What do mountaintop removal, soil moisture and Echinacea conservation have in common? They represent a sample of the research topics young scientists have been exploring during the last eight months.

As members of West Virginia University’s EnvironMentors Chapter, 20 area high school students will present their findings during a science fair from 4 to 6 p.m. Friday, April 26, in the lobby of Percival Hall on the Evansdale Campus.

“This event highlights the months of hard work our mentees and mentors have put into each unique project,” explained Catherine Artis, coordinator for the WVU EnvironMentors Chapter. “Since each individual designed his or her own study, it also offers unique insight into which environmental topics students are interested in today.”

Developed by the National Council for Science and Environment, EnvironMentors is a national environment-based mentoring program that provides high school students with the opportunity to work with researchers and professionals to develop scientifically rigorous research projects. The program also promotes future studies and careers in environmental science fields.
WVU was selected as a university chapter in May 2011.

At the April 26 event, WVU’s EnvironMentors high school students will share their research projects with the WVU community through a juried poster session. The top three students will compete against students from 12 chapters across the country in the National EnvironMentors Fair held in Washington, D.C., this May.
The fair is open to the public. For more information, please contact Artis at ceartis@mix.wvu.edu.

-WVU-

law/4/23/13

CONTACT: Catherine Artis, Davis College of Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Design
ceartis@mix.wvu.edu

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