Many people think of basketball in March, but for students in Southern Nevada who have worked tirelessly on research and invention projects, it’s time to compete at the Beal Bank USA Southern Nevada Regional Science and Engineering Fair (SNRSEF), hosted annually by the UNLV College of Sciences. 

Beal Bank USA has supported this event since 2006 to show its commitment to fostering interest in STEM fields from a young age. 

“For 17 years, Beal Bank USA has been proud to serve as title sponsor of the Southern Nevada Regional Science and Engineering Fair. What has been most pleasing is the fair’s growth over the years,” says Jim Chambless, chief content officer and senior vice president for corporate communications for Beal Bank USA. “Under the guidance of the UNLV management team and its aggressive outreach to schools across Clark County and Nevada, the fair has helped thousands of students pursue STEM interests and further their academic careers. We look forward to seeing the fair grow even more in the future.”

More than 600 students compete each year in the event, which comprises two fairs and three different divisions – high school, middle school, and elementary. Beal Bank’s support has enabled organizers to continue growing and reach more students annually.   

“We are here to encourage K-12 students locally and across Nevada to get interested in STEM, specifically research and inventing. Seeing the ideas the students come up with each year is inspiring,” says Andrew Andres, executive associate dean of the College of Sciences who works closely with the college’s director of communications to put the fair on each year.

This year the event returned to being fully in person. Across all divisions, participants came from 45 different schools. This included two high school students who traveled from Reno as well as students from Amargosa Valley middle and elementary school in Nye County, who dropped off their projects by school bus. 

The event culminated with an awards banquet dinner for top participants hosted at the Thomas & Mack Strip View Pavilion on April 4. 

International Opportunity

The winning project in the high school division goes on to the International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF), which will be held in May in Dallas, Texas. There, more than 1,800 high school students from around the nation and the world will be competing for nearly $6 million in awards.

This year’s high school division winner and ISEF finalist is from Ed. W. Clark High School in Las Vegas. Samuel Chen and Jennifer Hsu, both juniors, worked together to develop a new type of packaging that could delay the ripening process in some types of produce, thus increasing potential shelf life. 

Improving sustainability and the conservation of resources has always been a goal for Chen. “Last summer, I attended a talk which opened my eyes to the shocking amount of food waste that occurs along the journey from harvest to retail as a result of premature ripening.” 

They researched ethylene gas, a plant hormone that triggers the ripening process, and looked at methods to better control the gas. “The idea of putting ethylene scavengers in foam stuck because of its feasibility, novelty, and potential benefits beyond ethylene control for the produce industry,” says Chen. 

Climacteric produce – which continue to ripen once removed from the plant are also more susceptible to damage as they ripen. “This method not only prevents premature ripening, but also helps protect produce from damage during transportation, reducing food waste,” says Hsu. 

Chen and Hsu will be traveling to Dallas for a week in May to attend ISEF and represent SNRSEF and Nevada. Their trip will consist of presenting their project to judges, along with various other sessions to network and meet other participants from around the globe. 

Both finalists say this experience has already reaffirmed their desire to continue in scientific research throughout their education and careers.

“I am particularly excited to broaden my scientific knowledge and understanding, as well as learn about the cutting-edge research being conducted by my peers! Furthermore, I cannot wait to showcase the research my partner and I have been working on, and to receive valuable feedback,” says Hsu.

Chen is looking forward to meeting like-minded individuals from around the world, sharing ideas, and inspiring each other to push the boundaries of scientific innovation. “I think the ability to articulate and share your research work with peers and judges is something incredibly important in academia, and I’m excited to practice.”

Beal Bank USA covers travel expenses for ISEF finalists and their chaperones as part of their support of the fair each year, providing these students an experience they will never forget.