An 18-year-old high school student was able to build a nuclear reactor in their own garage got a disqualification from the International Science and Engineering Fair last month because he competed in too many science fairs.
The technical violation was reported by the former director of Wyoming State Science Fair. Her contract ended May 22 of this year. Sponsors of the fair from the University of Wyoming later reacted saying that the director was acting beyond her authority.
The student, Conrad Farnsworth is one of only 15 high school students to accomplish fusion, and also the first person to construct a nuclear fusion reactor from Wyoming. He was able to build his reactor from ordering parts on the internet, trading with fellow fusion enthusiasts, and other parts he himself made.
Farnsworth has long dreamed of competing in the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair, and has been working on it for the past four years. On May 14, while he was setting up his board and presentation, an official from the fair approached to inform him that he was disqualified. The frustrated student voiced out that the fair should be about encouraging student to get into science, and not get trapped in bureaucracy.
The real issue was that he competed in too many fairs, in the wrong order. Michele Gilden, director of science and education programs for the Society for Science and the Public told in an interview with Star Tribune that students are only allowed to compete in one qualifying regional fair, and then move to a larger competition.
Teachers from Newcastle High School were not aware of this and the school has been participating in both Wyoming and South Dakota fairs for three years now. Farnsworth apparently did not qualify during the UW fair, but made it through in South Dakota.
Farnsworth would never know how he would have fared in the competition, more importantly, he needed feedback from the judges on this project. He will not be back next year since he already graduated last month.
