2024 STEM EXPO, April 3rd, MTSU Student Union Building

The Middle Tennessee STEM Innovation Hub invite 5th-12th grade students in Middle Tennessee to work individually or in teams of up to 5 students to prepare and present their STEM project at STEM EXPO at MTSU.  Students engage in projects involving a process of inquiry in response to a complex question, problem or challenge. These rigorous projects help students learn key academic content and practice skills necessary for success such as communication, collaboration, and critical thinking. The STEM EXPO will showcase original projects by middle and high school students from across middle Tennessee.  

  STEM EXPO logo

Save the Date!

2024 STEM EXPO

Wednesday, April 3, 2024
MTSU Student Union Building (SUB), Second floor

Registration opens January 2024

STEM EXPO 2023

Grades 5th-6th: Category and Overall Winners - 2023

Engineering

1st Place
Overall Creek Elementary
Wildflower Bath Bombs
Ceci Savage, Ruth Fasika, Elise Beard
 
2nd Place 
Overall Creek Elementary
Bath and Body Bombs
Aubrie Snelling and Hayden Rickman

STEM Research

1st Place
Hobgood Elementary
A Cure for Cindy
Jayohn Arnold, Galaxie Clinton, Beixi Luo, Jedd Velbert, and Jameson Seals
 
2nd Place 
Madison Creek Elementary
Need-less Pain
Hayes Hennessee

Technology

1st Place
Liberty Creek Middle
Vacations with an Eye on the Environment
Colton Hayes
 
2nd Place 
Croft Middle Design Center
Traffic Lights with a Push Button Using a Raspberry Pi
Sirus Bartley, Camila Gabriel Pina Charlie Fogarty

OVERALL

1st Place
Liberty Creek Middle
Vacations with an Eye on the Environment
Colton Hayes
 
2nd Place 
Hobgood Elementary
A Cure for Cindy
Jayohn Arnold, Galaxie Clinton, Beixi Luo, Jedd Velbert, and Jameson Seals
 
3rd Place 
Overall Creek Elementary
Wildflower Bath Bombs
Ceci Savage, Ruth Fasika, Elise Beard
 

Grades 7th-8th: Category and Overall Winners - 2023

Agricultural STEM

1st Place
Rocky Fork Middle
Give Plants a Chance
Anna Warner, Donia Kaldas
 
2nd Place 
Stewarts Creek Middle
Ant's Eats
Lilly Fowler, Amira Maynard, Kenlee Dalton

Engineering

1st Place
Stewarts Creek Middle
Putt Right Golf
Hunter Eldridge, Sean Goggins, Mohinder Talafuse
 
2nd Place 
Stewarts Creek Middle
T.E.M.
Emma Potts, Matteo Quintero, Reese Hankins, Jack Inthirath

STEM Research

1st Place
Liberty Creek Middle
What Common Household Products Can Be Utilized as Emergency Heat and Light Sources
Caleb Hawkins
 
2nd Place 
Pope John Paul II Preparatory
Singing Wine Glasses
Ben Amonette, Kate Joseph

Technology

1st Place
Blackman Middle
Struggle Buggle
Razan Mirghani, Genevie Robison, Antara Vaishnavi
 
2nd Place 
Rocky Fork Middle
Screen Busters
Amy Ledezma, Emeline Lee, Hellen Nuam, Anna Wagner

OVERALL

1st Place
Stewarts Creek Middle
Putt Right Golf
Hunter Eldridge, Sean Goggins, Mohinder Talafuse
 
2nd Place 
Stewarts Creek Middle
T.E.M.
Emma Potts, Matteo Quintero, Reese Hankins, Jack Inthirath
 
3rd Place 
Stewarts Creek Middle
GrubTub
Aaden Walker, Charlie Dechira, Cayden Wiser
 

Grades 9th-12th: Category and Overall Winners - 2023

Agricultural STEM

1st Place
Stewarts Creek High
An Analysis of Employee Satisfaction, Pay, and ROIs Contribution to the Loss of Local Agricultural Equipment Technicians
Ari Mota
 
2nd Place 
Stewarts Creek Middle
An Analysis of the Impact of Injectable Selenium on Average Daily Gain and Temperature of Dorper Ewe Lambs
Harley Huber

Engineering

1st Place
Harpeth Hall
Optimal Acquisition and Processing Strategies for Accurate and Precise Neurite Orientation Dispersions and Density Imaging Modeling of the Spinal Cord
Chekayli Meyer
 
2nd Place 
Harpeth Hall
Confirmation of the Dual Affinity Liposomal Nanoparticles to Primary and Cultuered Blood Cells
Ava Cassidy

STEM Research

1st Place
Pope John Paul II Preparatory
How the Speed of Running Affects the Time It Takes for Shoe Laces to Untie
Priscilla Park, Emmeline Smith
 
2nd Place 
 Harpeth Hall
Exploration on the Mechanism Underlying a Faciliated Growth of Colon Cancer Cells in Muring Peritoneal Cavity
Sarah Braam

Technology

1st Place
Stewarts Creek
Eye Drive Safe
Victoria Welch, Jeremiah Abernathy
 
2nd Place 
Creekwood High
Robo SRO
Austin, Alberd, Levi Cranfield, Kaitlin Runkle

OVERALL

1st Place
Harpeth Hall
Optimal Acquisition and Processing Strategies for Accurate and Precise Neurite Orientation Dispersions and Density Imaging Modeling of the Spinal Chekayli Meyer
 
2nd Place 
Harpeth Hall
Confirmation of the Dual Affinity Liposomal Nanoparticles to Primary and Cultuered Blood Cells
Ava Cassidy
 
3rd Place 
Harpeth Hall
Optimizing Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging for the Thoracolumbar Spinal Cord
Caroline Seehorn
 

Event Photo Gallery



Event Media Coverage

Registration Details

Space is limited, and registration will be on a first-come, first-served basis.
Upon registration, teachers will be required to submit the following details by March 15, 2023, via the "Register Now!" button above.

  • School's name
  • Teacher’s name and contact information
  • Chaperon information
  • Student(s) name(s) and grade(s)
  • Project's category
  • Project title
  • Request for technology
  • Signed permission forms for each of the students attending. Upload the forms as a single PDF when registering or you may email the PDF to midtnstem@mtsu.edu no later than March 31st TSEC must have a signed permission form for each student before the event, or the student will not be allowed to participate.

    No changes in registrations will be accepted after March 15, 2023. 

Registration Fee

There is a $10.00 registration fee per student to cover the costs of the exposition, which includes lunch on the day of the event.  Schools are required to bring checks made payable to Middle Tennessee State University on the day of the STEM EXPO.

Important Event Information

Printable Version

Categories

Projects will be entered into one of four categories (outlined below) based on teacher classification at the time of submission and will be divided into one of three age groups (5-6th, 7-8th, and 9-12th). Schools may register multiple entries per category and age group.

  1. STEM Research: Science, Mathematics, Engineering, Biotechnology, or Medicine/Veterinary Medicine
  2. Engineering: Mechanical, Industrial, Civil, Aerospace, Automotive, Environmental, Biomedical, Chemical, Electrical or other Engineering fields
  3. Agricultural STEM: Agricultural production and science
  4. Technology: Computer programming, programming computer games, designing computer applications, or designing websites

Judging Criteria & Awards

The 2023 STEM EXPO is designed as a competitive event between students/teams.  At least one participating student must be present at the Expo to represent each entry.  Projects will be evaluated using a common rubric.  Please note that the rubric has been modified from the one used in prior years. Awards will be granted to the top performers in each category and age group.  The top performing seniors in the 9th – 12th grade age group will each be awarded a $500 scholarship to Middle Tennessee State University (if they choose to attend MTSU upon graduation). 
View RUBRIC

Rules & Safety Guidelines

  • Projects may be submitted by an individual student or a team of students (maximum of 5 students per team).
  • Students may only be represented by one project in the STEM EXPO.
  • Completed projects must demonstrate that students went through an extended process of inquiry in response to a complex question, problem, or challenge.
  • Each project must be represented at the STEM Exposition by at least one student who actually participated in the project.  Projects with no student representatives will not be evaluated.
  • Each individual or team entering a project will be interviewed by evaluators.
  • The evidence component requires students to show proof of project completion, demonstrating an end product.  Evidence will vary from project to project, but may take the following forms:
    • Physical model
    • Demonstration
    • Research log book (required for the STEM research category)
    • Video demonstration
    • Audio demonstration
    • Visual representations such as pictures, drawings, or art-work
    • Scientific poster
    • Portfolio
    • Other forms of evidence as approved by the STEM EXPO Director 

Safety guidelines:

Projects will be prohibited from displaying or using the following on the day of the STEM EXPO

  • Combustible materials, in any combination, including chemicals
  • Chemicals, including household chemicals, that are not properly contained so as to prevent accidental spilling
  • Sharp items (including blades, cutters, knives, saws and scissors)
  • Plants that are poisonous, contain compounds that are irritating to the skin, may cause allergic reactions, or are endangered
  • Firearms (including BB, soft air, paint-ball, handguns, rifles and shotguns)
  • Invertebrate animals (including insects, worms, mollusks, spiders, slugs…)
  • Vertebrate animals (amphibians, birds, fish, mammals, and reptiles)
  • Human beings
  • Biohazards:  infectious agents or hazardous biological materials that present a risk or potential risk to the health of humans, animals or the environment, including recombinant DNA; organisms and viruses infectious to humans, animals or plants.

Display & Abstract Guidelines

Display guidelines:

  • A standard display must consist of one or more panels of information and any objects the student/s wish to display within safety guidelines.  Exhibit panels must be constructed of stable and free-standing material not to exceed 48 inches in width, 30 inches in depth, and 72 inches in height.  Failure to meet these requirements will result in disqualification. Tables will be provided.

        Display

Abstract guidelines:

Each project should include an abstract of 250 words or less.  The poster should address the following eight elements as part of the presentation.  Since these are used for evaluation purposes, they should be prominently displayed.

  1. Purpose – A purpose (question or problem) is provided, and the purpose is specific, clear, and stated succinctly. The project communicates the reason it is important.
  2. Research – Evidence of background research. Background research is sufficient and has been used to inform and create the hypothesis/requirements.
  3. Hypothesis/Requirements – Hypotheses or requirements are provided, and they are clear and concise.  The project addresses the purpose question. The project reflects why the hypothesis or design solution best fits the question/problem.
  4. Materials – All materials used for the project are listed and adequately explained when necessary.
  5. Procedure/Experiment – Procedures are described step-by-step and easily understood by the audience. The project shows evidence of replication or iterative improvement.
  6. Results – Results are provided and easy to understand. Results provide information that answers the purpose question.
  7. Conclusion/Analysis – A conclusion or summary is provided. It indicates whether the hypothesis/approach was correct or not, and there is an explanation for why or why not.
  8. Originality – The project or approach is unique. The student(s) chose a novel topic or took a commonly used topic and changed it to make it different and interesting.

Documents & Maps

Support Positions Needed!

There are two different categories for support positions, either a Volunteer or an Evaluator.  Both are needed for a successful event!  Please consider helping out at this year's STEM EXPO -- it's a very exciting and satisfying experience!

Volunteers & Evaluators

Volunteer positions are non-judging. This role involves activities such as working at the check-in desk, as door/hall helpers and room assistants, and helping with set-up and break-down.

Evaluators are needed to judge and score the projects. For the evaluator's convenience, assignments will be referenced, and scores will be recorded digitally from a smart phone, tablet, or laptop. If you do not have a devise, one will be provided for you.

Questions? 

Please contact Dr. Kevin Ragland at kevin.ragland@mtsu.edu or 615-904-8405 if you have additional questions. 
We are looking forward to your participation in the STEM EXPO!  

 

 

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