The 71st Greater San Diego Science and Engineering Fair was held this year at the Balboa Park Activity Center, on Wednesday, March 12th. The awards ceremony was held on Thursday, March 13th at The Observatory North Park, with Ms. Vanitha Kumar, SVP at Qualcomm, as our keynote speaker. $40k in prizes were awarded, with top students winning their way to the California Science and Engineering Fair and 8 Grand Award winners qualifying for the prestigious International Science and Engineering Fair. Additionally, a special award was presented for the first time to Ms. Karen Podvin in recognition of her 50 years of judging at the GSDSEF. Congratulations to all the students and to Ms. Podvin!
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About the GSDSEF
Since 1955, the Greater San Diego Science and Engineering Fair (GSDSEF) has provided an inspiring experience in science and engineering for tens of thousands of San Diego and Imperial County students, motivating them to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. This regional competition challenges students to go beyond classroom studies to do independent research – to ask compelling questions, to design and implement innovative solutions, and to present and defend results to judges who are professionals in their fields. The GSDSEF brings together 800 of the best middle and high school students, 400+ judges who are professionals in their fields and over 60 professional societies and organizations, with $40k in prizes awarded.
The GSDSEF fosters creativity and innovation through inquiry, celebrates students’ STEM achievements, and showcases how young minds can make an impact in the present and future. Many of these student scientists are conducting world-class research and conducting groundbreaking experiments in fields ranging from Astronomy to Zoology, such as the discovery of cures for diseases, formulations of new vaccines, cancer research, applying AI to enhance medical diagnoses, using biomimicry for water conservation, novel drone technology, advances in micro robotics and autonomous driving technology. The GSDSEF is the highest-level STEM competition in the region and one of the oldest, most respected and competitive in the world. The GSDSEF is a 501(c)(3) organization. Learn more at gsdsef.org and follow us on LinkedIn and Instagram.
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The Greater San Diego Science and Engineering Fair proudly recognizes the numerous generous sponsors who make the Fair possible each year!