Sceince fair features innovative students

Months of work by hundreds of Iowa students goes on display today in Ames at the Iowa State Science and Technology Fair. Andrea Spencer was a participant in the science fair when she was in high school. Now she’s fair director. Spencer says the projects continue to get more impressive each year.About 350 students from 200 Iowa middle and high schools are taking part in this year’s competition. Of the projects she’s seen so far, Spencer says one Iowa high school girl did some remarkable research in “tardigrades”, tiny microscopic water creatures. She actually discovered a new species of the creatures.Besides the desire to be the best in the battle of the brains, Spencer says there are great cash incentives too.Among the 30-thousand dollars in prizes, the Iowa Space Grant Consortium is sponsoring a five thousand-dollar, four-year tuition grant. The science projects are on display at Hilton Coliseum today and tomorrow with the awards ceremony at 5:30 tomorrow night.