Alberta teen takes top prize at CWSF 2009 for innovative mobility devices

May 15, 2009

17 year old Gary Kurek of Bonnyville, Alberta took home the EnCana Best-in-Fair Award Friday, May 15th at the Canada-Wide Science Fair (CWSF) in Winnipeg.

Friday’s ceremony was the culmination of the week-long Fair and saw over 300 awards, scholarships and prizes totaling nearly $1 million awarded to finalists competing in a field of 475 young Canadian scientists from every province and territory.

The finalists were selected from among approximately 25,000 Grade 7-12/Cégep students participating in 102 local and regional fairs across the country in the months leading up to the national competition.

The Canada-Wide Science Fair is Youth Science Canada’s premiere youth science event showcasing the country’s top young scientists. Finalists compete for prizes in 9 divisions, as well as peer and other special awards. This year’s fair boasted 385 projects and 475 young scientists. Past competitors at the CWSF have included astronaut, doctor, scientist and photographer Roberta Bondar, award-winning science columnist Peter Calamai, and Jaymie Matthews, principal investigator of the MOST microsatellite.

Gary’s project, entitled “Multi-Functional Mobility Aids: Improving Autonomy and Efficiency” focused on developing two novel mobility aids for the physically disabled. Gary won a total of 10 awards and scholarships with a total value of $46,800.

Camille Salvas, 16, and Estelle Simon, 15, of St-Robert and Ste-Victoire-de-Sorel, Quebec, were awarded the EnCana Platinum Award – Best Intermediate Project. Melissa Chopcian, 12, of Sarnia, Ontario, took home the EnCana Platinum Award – Best Junior Project.

Click the link to download complete award results as a PDF document:
CWSF 2009 (English) / ESPC 2009 (français)

Browse all CWSF projects from 2005-2009, including photos, awards and abstracts, in the Virtual CWSF.

About Youth Science Canada
Since 1962, Youth Science Canada has played a vital role in nurturing the scientific impulse amongst our youth – encouraging them to develop scientific and technological knowledge and skills. Every year, half a million young Canadians – as many as play hockey – participate in project-based science. Fired by the tireless energy of over 8,000 volunteers: educators, scientists and parents across a network of over 100 local organizations, Youth Science Canada works to capture their imaginations and broaden their access to science. Our goal is to ensure all young Canadians have the chance to peer through the lens of a microscope and be mesmerized by what they see.

About EnCana Corporation
With an enterprise value of approximately US$55 billion, EnCana is a leading North American unconventional natural gas and integrated oilsands company. By partnering with employees, community organizations and other businesses, EnCana contributes to the strength and sustainability of the communities where it operates. EnCana common shares trade on the Toronto and New York stock exchanges under the symbol ECA. For more information, go to www.encana.com.