Heat distribution across solid surfaces, mouth bacteria and better diagnostics for brain cancer will be among the topics tackled during the 2026 Riverside County Science & Engineering Fair, which begins Friday.
The fair’s 367 projects developed by 530 students in fourth through 12th grades from charter, private and public schools in 22 subject matter categories are the most since 2016, according to the county Office of Education.
“The brilliance and determination of students is on full display at the Science & Engineering Fair, where projects explore the power of experimentation and a greater understanding of the natural world and how it works,” county Superintendent of Schools Edwin Gomez said.
“By fostering curiosity, the power of observation and critical thinking, this event showcases how students are striving to make an impact on their future and their community.”
Friday’s sessions are closed to the public. The fair opens to public at 9 a.m. Saturday at the Riverside Convention Center.
One fourth-grade project is titled “What Type of Fat Makes the Biggest Chocolate Chip Cookies?” The presenters from the Moreno Valley Unified School District experimented with butter, margarine, olive oil and other ingredients to make the most impressive baked treats, according to organizers.
A sixth-grade project presented by a team from the Perris Elementary School District examined the “Human Mouth Versus Dog Mouth,” probing how much and how effective the bacteria in bipeds’ orifices are compared to their four-legged friends.
A sixth-grade project from students in the Coachella Valley Unified School District titled “The Heat Is On,” sought to identify where the hottest urban surfaces may be found in the valley.
“The experiment revealed lessons in thermal radiation and heat distribution over various surfaces,” according to the Office of Education.
An 11th-grade project developed by students in the Temecula Valley Unified School District delved deep into the sphere of cancer research, titled “Structure-Guided Biochemical Design of DNA Tweezers Targeting the Glioblastoma Biomarker Protein S100A4.”
“This project aims to computationally investigate the glioblastoma-associated protein S100A4 and evaluate its potential as a diagnostic bio-marker using molecular docking, molecular dynamics simulations and DNA tweezer design,” the Office of Education said.
Awards will be presented Saturday to teams in three divisions — elementary, junior and senior — that garner the highest points for research, descriptions and other standards.