UTSA to host science and engineering fair; ExxonMobil sponsors event with $60K gift
(Nov. 1, 2004)--The Texas Science Careers Consortium announced that UTSA will host the 2005 ExxonMobil Texas Science and Engineering Fair (EMTSEF) March 31-April 2 at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center in San Antonio.
The fair is the state competition for middle and high school regional science fair winners, attracting more than 800 student competitors each year. ExxonMobil contributed $60,000 to be the title sponsor for the fifth consecutive year.
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RSS FeedsPictured from left to right are: (top) Truman Bell (ExxonMobil), and Russell Burrows, Health Careers High School student, with a zoology project; (center) The School of Mission Springs student Ashley Vara with her microbiology project and (bottom) Vara, Keystone Intermediate School student Kevin Echavarria, Clyde Phelix (UTSA), Bell, Burrows, and MacArthur High School students Richard Romeo and Cathleen Garcia.
"The Texas Science and Engineering Fair is well aligned with ExxonMobil's long-term commitment to science education, and we are pleased to continue our support of the Fair," said Truman Bell, ExxonMobil Corp. education and diversity program officer. "This competition encourages students to take their interest in mathematics, science and engineering outside the classroom and into a forum that allows them to further explore their interests and see their ideas come to fruition."
"Hosting the state finals for the next three years is a wonderful opportunity. We are proud to have been selected and are pleased to play an active role in recognizing the science and engineering professionals of tomorrow," said UTSA President Ricardo Romo. "We are especially pleased to be part of the initiative to recruit minority students to participate in the fair, particularly since UTSA graduates more science majors than any other Hispanic-serving institution of higher education in the nation."
For the 2005 event, ExxonMobil and UTSA will launch a diversity recruitment initiative in San Antonio to increase the number of minority students competing in the fair. Through the program, UTSA will work with young minority students to overcome obstacles encountered in their attempts to compete in the fair, such as accessing research resources and covering project expenses and travel allowances. Since minority groups have long been underrepresented in the fields of science, healthcare and engineering, the initiative aims to increase the number of minority contestants at the regional and state fairs.
The annual competition, now in its 19th year, invites winners of all middle and high school regional science fairs to compete in two divisions at the state level. The junior division includes grades 6-8, and the senior division includes grades 9-12. The winners of the state competition in the senior division advance to the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (Intel ISEF) in Phoenix, Ariz., May 8-14, 2005.
"The EMTSEF takes a diverse group of students into the realm of research and inquiry. This mere experience can influence a lifetime of investigations for engineering, sciences, medicine, mathematics and computer science," said Clyde Phelix, EMTSEF executive director and associate dean of academic affairs in the UTSA College of Sciences. "UTSA embraces the opportunity to bring the fair to San Antonio."
The Texas Science Careers Consortium, which represents the science programs of 17 public universities around the state, is the official Texas affiliate for the International Science and Engineering Fair. Operating the state level science competition since 2001, the consortium rotates the fair location between member universities. UTSA will host the fair through 2007.
In addition to the $60,000 contribution from ExxonMobil, the Texas Science Careers Consortium has secured $60,000 in other private and public support for the event. Other top contributors to the fair include the Texas Work Force Commission and the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.
ExxonMobil Foundation is the primary philanthropic arm of the Exxon Mobil Corp. in the United States. The foundation engages in a broad range of philanthropic activities focusing on the communities where Exxon Mobil has significant operations. In 2003, ExxonMobil Foundation, Exxon Mobil Corp., and its divisions and affiliates provided $103 million in contributions worldwide.
For more information, visit the ExxonMobil State Science and Engineering Fair Web site.