August 1, 2011 - A printable promotional flyer for this year's PS3 is ready for distribution.

The Handbook for 2011 as well as entry forms for Students and Teacher/Chaparones are now available under PS3 Forms & Handbooks on the left column (scroll down).

The Pacific Symposium for Science & Sustainability is scheduled for December 2–4, 2011 at the Shidler College of Business on the University of Hawaii, Manoa campus.

PS3 is a unique experience bringing approximately 50 highly motivated students from Hawaiʻi and other Pacific Islands together for a weekend of science discussion. PS3 is much like professional conferences–students and their peers present research papers to scientists.

The PS3 serves as a regional competition for students doing research to advance to the Junior Science & Humanities Symposium (JSHS). The JSHS is a national program funded by the US Departments of the Army, Navy & Air Force & sponsored by the Academy of Applied Science.

All students grades 9–12 in both public and private schools are invited to participate. Participation in the Symposium offers many benefits to the student including:

• A means to integrate student learning in science, social studies and language arts.
• An opportunity to receive guidance from a scientist or expert on a topic chosen by the student.
• Experience in writing a scientific paper and making an oral presentation to peers and professionals.
• A chance to participate in a scientific conference, take field trips, and have their work published.

For a complete set of rules please read the Symposium Handbook.

TWO TYPES OF PAPERS CAN BE ENTERED FOR THE PS3:

1. Experimental Reseach Papers: Experimental research begins as a question & involves actual experimentation to gather data that will help answer the question. A research project may also be a field study or an engineering project. A field study involves monitoring some aspect of the environment, such as types of birds in the Kawainui Marsh. Engineering projects include designing, building & testing a device. ONLY EXPERIMENTAL RESEARCH PAPERS ARE ELIGIBLE FOR THE NATIONAL JSHS COMPETITION.
2. Library Research Papers: Library research papers involves selecting a topic or problem & doing extensive reading in books & journals; then writing an organized report of your findings. Library research papers are acceptable for presentation at the PS3, but are not eligible for the JSHS competition.

Students may present a report on work done as part of a class project (for extra credit) or as a science fair or summer research project. Only one student is allowed on a project. A team project from the Hawaiʻi State Science & Engineering Fair can be entered if only one team member writes up the report & presents only the research that he or she worked on. The student should also fully acknowledge all the work that was done by the other team member(s).

The student papers will be reviewed by a scientest or expert in the field, then returned. The students with well-written papers will be invited to participate in the PS3. It is strongly recommended that students use the reviewers' comments to improve their papers before presentation at the Symposium on Oahu.

Download the PS3 Handbook and read it to insure that your paper is fit for entry. Your teacher can go over it with you to prepare your research or library paper for entry.

Form	Type
PS3 Student Entry Forms	Fillable PDF
PS3 Adult Chaparone Forms	Fillable PDF

Airfare and lodging will not be provided for student or teacher observers. If you would like to attend the Symposium as an observer, please contact the Hawaiʻi Academy of Science office at 808-956-7930 for permission.