KANSAS JUNIOR ACADEMY OF SCIENCE

The Kansas Junior Academy of Science (KJAS) is an organization for students who are interested in expanding their ability and accomplishments in science and mathematics. Students who wish to participate in the Junior Academy must complete a science, technology, engineering or mathematics project during the year. The student will then submit a written paper for judging at a District Meeting held each spring. At the District Meeting, students also orally present their projects to judges. Projects are judged by career scientists in the science content area specific to the research. Papers which are rated as superior at the District Meeting are invited to be presented at the State Junior Academy Meeting held the first Thursday in May at Wichita State University.

At the State Meeting, students must again submit their written scientific paper and orally present to a panel of judges. Students of the overall winning papers may be selected to represent Kansas as a Delegate at the American Junior Academy of Science meeting which is sponsored by the National Association of the Academies of Sciences and the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). The KJAS is usually able to provide partial funding for students to attend this meeting.

WHAT ARE THE GOALS OF KJAS?

The goals of the KJAS are:
(1) to stimulate interest in science among young people
(2) to encourage students to conduct scientific investigations
(3) to offer training in presenting scientific matters before the public
(4) to afford the opportunity of making contacts with scientists
(5) to provide opportunities to share their scientific interest with others.

WHO IS ELIGIBLE TO JOIN KJAS?

Any junior high, middle or senior high school student interested in any area of science, technology, engineering or mathematics who has a desire to investigate a problem is eligible to participate. Problem solving involves answering questions such as how and/or what. Many scientists solve problems no one has ever solved before by proceeding in a logical way. The same procedure is used by student scientists in completing a research project.

Some problems are easily solved while others require weeks, months and sometimes years of research. Working on a project gives you an opportunity to solve a problem by applying the originality of thought so essential to a scientist. It takes curiosity and desire to work on a problem, but the rewards are numerous. The KJAS offers a splendid opportunity for beginners to learn the basics of research and to experience the enjoyment of solving a problem. Please take advantage of it!

Individual students can become members of the KJAS and so can an entire school class or science club. A group membership is individually less costly and has the benefit of including a year's subscription to the Transactions of the Kansas Academy of Science which contains interesting research papers by students and senior scientists from the state of Kansas.

Become a member! KJAS Membership Form

Annual dues are the following:

Student Membership (Junior and Senior High School)
- Includes Transactions $15.00

Junior Academy Group Membership (for science classes and science clubs)
- Includes Transactions $25.00

This page last updated 12/09/2009