You gather your supplies, build your amazing-idea-that-will-change-the-world and everything is going great until BAM! You hit a roadblock. It could be that your method isn’t working out the way you expected. Or maybe you’re just not sure what those results really mean. Or it’s even more complicated! You’re working on a technical project and what you need is someone who really gets it.
Well, this year we have a solution. For the first time, you can reach out to the Science Fair Foundation BC at any time between December 1 and April 15 for a little extra support. Have one question? Great! We’re here for you. Need someone to help at different stages of your project? Totally okay too! You can reach out to Science Fair Foundation BC mentors when you need it most to ask a question, seek advice or connect with an expert in your field of study.
Who is eligible?
Any Grade 4 to 12 student completing a science fair project or Youth Innovation Showcase pitch for 2022.
How do I reach a mentor?
Our Mentorship Program will open on December 1, 2021. A Question Form will become available at that time. Make sure you fill out every field. You will be asked for:
- Your name and contact information
- Information about your project (including a detailed description and any related files)
- Information about how you’ve tried to resolve your question independently
- Your question
A coordinator will review your form to ensure we have all the information your mentor needs, and then will send it to the mentor who is best qualified to answer your question.
What can a mentor help me with?
Our mentors are all experts in science fairs and/or a scientific field. They can help you tweak the design of your project (e.g., to make sure it’s effective and the results will be accurate), help you understand what your results mean, and answer specific questions about your field of study.
It’s important to remember that our mentors are not here to help you think of an idea for your science fair project, or do your science fair project for you. They have expertise in science fairs or a specific area of science and can help you solve a problem that requires high-level knowledge or experience.
How can I get the most out of the Mentorship Program?
- Take the lead on your project. At a minimum, you should have a well-developed project plan before you ask a mentor for help. Mentors are available to give you feedback and advice, but they’re not going to design or do you project for you.
- Make a good effort to figure things out on your own first. Do as much research as you can to understand your project. This will help you ask more useful questions of mentors. The more specific your questions, the more likely it is that your mentors will be able to provide you with quality and constructive feedback.
- Provide as much information about your project as you can. Our system allows you to send files to your mentors, so don’t be afraid to include pictures or a logbook of your project.
- Ask your question earlier rather than later. Sometimes it will take more than one email to solve your problem and your mentor may not be able to answer you right away. Make sure to give your mentor (and yourself!) as much time as possible to respond so you have time to act on the advice before a deadline.