Yale University and Olin Corporation Team Up To Sponsor Science Fair for New Haven Public Schools

What: 1998 New Haven City-Wide Science Fair, sponsored by Yale University and Olin Corporation’s Metals Research Labs in New Haven, in partnership with the New Haven Public Schools and the Connecticut Pre-Engineering Program CPEP. This year, Bayer Corp. employees also are supporting the fair through a program called “Making Science Make Sense,” which encourages science literacy and hands-on science experiments in schools.

When: March 9-10, with student presentations and final judging from 9 a.m. to noon on March 10 and viewing of displays by parents and community 4-6:30 p.m. Students must be accompanied by an adult.

Where: Yale Commons, corner of College and Grove streets on the Yale campus. About 200 colorful displays are expected from kindergarten through 12th grade. More than 30 schools are expected to participate. This year, the awards ceremony will be from 7-9 p.m. March 10 at Sprague Memorial Hall, 470 College St., to make it easier for parents to attend.

Yale and Olin each contributed $12,500 for the fair. In addition, Yale faculty and students and Olin employees have served as science fair advisers, tutors and judges at 10 preliminary competitions. Dr. Derek Tyler, vice president of research for the Olin Brass Division and director of the Metals Research Labs, said: “Volunteers from both Yale and Olin have worked closely with teachers and students for many months, so this is a vital, long-term learning experience.”

Also serving as judges will be Yale undergraduate student volunteers in the DEMOS program, who present fun and exciting science demonstrations to New Haven elementary school students in an effort to spark their interest in science careers.

Vice President and Secretary of Yale University Linda Lorimer said: “Yale is proud of its partnerships with the New Haven Public Schools. Our tremendous strength in the sciences provides a great resource for New Haven, ranging from the Yale School of Medicine’s work with the Career High School to this exciting and growing city-wide science fair.” For more information, contact Maureen Coelho, deputy director of CPEP, at 860 769-5284.