BEAVER BANK: Two years ago, Avalon Lively knew nothing about science fairs, let alone conduct her own independent research.
“All I had was a passion for the environment, so I pretty much went from there,” said the Beaver Bank girl.
“Attending the Canada-Wide Science Fair two years in a row was a big achievement for me, so I was excited to have placed at the national competition.
“It’s a huge accomplishment because these are the best projects in the country and I was surrounded by so many bright individuals.”
Lively, a Lockview High student, took home a silver form the Canada-Wide Science Fair, held in Fredericton, and was awarded the prestigious Beauty Centre for Species Discovery award.
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Lively said she is honoured to be the senior recipient of the Beauty Centre for Species Discovery Award, since there were so many other fascinating projects that had also been nominated for this award.
“Being selected out of all these amazing senior finalists was extremely validating to all of the dedication and effort that I’ve put into my projects,” she said.
“It means a lot to me because I care deeply about the issues that I’m researching, and I never thought that my work would be able to reach so many people.”
Lively is researching mycorrhizal fungi, which are fungi that are known to assist in tree growth.
“The goal of my project is to see if they can be used as an eco-friendlier alternative to our current forest management practices, such as herbicides,” said Lively.
“Based on my results, my theories are quite promising and should be considered by other researchers.”
She said she presented a similar project last year at the Canada-Wide Science Fair, but this year she really expanded on her original ideas.
“Besides a lot of improvements and changes, I got to work with Dr. Gavin Kernaghan of Mount Saint Vincent University’s Atlantic Root Symbiosis Lab. He gave me insightful feedback and showed me how to look at the fungi under the microscope,” she said.
“Overall, my project was incredibly involved and time-consuming but also rewarding because I’m super enthusiastic about it. I worked on it almost non-stop since last summer and I’ve dedicated at least 150 hours to my research.”
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Lively said, getting such recognition for all her hard work really makes her feel both seen and valued by the scientific community.
“When I first started this project, I found it intimidating to present my findings to professionals in my field of research,” she said. “I thought that my work would be seen as less than because I’m only in high school. However, succeeding with my projects has proven to me that my research is just as important as anyone else’s.
“It’s inspired me to continue exploring different ideas and striving to make our world a better place.
The 17-year-old Lively, a Grade 11 student, said Lockview High currently doesn’t hold a science fair, so she’s been competing fully independently for the past two years.
She said it is for this reason there wasn’t much response from the school about her project or awards.
“It’s unfortunate because the Canada-Wide Science Fair is such a wonderful experience and I wish that they’d encourage more students to investigate the problems that matter to them,” said Lively.
