image: The fair attracted more students than ever, with the number of participants increasing by more than 25% over 2024. Engineering remains a high-demand field, especially in Texas, where the economy and the population continue to grow.
Credit: UTA
The University of Texas at Arlington hosted 530 of the brightest minds from North Texas’ middle and high schools last month for the 74th Fort Worth Regional Science and Engineering Fair.
The fair attracted more students than ever, with the number of participants increasing by more than 25% over 2024. Engineering remains a high-demand field, especially in Texas, where the economy and the population continue to grow.
“The depth and breadth of the projects this year are remarkable, with students presenting their original research on everything from using earthworms to remove toxic lead from soil to creating a robotic glove to assist people living with Parkinson’s disease,” said Yuan Bo Peng, professor of psychology at UTA and director of the fair. “They always make me so optimistic about the future of scientific discovery.”
The science fair is one of only two in Texas that does not charge students or their schools an entry fee. Instead, it maximizes fundraising efforts throughout the year to cover costs for things like student awards, honoraria for judges and equipment rentals.
Related: UTA retains top-tier U.S. research status
To qualify for the regional science fair at UTA, students from Cooke, Denton, Erath, Hood, Johnson, Palo Pinto, Parker, Somervell, Tarrant and Wise counties must earn top awards at their local science fairs. Categories include animal sciences, behavioral and social sciences, biochemistry, computer science, earth and planet science, material and bioengineering, mathematical sciences, physics and astronomy, and plant sciences.
Forty-two high school projects and 42 middle school projects presented at the regional fair earned spots for the Texas Science and Engineering Fair to be held at Texas A&M University later this month.
“I’m so grateful to the leadership team here at UTA,” Dr. Peng said. “Together, we helped put together a remarkable event for our students.”
About The University of Texas at Arlington (UTA)
Located in the heart of the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, The University of Texas at Arlington is a comprehensive teaching, research, and public service institution dedicated to the advancement of knowledge through scholarship and creative work. With an enrollment of approximately 41,000 students, UT Arlington is the second-largest institution in the UT System. UTA’s combination of outstanding academics and innovative research contributes to its designation as a Carnegie R-1 “Very High Research Activity” institution, a significant milestone of excellence. The University is designated as a Hispanic Serving-Institution and an Asian American Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institution by the U.S. Department of Education and has earned the Seal of Excelencia for its commitment to accelerating Latino student success. The University ranks in the top five nationally for veterans and their families (Military Times, 2024), is No. 4 in Texas for advancing social mobility (U.S. News & World Report, 2025), and is No. 6 in the United States for its undergraduate ethnic diversity (U.S. News & World Report, 2025). UT Arlington’s approximately 270,000 alumni occupy leadership positions at many of the 21 Fortune 500 companies headquartered in North Texas and contribute to the University’s $28.8 billion annual economic impact on Texas.