Tulsa County students showcase STEM projects at regional science fair

More than 80 students from across Tulsa County are showcasing their talents at a regional science fair at the University of Tulsa. The competition aims to promote STEM education.

Students in grades 7 through 12 researched various topics, ranging from animal science to chemistry, for the Tulsa Regional Science Fair.

You won't find paper-mâché volcanoes or egg drops at this science fair.

"Their fall risk is 80, which is kind of high," said Harini Senthil, a senior at Jenks High School.

She developed her project after volunteering in the ER at OSU Health and Sciences.

“One thing I realized was a lot of people were coming in for fall-related injuries. The circumstances surrounding their injuries were always a little different, but the impact on their quality of life was detrimental,” she said.

Harini has loved science since she was little, and it's her passion to apply her knowledge to real-world issues. In her project, she developed a way to assess if someone is at risk of falling.

“I think we’ve all done really cool projects because we’ve seen things in the world that we want to improve,” she said.

As judges like Cody Burnett take the time to learn about each project, they also try to offer advice to help students explore careers in STEM.

“Whether they are going to be engineers, scientists, or something else, I think it’s a great data point for them to use as a stepping stone in their career paths and to gain valuable experiences with adults and professionals they may want to become one day,” Burnett said.

While Harini has plenty of time before making any decisions about her career, she’s grateful for the opportunity to present and learn.

“I think I’ve made so many great connections from Science Fair events, and we’ll continue to see each other in the future,” she said.

The students with the top two projects will compete at the International Science and Engineering Fair in Columbus, Ohio, in May.

If you have Something Good you would like to share, email us at Somethinggoodnewson6@griffin.news