This photo shows a Flip the Fair researcher presenting to four 5th graders.
Fifth graders listen to Catie Burgess talk about tracking disease spread through cattle at Flip the Fair 2023.

It's Flip the Fair time! This is the third year of Flip the Fair, the fun research outreach event at which graduate students present their research and elementary school kids act as judges. The event will be held at the Melrose Branch Public Library in Roanoke on September 26, 2024, from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., with 5th graders from six Roanoke elementary schools attending to serve as judges for the “flipped” science fair. 

   Graduate students who want to prepare a science-fair-style tri-fold poster sign up here: https://forms.gle/K18YMj24aViy1oaWA. Those who want to participate but don’t have time to do a poster can sign up to volunteer at the event instead; please use this form for volunteer sign up:  https://forms.gle/kQvn7ub3ifkhBZFTA.

    Flip the Fair 2023 was held last September at the Melrose Branch Public Library, hosting some 200 5th grade students from 3 surrounding schools. Twenty graduate students presented their research in poster form, and the 5th grade students judged the Virginia Tech researchers' projects. Armed with clipboards and evaluation forms and guided by graduate student volunteers, the 5th graders listened to 3- to 5-minute explanations of the research and then rated the research in the categories of hypothesis, methods, results, and poster appearance. Topics ranged from infectious disease to healthy eating habits. A visiting snake received lots of attention, and children participated in yoga at a poster on cancer research.

This photo shows Amanda Hensley, a smiling blonde woman with glasses wearing a Flip the Fair shirt.
One of the organizers of all three Flip the Fair events, graduate student Amanda Hensley, at Flip the Fair 2023.

    “In my 19 years, this is one of the most impactful programs we’ve done,” said Amber Lowery, the Roanoke Public Library’s assistant director, in an article from American Libraries Magazine. “Kids may not see themselves going onto higher education and don’t consider the field of science as an option for them. To see graduate students from this area who look like them and are from this area and are young and passionate about their work just blew their minds.”

    As with the first Flip the Fair, hosted February 5, 2022, graduate student presenters participated in a workshop facilitated by the Center for Communicating Science; a presentation on diversity, equity, inclusivity, and accessibility; and a poster-making workshop in advance of the event. These opportunities will be offered again this year. The Flip the Fair partnership began as a capstone project for graduate students in the Interfaces of Global Change program and has been carried forward by graduate students since that time.

This photo shows a Flip the Fair researcher presenting to four 5th graders.
Nora Heitzman-Breen explained infectious disease by the numbers to 5th graders attending Flip the Fair 2023.

    With two years’ experience behind them, the school administrators and library staff involved in the project have expanded the program, and this year’s turnout is expected to be much higher. Approximately 360 students from 6 schools will participate, along with 40 teachers and administrators. Roanoke schools that have been invited include Fairview, Westside, Lincoln Terrace, Fishburn, Hurt Park, and RAMS. 

        This year’s organizing committee, as last year’s, includes  Megan Evans, Gates Palissery, and Amanda Hensley. Flip the Fair is sponsored by the Roanoke Public Libraries and Roanoke City Public Schools; Virginia Tech sponsors include the Global Change Center, Center for Communicating Science, Office of Inclusion and Diversity,  Graduate School, College of Science, Fralin Life Sciences Institute, and Virginia Tech Carilion’s Student Outreach Program and  Fralin Biomedical Research Institute.

    Written by Elliott Byrd, Center for Communicating Science Student Intern.