Jørgen Miller
Charlie Giglio, my friend, and I were selected to go to the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair in Los Angeles. It is the largest precollege science fair. We earned an observer status, which means our responsibility was to understand what the fair is like so that we can compete as upperclassmen in the coming years.
The fair took place inside the LA Convention Center. There were 1,778 projects set up by finalists in one of the many large halls. Another hall was reserved for the ceremonies during the fair. At the opening ceremony, Derek Muller from Veritasium was the host. The main speaker was Manu Prakash. Mr. Prakash is the inventor of the foldscope, a $1 paper microscope, and the paperfuge, a hand powered spinning paper whirligig that is able to separate the main components of blood in less than 2 minutes.
ISEF also organized a pin exchange, dinners, and volunteering as tour guides. At the pin exchange, all of the ISEF participants exchanged small pins or gifts between each other. I met groups from all over the world at the pin exchange. At the dinners, all of the students were again encouraged to talk. The second to last day was public day, so observers could volunteer to show local LA schools around the convention center and around the exhibit hall.
During the week, our group also visited University of South California and the Los Angeles Science Center. We took a tour of USC and completed small design challenges made for ISEF students. The science center had a wave pool, a wall of ice, planes, and even a space shuttle. The space shuttle Endeavour was there.
The shuttle was absolutely huge and outside was a gigantic fuel shuttle. While on the ISEF trip, one of the most fun things was going to Universal Studios. We rode all the rides and ate food there for free with our new friends. The whole trip was an amazing experience and I hope I will be picked to participate in ISEF again.