STEM Force’s School STEM Fairs and Expos and Regional Student STEM Conferences bring together young people, teachers, the education community, and professional scientists, mathematicians, engineers, and technologists to celebrate the students' achievements in STEM – their STEM projects – along with the world of STEM. These events create excitement and inspiration for STEM, motivating the community and encouraging enthusiastic participation in STEM studies. STEM Force’s School STEM Fairs and Expos feed student STEM projects into STEM Force’s Regional Student STEM Conferences. Workshops, exhibitions, and activities from various School STEM Fairs and Expos can also contribute to Regional Student STEM Conferences.

A STEM Force’s School STEM Fair and Expo can take the form of an open evening, a single day, multiple days, or even a week-long carnival of student exhibitions, presentations, workshops, talks, and plays. Regardless of the format, all STEM Fairs share a common central component - the presentation of students' STEM projects through exhibitions, poster displays, and/or oral presentations.

Student STEM projects involve students in solving real local, national, or global problems related to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through the application of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. Students develop solutions to present at the Fair and Expo, engaging in inquiry investigation, engineering design, and problem-solving to address these challenges. This process results in the development of technology innovations, STEM demonstrations, or multimedia presentations, which can be judged as separate categories. The STEM Force has developed criteria and guidance for judging STEM projects at STEM Fairs and Expos.

Complementing the core central element of the student STEM project presentations, a variety of other fun, fringe activities are designed to inspire and stimulate interest in STEM. These fringe activities may include practical, hands-on exhibits from STEM organizations or companies, problem-solving challenges, talks, lecture demonstrations, STEM treasure hunts, quizzes, drama, street theater, workshops, mobile planetaria, debates, and more. These activities can be organized by collaborating with local universities, government offices, museums, STEM ambassadors, businesses, and industries – forming the STEM Ecosystem.

The involvement of such organizations in the fringe activities helps to engage students, their families, and the community with the world of STEM. It builds awareness of STEM careers, showcases the importance and innovative achievements of STEM, and fosters partnerships while encouraging support and sponsorship for the School Fair and Expo or Regional Student STEM Conference from the STEM Ecosystem.

Events, whether large or small, can be organized collaboratively by teams of teachers, students, and members of the STEM community. Running a STEM Force’s School STEM Fair and Expo or Regional Student STEM Conference has numerous benefits:

• Students show remarkable enthusiasm for STEM beyond the curriculum.
• Young people explaining their own work improve their self-confidence and develop communication, visual presentation, and problem-solving skills.
• Teachers who organize school STEM fairs report that one of the biggest benefits of getting involved is their own personal satisfaction.
• Positive feedback from people outside the school boosts staff morale.
• Many school principals recognize the staff development, marketing, and public relations value of these events.
• STEM Fairs raise the understanding and awareness of STEM and STEM careers among students and community members alike.
• The enthusiasm and awareness generated encourage more students to become interested in STEM and community members to participate in future events and activities. It can also aid in recruiting STEM Ambassadors.

Central to STEM Force’s School STEM Fair and Expos and Regional Student STEM Conferences should be the celebration of student achievements through presentations of their STEM projects, including exhibitions, poster displays, oral presentations, and classroom exhibits. Involving students in such activities during the event contributes to:

• Greater motivation of students in STEM.
• Improved student achievement in STEM.
• Increased awareness and interest in STEM.
• Students experiencing success and a sense of accomplishment in STEM.
• Enrichment of the STEM curriculum.
• Greater ownership of their STEM work by students.
• Providing students with experience in sharing their work with the STEM and wider community, thus highlighting the importance of STEM in school.

We provide capacity building for School STEM Fair and Expo and Regional Student STEM Conference organizers and organizing committees. You can download the guidebook for organizing a STEM Fair, which was written for the Inspiring Science Project in Thailand by one of our Senior Specialists, using the link below.