The science fair, held in Fredericton, is a celebration of the country’s brightest young minds exploring science, technology, engineering and math. It featured 500 of Canada’s top young scientists showcasing their real world solutions to some of the world’s most important issues, while competing for nearly $1 million in awards, prizes and scholarships.
Caitlyn Sandluck, a Grade 12 student at North Nova Education Centre, studied the behaviour of fish. Her project, entitled Can We Prepare?, was based on her theory that a watershed could be prepared for the arrival of an invasive fish species.
“I spend a lot of my time exercising, playing recreational sports and fishing around my home province, and I have a keen interest in aquatic environments and species,” she said.
Sandluck received an excellence award – senior – bronze medal, as well as a $1,000 entrance scholarship to the University of Ottawa and a $1,000 entrance scholarship to Western University.
She plans to become a marine biologist and will study at the University of Guelph next year.
Northumberland Regional High School student James Lees has attended the national science fair four times. The Grade 11 student’s project was called Close Encounters of the Fourth Kind. His projects have included exploration of X-rays to create fusion, the design of a fusion reactor, and most recently the manipulation of a plasma with solenoids.
“I was inspired to research into this most intriguing field when I learned of the immense benefits of harnessing the energy of the sun, right here at home on planet Earth,” said Lees.
“Did you know that using fusion, one 240 ml glass of seawater can produce nearly 500,000 barrels of petroleum worth of energy? The usage creation of a nuclear fusion reactor would provide humanity with a completely clean, efficient, and sustainable means of creating energy, something of which we are in dire need. I hope that in the near future I might be able to construct a prototype of my fusion reactor, to better determine its feasibility, and possibly become one of the first sustainable fusion reactors in history.”
Lees won an excellence award – senior – bronze medal, as well as a $1,000 entrance scholarship to the University of Ottawa and a $1,000 entrance scholarship to Western University.
