More Than a Medal: What the Science Fair Changes in Students
by Jaime Walton • June 2026
⏱ 6 min read
What if tiny particles released by airway cells could help doctors detect the inflammation behind diseases like asthma before symptoms appear? That’s the question Sahas Vemula spent months investigating.
He pursued the work as a 2025 OKStars summer research intern at the Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences, alongside Dr. Vikram Gujar and graduate student Bhuvanesh Raju, then presented it at the Tulsa Regional Science Fair in February. By the end of the season, the Jenks High School junior had taken his research all the way to the world’s largest pre-college STEM competition, an experience he says changed how he sees his own future.
❝This wasn’t just a science fair to me; it was a turning point… It showed me the path that I’m on is possible and is worth pursuing. I came home with a new idea on where to go and a clear career vision.❞
Vemula was one of 161 students from 17 Tulsa-area schools who brought projects to the science fair hosted by the University of Tulsa this year. This event is one of the ways Tulsa Regional STEM Alliance connects students to meaningful STEM experiences, and survey data shows that many participants experienced the same kind of growth Vemula describes.
What students took with them
TRSA measured student outcomes through retrospective surveys of 47 participants, using The PEAR Institute’s Common Instrument Suite, and compared results against PEAR’s national averages.
STUDENTS WHO GREW
38%
reported growth in STEM identity
vs. 42% nationally
29%
reported growth in STEM career interest
vs. 46% nationally
STUDENTS WHO SLIPPED
4%
declined in STEM identity
vs. 13% nationally
7%
declined in STEM career interest
vs. 12% nationally
Because science fairs tend to attract students who already see themselves in STEM, these results may suggest that the fair is helping students maintain and deepen an existing interest rather than sparking a new one, a dynamic documented in research on how STEM identity develops (Whitcomb, Maries & Singh, 2023). At an age when many students quietly step away from STEM, these students held on.
Why competitions matter
The Tulsa Regional Science Fair is one of eight regional fairs in Oklahoma affiliated with the Oklahoma State Science & Engineering Fair (OSSEF) and with the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF), and is open to students from Tulsa and Creek counties.
Unlike a typical school assignment, the fair asks students to conduct original research by posing their own questions, designing an investigation, collecting and analyzing data, and defending their findings in interviews with practicing STEM professionals who serve as judges.
Competitions give students a reason to apply what they’re learning, connect their interests to postsecondary pathways and careers, and see themselves as capable contributors to STEM. They also put students in front of professionals who can encourage them, challenge their thinking, and help them envision a future in the field. For many, it’s the first time they’ve presented their ideas or research to a STEM professional.
That authentic experience can build the confidence, belonging, and persistence that help students stay in STEM. When students ask their own questions, receive feedback, and connect their work to future opportunities, they strengthen the skills and sense of identity that support long-term STEM engagement (Finn et al., 2023).
Before any project reaches the competition floor, it must pass a Scientific Review Committee (SRC), the same research-ethics and safety review process used in clinical and university settings.
93%
of registered projects cleared review
155 of 167, against a 90%
60%
spent eight or more weeks on their research
before ever reaching the competition
6
STEM professionals served on the committee
plus 55 volunteer judges
The fair returned to the region in 2020, when the Tulsa Regional STEM Alliance collaborated with the University of Tulsa to bring it back after a 10-year hiatus. Participation has nearly doubled since.
Who competed
Of survey respondents, girls and young women made up 51%, 57% of students identified as students of color, and one in five came from homes where English is not the primary language. Among survey respondents, these figures met the program’s goal of at least 50% participation from historically underrepresented groups.
Participation was strongest among 8th through 10th graders, with 8th grade alone accounting for 45% of participants. This is an important time to engage students in STEM, as research shows that many girls begin to disengage from STEM as they move through middle and high school (Sadler et al., 2012). Creating opportunities to explore STEM, build confidence, and connect with professionals during these years can help students see themselves staying in STEM.
Judges recognized winners across 20 categories and 12 special award recipients.
Where the path leads
For 23% of participating projects, the fair opened the door to opportunities beyond the regional competition.
REGIONALS
148
projects at the Tulsa Regional Science Fair
STATE
32
projects advanced to OSSEF at Oklahoma State
INTERNATIONAL
2
projects reached ISEF in Phoenix
This year, 32 projects advanced to state competition, and the top two projects advanced directly to ISEF in May. ISEF is the world’s largest pre-college STEM competition, bringing together student researchers from more than 60 countries.
Both of this year’s ISEF finalists came from Jenks High School. Emma Zhang, a senior, advanced with her project “Algorithmic Design of PETase Variants Optimized for High-Crystallinity PET,” which researched computationally engineering enzyme variants that break down one of the world’s most common plastics.
❝Hearing all the discussion about how STEM can shape the future helped me grab my plans and goals tighter… my belief in innovation as a future path for me has solidified, and I have realized that I will pursue a path in Chemistry or Environmental Science.❞
Vemula returned from ISEF with plans to continue his research toward a diagnostic kit that uses extracellular vesicles to detect diseases before symptoms appear. Looking further ahead, he hopes to pursue a career in teaching. “I want to pass on my passion,” he said, “and create the best researchers for the future generation.”
What makes access possible
Opportunities like this don’t happen without a community behind them. The fair is one piece of TRSA’s broader work to cultivate impactful partnerships and learning pathways that inspire and prepare all youth for a STEM-enabled future. This year, six STEM professionals served on the Scientific Review Committee, and 55 professionals volunteered as judges.
The fair is free for every participating student and school. TRSA raises funds to provide research and presentation materials, cover event costs including venue, food, and awards, and provide scholarships to every student advancing to the state or international fair, ensuring cost is never a barrier to participation.
Planning for the 2027 fair is already underway. Educators can bring students, STEM professionals can judge or serve on the review committee, and community partners can help keep the fair free for every school.
$205 takes one student’s research all the way
That covers materials, the venue, awards, and the scholarship that sends an advancing student to state or international competition. Fund a student’s season, or part of one.