2022 STEM Fair in Greater Tampa Bay

The 2022 Annual Hillsborough Regional Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Fair, held at the Tampa Convention Center on February 28^th-March 2^nd, is the largest academic competition in Florida and one of the largest in the nation with more than 100,000 students in grades K-12 competing at their schools. 

In its 42nd year, the STEM Fair provided a pathway for students to explore scientific, mathematical, and engineering topics. For the second time, the K-5 Division featured an invention category. Regional winners in middle and high school move on to compete at the State of Florida Science and Engineering Fair. Finalists will compete in the State Science and Engineering Fair of Florida on March 29th-31^st, 2022 in Lakeland.

This year, Danielly Orozco-Cole, Career and Technical Education Program Manager for FLATE, was part of the Tampa Bay Manufacturing Association (BAMA) team of volunteers who had the opportunity to review, interview, and judge some of the best engineering-manufacturing related K-12 projects. During the event, more than 600 STEM professionals around the Tampa Bay area served as regional judges reviewing over 1,000 elementary to senior High School students’ projects. Winners of this STEM fair will represent the County in the Florida STEM Fair, where over $200,000 of scholarships and awards will be awarded to students. 

FLATE, as Florida’s Advanced Technological Education Center, encourages and supports Florida’s talented young people to pursue STEM and manufacturing-related careers. These fairs and competitions encourage STEM hands-on explorations, creative thinking, engagement with industry professionals, and communication skills development. They provide an avenue for students to learn outside the more traditional classroom experiences which might be all they need to start a love for STEM. FLATE encourages everyone, and particularly STEM professionals, to support these events in their communities.

FLATE thanks the sponsors as well as all judges and volunteers who assisted during the STEM Fair. Winners of the BAMA award will receive a certificate and cash prize at the Annual Awards Banquet on June 16^th at the Bryan Glazier Jewish Community Center (JCC). For more information about FLATE and its educational resources to inspire the next generation of hi-tech skilled workforce, visit FLATE.org and MadeinFLorida.org. We also invite you to watch the 2022 Hillsborough STEM Fair video clip here.