Chances are pretty high that you already know about the Google Science Fair thing. Most of the students in the big cities have been aware of this since sometime.

One of the major issues India is facing today is the digital divide. Think Studio was created with this in mind and within 18 months of its operations, has been able to raise standards of  classrooms interaction in a small city of haridwar (UK).What is interesting to note is that our prime belief was that a student from small town is in no way inferior to the one from ultra advanced cities like New York. With that in mind Think Studio devised a very robust and dynamic curriculum and very unconventional approach in the classrooms, we adopted the informal approach which fosters the spirit of true inquiry .

What Think Studio Does ?

Over the last few months many people approached us with this question , as they were not able to comprehend the concept or ideology of Think Studio. My answer is we work to advance your thinking towards “Originality & Clarity”. Its important we realize that true scientific inquiry is bound to have both these attributes. Our main focus is to bring out the rational thinking process in our students. Its a matter of shame that despite so many years after independence we have not been able to do much work on the research field.Its the fault in our current education system which is meant to promote the ability to Write the best and correct answer and not promoting “Asking the right questions?”. We ignite the young minds with the relevant methods and help them achieve the greatness inherent in them , That’s called #FindYourGreatness. Tube

How we can help you ?

Like we said earlier there might be lot of questions in your mind if that be the case you can join our site and post questions in the comment box we will answer them, For Sure.

Google Science Fair (Information)

Google Science Fair is a world-wide competition which is online and open to the age group of 13-18 as an individual or a team. The Google Science Fair Competition 2017 is run by Google INC. Please take note that this prize is not a lucky draw, it is a science competition. This is a talent contest where eligible applicants will be asked to submit their respective science project on a Google designated website to claim the prize. This completion will have following phases – Registration for entry, Judging. Final prize announcement, which will be conducted at Google Headquarters on or around 21st September, 2017.

Enrolling in the Google Science Fair can offer a platform to create on existing learning, reinforcing students’ attainments in scientific research in public. It will promote students to think creatively and to learn how to convey their brilliant ideas to everyone.

Registration
Applicant can enter as an individual or a team (group of 2 or 3 members). In case applicant is willing to enter as a team, he/she will have to link dashboards unitedly so all members can work on the same project simultaneously. One team member beams the Team Code which is unique, to other team fellows which they can use at the time of registering or on their project dashboard.In order to register, one needs to have a google account. Once you sign up Google account, go to www.googlesciencefair.com and register. You need to feed your Google account email ID and password. Then you will be directed to Project Dashboard where you need to fill and edit your registration info, request parental/guardian permission, create, edit and submit your final Project.

If one takes part in more than one project, only the first entry submitted will be judged. All sequent Entries by the applicant or team will be disinclined. Entries not put forward as per the rules mentioned on the Google contest site might get disapproved.

Submission Deadline: 19th May, 2017

Entry Fees: FREE OF COST 

Competition Dates and Times

*PST – Pacific Standard Time

Eligibility Criterion
This contest is clear to pupils born between 19 February 1996 and 18 February 2002, inclusive. No starter can enter for the contest until they become 13 years old. If the starter becomes 19 on submittal time then they will not get indisposed. All newcomers need to get their parent’s or guardian’s consent mandatorily in order to be eligible for this contest.

Ineligibility Standards
This competition is not for the citizen of Cuba, North Korea Iran, Syria, Sudan, the Crimea Region, and any other U.S. sanctioned country and this contest is null &void where it is banned by the law. Employees, representatives and their contiguous family members or occupants in the same family of the Competition Entities and their parents, associated and subsidiary companies, advertising and legal offices, any and all other companies linked with this contest, cannot enter in this science contest.

Eligible Topics
Students can present Projects in any one of the following subjects as a main topic and one or two

Subtopics

Project Categories
• Natural Sciences Category – Flora & Fauna/Food Science/Earth & Environmental Sciences.
• Physical Design & Engineering Category – Inventions & Innovation/ Electricity & Electronics/Robotics.
• Pure Sciences Category – Biology/Chemistry/Physics, Behavioural & Social Sciences.
• Space & Physics Category – Energy & Space/Astrophysics.
• Computer Science & Math Category – Computer Science/Math.

There are following sections which needs to be completed before final project submission:

Summary: A brief overview of your Project. Optionally a short video (on YouTube) or a slideshow (on Google Slides) along with.

About Me: Introduction of yourself or your team.

Proposal: Depict the question that you are looking into and your hypothesis, or the question that you are going to figure out and the result that you anticipate.

Research: The research that you have conducted into picked out topic by you.

Method and Redesign: Mention in detail about your method of testing.

Results: Clear results supported with data and observances gathered during your experiment.

Conclusion: An answer on the way you carried out the experiment.

• Bibliography, References and Acknowledgements Acknowledgements and references of source of information.
  • Judging to decide Regional Finalists, Finalists, Award Winners, and the Grand Prize Winner.

Ideas
Entrants have all-inclusive access to ideas, designs, stories, film, video, and other stuffs. These can only be used for idea purpose, however entrants can use other’s logo, images or videos.

Events Deadlines
• Google Science Fair launch: 18 February 2017
• Submission deadline: 18 May 2017
• Regional finalists announced: 2 July 2017
• Finalists announced: 4 August 2017
• Final awards ceremony: September 2017

Wider Objectives
The Google Science Fair can assist students to develop:

Teachers
The role of teachers is very important in the Google Science Fair. Many winners and finalists accredit their teachers for informing them about this contest and providing further support during their project. There are resources on the website for teachers where they can utilize them to involve their students. Design of the Google contest is in line with school’s curriculum. There are lesson plans on Google contest website for different age –group.

Judges
Dr Adam Rutherford
Brief Introduction – Dr Rutherford is a science journalist, author and broadcaster. He delivers the BBC’s weekly science radio show ‘Inside Science’, as well as TV shows on a many topics. He has made the award-winning The Cell (2009).

Loretta Whitesides
Brief Introduction – Loretta Whitesides has had more than five hours of weightless time as a Flight Director for Zero-G Corporation in a 727 aircraft. Loretta has been trained as an astrobiologist at Stanford and Caltech. Whitesides is passionate about human space exploration which is an inspiration to the humanity.

Mariette Dichristina
Brief Introduction – Mariette DiChristina is editor in chief & senior vice president of ScientificAmerican.com since 2009. She is the first lady and eighth person to acquire the top post since 1845, foundation of Scientific American.

Pelle Petersen
Brief Introduction – Pelle Petersen is a designer based in Billund, Denmark for the LEGO Education. He holds 20 years of experience in product design & concept development. LEGO Education is a 30 year old world-wide organisation which works in nurturing educational resources and results which make learning interesting, intriguing and enjoyable for kids of all ages.

Stephan Turnipseed
Brief Introduction – Stephan Turnipseed is the President Emeritus and Executive Director of Strategic Partnerships of LEGO Education.LEGO Education is a 30 year old world-wide organisation which works in nurturing educational resources and results which make learning interesting, intriguing and enjoyable for kids of all ages. Turnipseed headed LEGO Education (North America) for good 16 years towards its goal.

Rich Devaul
Brief Introduction – Rich Devaul is the head of Google [x] Rapid Evaluation Team and Design Kitchen, teams who prototype, create, and check ideas, provide new concepts and plans for Google.

Dr. John Sotos
Brief Introduction – Dr. Sotos is a computer scientist, a cardiologist, a graduate from Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and the Stanford University School of Engineering, a flight surgeon,author of the books- Zebra Cards: An Aid to Obscure Diagnosis & The Physical Lincolnand a medical historian. He has keen interest in the art and science of diagnosis and he is the one who hasnamed the genetic cancer syndrome “multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2B” in President Abraham Lincoln, and a medical technical consultant to the famous TV serial House, MD for six years.

Claudia Hammond
Brief Introduction – Hammond is an award-winning broadcaster, psychology lecturer and writer. She is a columnist for BBC.com and appears on Impact on BBC World News on a regular basis to discuss researches in field of psychology. She teaches psychology in Boston University. She has written two psychology books – “Emotional Rollercoaster: a journey through the science of feelings” and “Time Warped: Unlocking the mysteries of time Perception”.

Steve Cowley
Brief Introduction – Steve Cowley is a Chief Executive of the UK Atomic Energy Authority and a theoretical physicist. He leads Culham laboratory, a lab which man oeuvres the only device in the world able of generating substantial fusion energy. He is mainly interested in subjects like the theory of fusion plasmas and the origin of magnetic fields in the universe. The Institute of Physics honoured Professor Cowley the 2012 Glazebrook Gold Medal. He is a member of the Prime Minister’s Council on Science and Technology and a Fellow of the Royal Society and Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering.

Dr. Zeb Hogan
Brief Introduction – Dr. Zeb Hogan is very experienced in the study of world’s freshwater ecosystems and he acts on merging conservation science and conservation education & action.  At present he is assistant research professor in Nevada-Reno University,United Nations Convention on Migratory Species Scientific Councillor for Fish, a National Geographic Society Explorer and host of the National Geographic TV serial “Monster Fish.” Dr Hogan’s work and efforts on the project of Mekong Fish Conservation and Mega fishes project, which is sponsored by National Geographic have helped in apprehension of population structures and migratory patterns of imperiled giant freshwater fish.

Beth Moses
Brief Introduction – Moses is aerospace engineer in Virgin Galactic which is world’s first commercial space line. She looks after as a Chief Astronaut Instructor and Cabin Program Manager as well. She and her teams take care of the construction of the passenger cabin of Space Ship Two and training program and equipment to prepare future astronauts for spaceflight.

Thomas Culhane
Brief Introduction – Thomas Culhane is a National Geographic Emerging Explorer, an urban planner and Justice Professor in Mercy College, New York. His NGO provides solar cities and trains to poor countries.

Dr Anna Patterson
Brief Introduction – Dr. Anna Patterson is Vice President of Engineering for Google. She is also Global Co-Chair of Women@Google. She research on how to make computers human like.

Prizes
Awards will be given to 20 finalists in the Google Science Fair where they will be accompanied by their parent or guardian in Google headquarters, Mountain View, CA when they submit their project to the judges and contend for the awards named below.

Grand Prize
The winner will obtain $50,000 as scholarship funding. This scholarship is meant to promote the winner’s education. In case a team wins the award then the scholarship’s amount will be equally divided among the team members. This prize is offered by Google.

The finalist Prizes
List of the prizes to be given to the finalists are as follows

The Scientific American Innovator Award fetes a project in pure sciences
Scientific American will award $25,000 and one year of guidance to the winner of this Award. In addition, the winner’s school will receive digital access to Scientific American magazine Archives for 12 months.This prize is offered by Scientific American

The Google Technologist Award honours a project in computer science and/or math
The winner will be given $25,000 along with one year of guidance to the winner of this Award from employee of Google in related area and a chit-chat in their home office.This prize is offered by Google.

The National Geographic Explorer Award accolades a project in the natural sciences
The prize winner will travel a 10-day National Geographic outing to the Galapagos Archipelago, “Darwin’s living laboratory” and shelter to a copiousness of wildlife which is isolated from main land for millions of years, along with a parent or guardian. This is a marvellous trip for those who loves nature and wild life.This prize is offered by National Geographic.

The LEGO Education Builder Award grant a project in engineering
The achiever will have a trip to The LEGO Group headquarters which is in Billund, Denmark, to meet LEGO Education employees and designers and a tour the LEGO Manufacturing facilities, LEGO Idea House and LEGO LAND Denmark along with a parent or guardian. The winner gets a classroom set for their school of the LEGO MIND STORMS Education EV3 with syllabus. Winner will receive a custom LEGO brick build designed by LEGO Education designers. In addition to all this, the winner will have entree to work with a LEGO Education executive as a coach to learn the art of entrepreneurship and how to launch a business for 6 months.This prize is offered by LEGO.

The Virgin Galactic Pioneer award accolades a project in space and physics
The victor will have a tour of Virgin Galactic, Spaceport & Mojave Air in Mojave, California to see-over-the-top team of brilliant engineers. The winner will also get a unique chance to get introduced with the new spaceship.This prize is offered by Virgin Galactic.

The Community Impact Award honours a project in environmental, health & resources issue
The winner will be granted $10,000 and one year of mentorship from Scientific American.This prize is offered by Scientific American.

The Incubator award admire a project in science by student of the age group of 13 -15
The achiever will be granted $10,000 and one year of guidance by Google. This prize is offered by Google.

The Inspiring Educator Award is for one spectacular teacher for supporting their students in extraordinary ways.The educator will get $10,000 classroom grant from Google and $5,000 gift card for educational products from LEGO Education.This prize is offered by Google and Lego Education.

Parents
Few pointers for parents as well
• Ensure that your child properly reads and comprehend the rules of the contest before starting the project. All information is available on the website of Google Science Fair.Lead your kid to ‘How to Enter section’.
• Help your kid to improve on his/her communication skills by asking them to describe the crux of their project in a clear manner.
• Give your input on the set up of their project site and how to make it more judges friendly.
• To check that your kid is not leaving things for the eleventh hour. Urge your child to finish the project well before the deadline.
• Help them in practical ways, take interest in their project. Support them with the things they need, places they need to go etc.
• Make sure that they are safe and use safe materials for their project
• If you are also from a science background then you can get involved with the project of your child. But you are not supposed to work on their project, it should be done by them. Your child must present an elaborated account of your part in the “Acknowledgements” section of their project.

References taken :

Google Science Fair: www.googlesciencefair.com

Google Science Fair: YouTube