Calling all Young Scientists and Engineers!
Do you ever look at the world around you and find yourself thinking:
I wonder…?
At the Maine Middle School Science & Engineering Fair, we challenge you to ask questions and solve problems in the world around you. Let your curiosity and creativity run free!
Wednesday, May 21, 2025
Register for MMSSEF
Register for MMSSEF
- Teachers register their school
- Students register and get parental permission
- Students submit their project forms
Contact Us
Register for MMSSEF!
Registration for MMSSEF takes place in our new LaunchPad system. Here’s how it works:
Step 1. Each teacher registers in LaunchPad.
Once registered, they can share the student registration form with their classes.
Step 2. Each student registers and gets parental permission.
Parents will get an email with a permission form to sign online. Deadline: March 1
Step 3. Students submit basic information about their project in the Student Portal.
Students working in teams: you only need to submit your project forms once!
Step 4. Students submit additional forms, if applicable, in the Student Portal.
See graphic below to determine if a project needs extra forms. Deadline: March 1
Step 5. Students submit their <250-word abstract in the Student Portal.
Deadline: April 18
Step 6. Students practice their presentation skills for the big day.
Project Submission
Projects involving certain activities must be approved by MMSSEF prior to experimentation. These projects require specific forms to be submitted by March 1. Review the graphic below and refer to the official MMSSEF Rules to determine whether a project requires Advance Review. Contact MMSSEF staff with any questions.
Event Info
The Science & Engineering Fair is a one-day expo where students share their STEM projects with their peers, families, and judges from Maine organizations. The 2025 event will take place on Wednesday, May 21 at Orono High School, 14 Goodridge Drive, Orono. Schedule: Judging will take place in two rounds. Schools will be assigned to rounds prior to the event.Round 1
- 9:00-10:00 Arrival and Setup
- 10:00-11:30 Judging
- 11:30 Departure
Round 2
- 11:30-12:30 Arrival and Setup
- 12:30-2:00 Judging
- 2:00 Departure
Sponsors
Impact | $20,000+
Exploration | $5,000+
Innovation | $2,500+
Discovery | $1,000+
Contact Stefany Burrell, sburrell@mmsa.org, to learn more about sponsoring the Maine Middle School Science & Engineering Fair.
Awards
We are affiliated with Thermo Fisher Scientific Junior Innovators Challenge! What does that mean for you? The top 10% of projects that compete at the MMSSEF get to represent Maine at this national competition! In addition, our Maine students can compete for local awards.
GRAND AWARDS
Our Science & Engineering Fair is affiliated with the Thermo Fisher Scientific Junior Innovators Challenge, the nation’s premier middle school STEM competition. The top 10% of our competitors are invited to submit their projects for consideration. The nominees are:
- Yuvanguru Balagurumoorthy; Academy for Science and Design
GlioSight: Multi-Parametric MRI-Based Detection of Early Stage Glioblastoma Multiforme Using Hybrid Region-Based Convolutional Neural Network Instance Segmentation and Object Detection
- Reid Quirk; Orono Middle School
Understanding Lyme Disease Through Data Science
- Paul Pelletier, Will Mitchell, & Simon Madore; Orono Middle School
Does Color Bias Tasters’ Perception of Flavor?
- Mark Soares; James F. Doughty School
Effects of Caffeine on Lumbricus terrestris.
- Madalynn Brichacek; Orono Middle School
Compostable Utensils
- Ivory Oo; Orono Middle School
Climate Friendly De-Icers
- Alivia Lockhart & Hudson Flagg; James F. Doughty School
What is the difference in chemicals in well and public water in the state of Maine?
- Abbie Singletary & Chanel Smalls; James F. Doughty School
The Self Cleaning Makeup Brush
SPECIAL AWARDS
We presented four special awards at this year’s fair.
Broadcom Coding with Commitment Award
The Broadcom Foundation recognizes students who combine STEM knowledge with coding/computation to help or improve their community. The winner will receive a $250 gift card and a Raspberry Pi Personal Computer Kit. The winner is:
- Nagasree Ramoju; Fairmount School
Impact of weight on drone flight
Civil & Environmental Engineering Award
The University of Maine’s Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering recognizes four students exhibiting projects in the areas of infrastructure and the environment. The winners will each receive a $250 cash prize. The winners are:
- Milo Dermer-Nuñez; Orono Middle School
Testing the weight bearing capacity of different lengths of Warren truss bridges.
- Mason Gorman & Sam Paluszak; James F. Doughty School
Coasting…Through Coastline Erosion!
- Austin Heiser; Noble Middle School
how temperature variance impact thermoelectric voltage
Lemelson Early Inventor Award
The Lemelson Foundation and Society for Science celebrate young inventors whose projects exemplify the ideals of inventive thinking. The winner will receive a $100 cash prize. The winner is:
- Desmond Lees & Charles Olmstead; James F. Doughty School
Forever straw: a straw that can be used forever that filters water and is safe for the environment
DoD STEM Leadership Award
The Department of Defense recognizes a student or team that demonstrates excellence in STEM, as well as problem-solving skills and determination to overcome challenges throughout the research project. The winner will receive a $100 cash prize. The winning team is:
- Bella Foster & Addisyn McAlpine, & Emma Wood; James F. Doughty School
Oyster Mushrooms as an Antibiotic?
CATEGORY AWARDS
We recognize the top third of projects in each category.
Animal & Plant Sciences
- First Prize: Mark Soares; James F. Doughty School
Effects of Caffeine on Lumbricus terrestris.
- First Prize: Barrett Sorensen; Nokomis Regional Middle School
Springtails Traps
- Second Prize: Haylee Mclean; James F. Doughty School
How do extreme conditions affect the reanimation of tardigrades?
- Second Prize: Willa Schaefer & Chloe Holesha; James F. Doughty School
Colored Light reactions with Green crabs (Carcinus maenas)
- Third Prize: Zamihya Shells; James F. Doughty School
Are Hermit Crabs (Coenobita perlatus) Sentient?
- Third Prize: Georgie Stephenson & Lola Bridges; James F. Doughty School
Pill bugs learning
Behavioral & Social Sciences
- First Prize: Bailey Ellis; Orono Middle School
Can Middle School Students Recognize AI-Generated Text?
- First Prize: Paul Pelletier, Will Mitchell, & Simon Madore; Orono Middle School
Does Color Bias Tasters’ Perception of Flavor?
- Second Prize: Maggie Schneider; Orono Middle School
Social Media and Purchasing
- Third Prize: David Brewer; Orono Middle School
Walking and Perceived Stress Levels
- Third Prize: Isibeal Smith & Emily Murray; James F. Doughty School
Does handwriting improve brain connectivity more than typing?
Biological & Biomedical Sciences
- First Prize: Yuvanguru Balagurumoorthy; Academy for Science and Design
GlioSight: Multi-Parametric MRI-Based Detection of Early Stage Glioblastoma Multiforme Using Hybrid Region-Based Convolutional Neural Network Instance Segmentation and Object Detection
- First Prize: Abbie Singletary & Chanel Smalls; James F. Doughty School
The Self Cleaning Makeup Brush
- Second Prize: Harry Patel & Sam Millertreat; James F. Doughty School
5 Second Rule
- Third Prize: Malath Mohammed; Orono Middle School
Artificial Pancreas: Path of Dealing with Diabetes
Engineering & Computer Science
- First Prize: Reid Quirk; Orono Middle School
Understanding Lyme Disease Through Data Science
- Second Prize: Camden Soderberg; Orono Middle School
Sustainable wind energy
- Second Prize: Connor Kirkham, Dylan Pierce, & Patrick Hachem; Falmouth Middle School
Solar Powered Pill Dispenser
- Third Prize: Noah Fellis & Ronan King; James F. Doughty School
Creating a Crank Generator
Environmental Science
- First Prize: Ivory Oo; Orono Middle School
Climate Friendly De-Icers
- Second Prize: Enza Brooker; James F. Doughty School
How do Microplastics affect the growth of algae over time?
- Second Prize: Alivia Lockhart & Hudson Flagg; James F. Doughty School
What is the difference in chemicals in well and public water in the state of Maine?
- Third Prize: Isaiah Shearer; James F. Doughty School
What is happening to Carcinus maenas in the Penobscot Bay?
Physical Sciences
- First Prize: Matthew Fluty & Edward Hasbrouck; Orono Middle School
The Effect of Spider Tack on Pitching a Baseball
- First Prize: Madalynn Brichacek; Orono Middle School
Compostable Utensils
- Second Prize: Hazel Yezukevich; Orono Middle School
Does dye in cotton tshirts affect stain removal?
- Second Prize: Austin Heiser; Noble Middle School
how temperature variance impact thermoelectric voltage
- Third Prize: Angelina Baston; James F. Doughty School
Characteristics of different bioplastics
Grand Awards
The following MMSSEF participants are invited to apply for the Thermo Fisher Scientific Junior Innovators Challenge:
- Nina Mitchell & Sophia Tyutyunnyk, Orono Middle School
Nine Dragons Paper Mill H₂S Emissions - Reid Quirk & Edward Hasbrouck, Orono Middle School
Does mill smell correlate with weather patterns? - Malath Mohammed, Orono Middle School
Simulating Plant Growth in Microgravity using a Clinostat Apparatus - Riley Bosco, James F. Doughty School
Do the Biodegradable IV bag and Intravenous Bag leak into medicine? - Reed Marasco & Lyell Walker, William S. Cohen School
A Pump for the Next Generation
Category Awards
Animal & Plant Sciences
- First Place: Malath Mohammed, Orono Middle School
- Second Place: Jack Hildebrand, Orono Middle School
- Third Place: Ama Opoku, James F. Doughty School
- Honorable Mention: Ava Middleton, James F. Doughty School
Behavioral Sciences
- 1st Place: Emily Sherman, Orono Middle School
- 2nd Place: Sarah Wallace & Evan Haskell, James F. Doughty School
- 3rd Place: Margaret Schneider, Orono Middle School
Biological & Biomedical Sciences
- 1st Place: Nicholas Trudel, Noble Middle/High School
- 2nd Place: Savannah Myers, Saint George School
- 3rd Place: Morgan Higgins, James F. Doughty School
Engineering & Computer Science
- 1st Place: Riley Bosco, James F. Doughty School
- 2nd Place: Reed Marasco & Lyell Walker, William S. Cohen School
- 3rd Place: Abby Caron, William S. Cohen School
- Honorable Mention: Bradley Lapierre, Van Buren District Secondary School
Environmental Science
- 1st Place: Nina Mitchell & Sophia Tyutyunnyk, Orono Middle School
- 2nd Place: Reid Quirk & Edward Hasbrouck, Orono Middle School
- 3rd Place: Owin Michaud & Cheveyo Trantham, Van Buren District Secondary School
- Honorable Mention: Lyla Lazear, James F. Doughty School
Physical Sciences & Mathematics
- 1st Place: Tristan Miniutti, Noble Middle/High School
- 2nd Place: Toni Ogunlela & Ruby Beane, Orono Middle School
- 3rd Place: Simon Madore, Orono Middle School
- Honorable Mention: Paul Pelletier, Orono Middle School
Special Awards
University of Maine Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering
$250 Cash Prizes
- Tristan Miniutti, Noble Middle/High School
- Kai Grosjean, James F. Doughty School
- Lydia Bailey, James F. Doughty School
- Zoe Hufnagel, Saint George School
Broadcom Coding with Commitment
$250 Cash Prize and a Raspberry Pi RP400 Personal Computer Kit
- Malath Mohammed, Orono Middle School
Lemelson Early Inventor Prize
$100 Cash Prize
- Owin Michaud & Cheveyo Trantham, Van Buren District Secondary School
DoD STEM Leadership Prize
$100 Cash Prize
- Lyla Lazear, James F. Doughty School
The Reach Award
- Nevaeh Lapointe, Van Buren District Secondary School
- Sydney Lanouette, Noble Middle/High School
- Skye Glover, Falmouth Middle School
- Mirra Meak & Renton O’Toole, Winslow Junior High School
- Andrew Franklin, Nokomis Regional Middle School
Grand Awards
The following students have been nominated for Broadcom MASTERS:
- 1st Place: Charlotte Reed, James F. Doughty School
How does aromatherapy affect daphnia? - 2nd Place: Abby Caron, William S. Cohen School
A Look Into the Future Through Limiting Our Pollution - 3rd Place: Victoria Wahlig, Falmouth Middle School
Optimization of Flettner Rotor Sail Design as a Means of Reducing Underwater Noise and Carbon Emissions - 4th Place: Reid Quirk, Orono Middle School
Experimental Evolution in Yogurt and Yeast Microbes - 5th Place: Skye Glover, Falmouth Middle School (pictured below)
An Investigation of Opinions and Attitudes Towards Pit Bulls: Comparing Animal Professionals and the General Public - 6th Place: Morgan Higgins, James F. Doughty School
Can Mushrooms be an Effective Antibacterial Agent Due to Causing Apoptosis?
Special Awards
- Broadcom Coding with Commitment Award: Connor Moeykens, Orono Middle School
The Effect of Music on Short Term Memory in Young Adolescents - Lemelson Early Inventor Prize: Victoria Wahlig, Falmouth Middle School
Optimization of Flettner Rotor Sail Design as a Means of Reducing Underwater Noise and Carbon Emissions - Department of Defense STEM Leadership Award: Koda Serrecchia, Nokomis Regional Middle School (pictured below)
Wind Tunnel
Category Awards
Behavioral & Social Sciences
- 1st Place: Skye Glover, Falmouth Middle School
An Investigation of Opinions and Attitudes Towards Pit Bulls: Comparing Animal Professionals and the General Public - 2nd Place: Connor Moeykens, Orono Middle School
The Effect of Music on Short Term Memory in Young Adolescents - 3rd Place: Nicholas Theriault, Noble High School
Effects of Baroque Music on Studying
Engineering & Computation
- 1st Place: Abby Caron, William S. Cohen School
A Look Into the Future Through Limiting Our Pollution - 2nd Place: Victoria Wahlig, Falmouth Middle School
Optimization of Flettner Rotor Sail Design as a Means of Reducing Underwater Noise and Carbon Emissions - 3rd Place: Koda Serrecchia, Nokomis Regional Middle School
Wind Tunnel
Environmental Sciences
- 1st Place: Ivy Roy, James F. Doughty School
Can Aloe Plants Clear Smoggy Air? - 2nd Place: Julia Rall, James F. Doughty School
How does water quality compare between the east and west sides of Sears Island Maine? - 3rd Place: Brayden Dennett & Darius Rancourt, James F. Doughty School
Can films made from cellulose nanofiber and powdered spirulina algae reduce water loss for alternative packaging?
Life Sciences
- 1st Place: Charlotte Reed, James F. Doughty School
How does aromatherapy affect daphnia? - 2nd Place: Reid Quirk, Orono Middle School
Experimental Evolution in Yogurt and Yeast Microbes - 3rd Place: Morgan Higgins, James F. Doughty School
Can Mushrooms be an Effective Antibacterial Agent Due to Causing Apoptosis?
Physical Sciences
- 1st Place: Riley Bosco, James F. Doughty School
Do Blue Light Glasses Actually Work? - 2nd Place: Andrew Franklin, Nokomis Regional Middle School
How long could we have kept the Titanic afloat - 3rd Place: Brayden Sloan, James F. Doughty School
How much does the size and mass of a baseball bat affect the distance of your hit? - Honorable Mention: John Hildebrand, Orono Middle School
The effect of air velocity on pressure - Honorable Mention: Malath Mohammed, Orono Middle School
Measuring the Surface Tension of Kitchen Liquids at Room Temperature - Honorable Mention: Meadow de Vries, Cape Elizabeth Middle School
Particulate Matter and Types of Microwave Popcorn
Grand Awards
The following students will represent Maine at the Broadcom MASTERS Competition:
- 1st Place – Adriana Rogow – Falmouth Middle School
Insta-depressed?: the effects of social media on middle school students - 2nd Place – Grace Muffett – James F. Doughty School, Bangor
Can Tardigrades Survive a High Altitude Balloon Flight? - 3rd Place – Alex Busco – James F. Doughty School, Bangor
Microplastics in Bottled Water: Searching for a Common Correlation Between Bottle Size and Microplastic Concentration
Lemelson Young Inventors Award ($100)
- Ian Blackwell and Nik Horton – James F. Doughty School, Bangor
Nanocellulose and sawdust particle boards
Great work everyone! Congratulations to the winners!
Exciting News from Broadcom MASTERS!
Alex Busco of James F. Doughty School in Bangor has been named one of the 2021 Top 300 Broadcom MASTERS! Congratulations, Alex, and best of luck at the next level of competition!
Special Thanks
We could not support educators and students without the generous, ongoing support of the following organizations:
