISORY

TO:                      News Directors, Education Science Reporters

FROM:                 University Relations

SUBJECT:            UAF to host High School Science Symposium

DATE:                 March 3 and 4, Saturday, 8 a.m. - 1 p.m., Sunday, 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.

LOCATION:         Natural Science Facility UAF's main campus

The University of Alaska Fairbanks campus will become a catalyst for the development of future scientists this weekend as it hosts high school students from around the state to present results of their experiments and research at the 12th annual Alaska Statewide High School Science Symposium. A total of 60 high school students in grades 9 — 12 are scheduled to participate. Students will present oral and written summaries of their projects, which are reviewed by separate panels of judges in one of seven categories. From a group of seven finalists, one young Alaskan will be selected to represent the state and speak at the National Junior Science and Humanities Symposium April 24-29 in Orlando, Fla. The top presenter also receives a $4,000 scholarship. Four more student finalists also get to attend the national meeting in Orlando, and the top seven receive a one-year tuition scholarship to UAF.

"The program is designed to give students opportunities and experience to work directly with mentors and scientists in their fields of interest outside the normal classroom," said program director Gary Laursen, UAF associate professor of mycology, the study of fungi. "Students are doing bonifide research in a scientific environment which stresses both oral and written skills."

Monroe Catholic student Emmalissa Sparrow, second place winner at last year's national competition, will return this year to present, "Factors Controlling Forest Litter Decomposition Phase IV: Nitrogen and Fire Effects on Alder and Birch Litter Decomposition in a Boreal Forest."

Past participants have been published in scientific journals, gone on for advanced science degrees and one has been awarded a Rhodes Scholarship. The program is affiliated with the National Junior Science and Humanities Symposium.

CONTACT: ASHSSS Director, Gary A. Laursen, 907-474-6295 or e-mail: ffgal@uaf.edu or, UAF Public Information Officer, Carla Browning, at 907-474-7778 or email: carla.browning@uaf.edu.

CJB/054ma/03/01/01