UM-Flint to host Flint Regional Science and Engineering Fair, March 21-22

For nearly 70 years, local secondary students have come together to showcase their scientific prowess at the Flint Regional Science and Engineering Fair. The fair made its debut in 1957 as part of a national push for better scientific education during the space race and has been operating ever since.

The University of Michigan-Flint will host the 68th annual FRSEF at the Riverfront Conference Center, March 21-22, marking the fourth year in a row the event has been hosted on campus. The public is invited to view the work of middle and high school student competitors, 2-6 p.m., March 22. 

"It is with great pleasure that we continue our support of FRSEF. To be part of this longstanding tradition is truly an honor for our institution," said Steven Foster, UM-Flint director of financial aid. "We are proud of the work this organization does, and of the students from the greater Flint community who invest themselves in the fair. It is our pleasure to offer scholarships to the top competitors from the high school division."

UM-Flint will provide four-year scholarships to those who place in the top three, with an estimated total value of $52,000 per winner. The fourth-place winner will receive a one-time, $5,000 scholarship.

Mike Mosher, president of the FRSEF board of directors, said that they are constantly searching for new ways to get the community excited about science.

"We've been able to raise money internally so we can go to school districts and their teachers and offer to pay for the transportation for the event," said Mosher. "It's so nice for those teachers to say to their principals, 'Look at this opportunity I've got, we're going to take our kids out to this event, they're going to do a science fair, and it's free.'" Mosher said within the past three years, attendance for their elementary school fair has jumped from eight students to more than 200.

The university's involvement with the fair goes beyond simply hosting. In addition to professors and students serving as judges, campus tours and resource tables are also available to the budding STEM researchers and their families. With many of the judges being UM-Flint faculty, students also have the opportunity to discuss their projects and academic interests with industry professionals before they step foot into a college classroom.

Community outreach is critical to FRSEF's mission, and projects like Science Fair in a Box are one of the ways the organization leverages its unique position as a nonprofit. "These schools often have other priorities, and just don't see the value of a science fair," said Mosher. "By providing science fair kits to every student in a classroom, much of the funding and planning requirements are taken away from the teachers, allowing them to implement these kinds of exciting projects in their classrooms. The success of the Science Fair in a Box program has gone on to encourage other organizations to provide similar programs for local students."

UM-Flint's ongoing participation in FSREF highlights the university's commitment to STEM education. In June 2024, construction began on the Innovation & Technology Complex – a 14,000 sq. ft. space comprised of state-of-the-art instructional laboratories designed to encourage collaboration and interdisciplinary research. The complex will support STEM pathways like artificial intelligence, smart manufacturing, human-centered design, and electrical & computer engineering, among others. Once completed, work will commence on a second phase of the project, consisting of a $40 million, 50,000 sq. ft. space adjacent to the first. 

For more information on FRSEF, volunteer opportunities and more, visit its website.