Intermountain Junior Science and Humanities Symposium

Poster/Flyer (PDF) & Nomination Form (PDF)

Monday, October 24, 2005

Dear High School Science Teacher:

The University of Utah will once again host the Intermountain Junior Science & Humanities Symposium(IJSHS). In its 44 th year, this event will be held Wednesday, March 08 through Saturday, March 11 at the University of Utah. Please consider nominating interested students for participation or merely observation in this science based educational event.

This four-day conference brings together approximately 150 students and teachers from Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, and Utah. The program is made possible by funding from the Academy of Applied Science, the University of Utah, U.S. Army, Navy, and Air Force, and private supporters. IJSHS seeks to promote research and experimentation in the sciences, engineering, and mathematics at the high school level and to recognize the significance of research in human affairs.

WHO SHOULD ATTEND?

The program is designed for students spanning from grades 9-12 (high school applicants only), who have both a strong interest in the sciences and a desire to be immersed in the events of the symposium. Students who have conducted original research projects accompanied by a research paper will be given preference. However, we are also willing to accept a number of students who would like to attend but not present in order to gain experience for future years. Seniors and students who have attended the symposium previously are required to submit research papers.

HOW TO APPLY

To nominate your students, please complete the enclosed application request form with the name(s) of your student(s), and mail it to our office. If you or another teacher in your school needs more application request forms, please feel free to make photocopies. All requests need to be in our office by November 11, 2005. Once these nominations have been received, the students will be sent detailed registration packets. The deadline for the submission of research papers will be January

RESEARCH PAPERS/JUDGING

Students are encouraged to prepare a paper depicting original research projects including fieldwork and/or experimentation in science-related areas. Papers will be evaluated by a judging committee who will evaluate: the quality of the research and experimentation, evidence of the students' understanding of the topic, and originality in the choice of and investigation of the topic. Please note that papers must acknowledge major assistance from teachers, mentors, parents or other students. Examples of areas of assistance which should be acknowledged include: selecting the topic of research, planning and/or guiding the course of the research, gathering data and construction of any apparatus. Students with top research papers will be asked to present their paper at IJSHS, orally or in a poster session, before a panel of qualified judges. Winning students may be asked to provide notebooks and/or other documentation detailing their research. The top three regional presenters will be awarded a cash scholarship to the University of Utah and the top five student finalists will represent our region (all-expenses paid) at the National Junior Science and Humanities Symposium in late April. Scholarship winners must be U.S. citizens and/or permanent residents. Please note that in the case of team projects, only one student will be funded to attend the symposium and only that student may present the paper.

SELECTION

Presenters will be selected by a panel of judges. Teachers will be notified of the selected students by fax in late February. Official materials will be sent to teachers including a packet of presentation and judging guidelines for each student presenter selected from his/her school.

REGISTRATION

The symposium will provide three nights hotel accommodation, meals and local transfers for students who are chosen as presenters and their sponsoring teachers. The registration fee for this four-day conference is $50.00 (non-refundable) per student and teacher participant. We hope this fee can be paid by the school district or a private agency. Students and teachers are also responsible for travel expenses to and from Salt Lake City. Please note that upon your recommendation, deserving students who cannot afford the registration fee may be eligible for a fee waiver. Also, we strongly encourage the participation of students representing racial/ethnic minority groups.

Should you have any questions, please contact Cheri Goff, IJSHS Coordinator at the University of Utah, Office of Student Recruitment and High School Services. I have listed my e-mail address below. You can call me at 801-585-8824 or 800-685-8856, 8:00 a.m. through 3:30 p.m.

We look forward to another successful and enriching event.

Sincerely,

Cheri L Goff
IJSHS Coordinator
cgoff@sa.utah.edu

INTERMOUNTAIN JUNIOR SCIENCE & HUMANITIES SYMPOSIUM
200 S. Central Campus Drive , Rm. 80
University of Utah
Salt Lake City , UT 84112-9104
(801) 585-8824 or (800) 685-8856 / fax (801) 585-3257