École McIsaac School student Jarek Osika has made the most out of his recent experience at the Canada-Wide Science Fair in Ottawa.
After earning a spot in the showing for the second consecutive year, Osika won the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada Award for excellence in astronomy at the fair.
“It was really something,” he said.
“I knew about them but I didn’t know I was going to get them. I think it did good.”
A Grade 8 student, Osika first garnered attention for his project for last year’s Flin Flon citywide science fair – a fully functional radio telescope, built using parts and components he found online.
Osika’s project, called “Exploring 1420 MHz,” takes his previous work in radio astronomy and applies it to a new frequency where he can monitor hydrogen throughout the solar system. He earned his berth in the nationwide fair after winning the best overall and top Grade 7-8 project in the Northern Manitoba Regional Science Fair, held in Thompson in April.
The award is far from the only recognition the scientist has received. Osika has been in touch with the Society of American Radio Astronomy, who will be printing an article on him in their bimonthly journal. In addition, the Canadian Centre for Experimental Radio Astronomy (CCERA) invited Osika to tour their facility in Smiths Falls, Ont.
CCERA’s involvement with Osika won’t stop with just a tour. The group will supply Osika with equipment so he can expand his project, including two new dishes.
“They’re a lot more high quality. I can pick up stronger signals and I’m hoping to go back next year too,” he said.
The praise for Osika’s work isn’t just restrained to North America. Osika said he’s received acknowledgements of his work from far-flung places like Hawaii, Switzerland and elsewhere in Europe.
“There have been people contacting me from all over the place. There’s this one guy from Croatia who sent me some parts,” said Osika.
While he has received support for his work and has pledged to continue the project, Osika is still unsure of where he will try to take his work next, but knows the support will help.
“I’m still deciding on that, but I’m hoping to go back again next year. I’m going to base it around the same genre of project,” he said.
“It’s been really amazing since nationals. Everybody has been contacting me and sending me stuff. I had a couple of people call me up with advice, they found my PDF files and they gave me advice for what to add.”
