Our Story
How it Started
The science fair magnified our confidence as young scientists. It introduced us to the scientific process. It was a safe haven where we were celebrated for our curiosity and creativity. More than that, it was an adventure! We were thrilled to share our projects with friends & teachers, nervous to see judges march toward our tables, and joyous from late-night DQ and unlimited DoubleTree cookies - not much could beat the science fair experience. The memories and friends we made are irreplaceable.
In 2019, our co-founders Annie, David, and Marcus saw a skeleton of what the fair used to be. Six years prior, hundreds of students filed into the RCTC gymnasium. Now, fewer than 100 projects scattered the same space. Support from the community, school district, and teachers had dwindled.
How it’s Going
Rochester’s public school students deserve the best STEM Fair experiences. The fair should allow students to show excitement for STEM, as well as cultivate a generation of scholars from underrepresented backgrounds.
Now, with resources and support from the community, participation in STEM can reach new heights!
We can rejuvenate the fair. The first step is student engagement. We provide resources and mentors to students who wouldn’t otherwise consider entering the science fair. We want to help these students fully execute projects they enjoy and are proud of.
Oraculi pairs mentors with students to generate excitement for science, technology, math, and engineering and to facilitate the science fair process.
In 2020-2021, we piloted our mentorship program with 13 middle school students and 17 mentors. Our students each presented their projects at the 2021 Rochester Regional Science and Engineering Fair. All 13 students were recognized for their achievements with an award at the regional fair, and many continued onto the State and International competitions.
Currently, we are expanding to all middle and high schools in the Rochester public school district with both virtual and in-person mentorship programs. We plan to support over 100 students as they embark on their first scientific research projects.
Get Involved
-
Become a Student
Get access to Oraculi resources, curriculum, and a mentor to help guide your Science Fair project.
-
Become a Mentor
Inspire the next generation by becoming an Oraculi mentor and guiding a student’s STEM project!
-
Become a Donor
Become an Oraculi donor and help us make science fair participation accessible to all students.
Meet Our Board
-
Andrea Li (She/Her)
CHAIR
Andrea didn’t participate in the Rochester STEM Fair during her time at Kellogg or Century, but she is glad to be involved now. She began as a virtual mentor in 2020-2021 and enjoyed every minute! In her free time, she loves learning about the science behind her hobbies.
-
Sydney Lundell (She/Her)
VICE CHAIR
Sydney is a PhD candidate at the Mayo Clinic Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences. For being a stellar mentor, she was nominated by Rochester Public Schools staff for the Seagate Excellence in Science Mentoring Award!
-
David H. Jiang (He/Him)
CO-FOUNDER & TREASURER
David is a Rochester STEM Fair alum, having participated in every fair from 8th grade through his senior year at Century High School. Currently, he is a first year J.D. candidate at Stanford Law School. In his spare time, David enjoys playing cello and cooking for friends.
-
Marcus Gomez (He/Him)
CO-FOUNDER
Also the CEO/Co-founder at Luminous Computing, Marcus partly attributes his current personal and professional success to the Rochester Science Fair. Competing at the fair ultimately set him on the engineering path, due to the incredible people he met and the doors it opened.
-
Annie Sun (She/Her)
CO-FOUNDER & PAST CHAIR
Annie is a Rochester STEM Fair alum whose memories reside in our about section. In 2022, she was a Schwarzman Scholar, selected to study at Tsinghua University in Beijing, China. Annie currently works for McKinsey & Company. In her free time, she enjoys ballroom dancing!
-
Cody Fisher (He/Him)
BOARD MEMBER & PAST VICE CHAIR
Originally from Owatonna, MN, Cody is now a senior Ph.D. graduate student at the Mayo Clinic Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, where he studies immune responses to bacterial infections. Cody first started as a mentor and is excited to continue his work as a Board Member!
-
Joshua Halverson (He/Him)
BOARD MEMBER & SCIENCE FAIR DIRECTOR
Josh is also the Community Education Youth Enrichment Coordinator. His work with and knowledge of the Rochester middle schools is vital to our ability to offer Oraculi mentorships as an after school program to students in grades 6-8.
-
Debra Las (She/Her)
BOARD MEMBER
Not only is Deb a science teacher at John Adams Middle School, she is a champion for students who aren’t yet aware of their own potential. She acts on her beliefs by empowering students and providing them with tools they need to discover and pursue their passions.
-
Lisa Higgs (She/Her)
BOARD MEMBER & PAST SCIENCE FAIR DIRECTOR
Lisa has been instrumental in getting Oraculi off the ground. As the former Rochester Regional Science Fair Director, she has years of experience with our student base. She is currently working to bring additional STEM curricula to Rochester elementary schools.
-
Isha Kapoor
BOARD MEMBER & HIGH SCHOOL REPRESENTATIVE
Now a senior at Mayo High School, Isha is the current president of the Minnesota Junior Academy of Science. She has also won multiple awards for her cancer research presented at the regional, state and international science fairs in the past 3 years.