He Shares Science— and Marvels at Youthful Ingenuity Amir Fardi, E.I.T. Pipeline Integrity, Plains Midstream Canada APEGA Science Olympics Volunteer
Student ingenuity is never in short supply at the APEGA Science Olympics—and that’s what Amir Fardi, E.I.T., loves about it. For the past three years, he’s volunteered as a judge at the Calgary Science Olympics. The annual event brings together more than 500 K-12 students, who are tasked with solving various engineering and geoscience problems. He finds it inspiring to see what ideas students will come up with next. Last year, for example, junior high students were challenged to solve an erosion problem. Water was dropped onto a sand- covered ramp. The students had to protect sugar cubes from the water, using marshmallows and Play-Doh. They were given extra points for reducing the amount of sand that collected at the bottom of the ramp. “It’s always so interesting to see how the kids think outside the box. They find solutions to different problems that not even us adults could think of.” Mr. Fardi was particularly impressed with one group of students, who encased the sugar cubes with Play-Doh, and then stretched it across the middle of the ramp. No sand got by, and the sugar cubes survived the deluge of water unscathed. Another year, he was amazed by a group of students who deconstructed a remote-control car—then used its parts to build a kite that could lift and drop a bag of gummy bears onto a target. “They came up with a super-complicated and super-creative way to solve the project,” says Mr. Fardi. “For me, it’s always so interesting to see how the kids think outside the box. They find solutions to different problems that not even us adults could think of.”
As a young professional, Mr. Fardi signed up as an APEGA Science Olympics volunteer because he wants to stay engaged with and give back to his profession. He also strongly supports the mission of the Science Olympics: to demonstrate the fun side of engineering and geoscience, while showing students first-hand how the professions impact our everyday lives. “I’m a big believer that STEM subjects (science, technology, engineering, and math) are what really drive society forward, so getting younger kids interested in these subjects is very important,” he explains. “Also, the Science Olympics teaches them that STEM is fun! It’s not all complicated, technical, scientific stuff.” He has signed up to volunteer for his fourth Science Olympics, and encourages other APEGA members to consider participating. “I come back because it’s always different every year. Different projects, a different group of kids, different minds,” he says. “It’s a great feeling to be a mentor and share your knowledge with the kids. They really look up to you and that’s a very rewarding experience.”
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2018 APEGA Annual Report
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