Denver Astronomical Society Judges at the Denver Metro Regional Science & Engineering Fair

Members of the Denver Astronomical Society (DAS) were proud to participate in the 63rd annual Denver Metro Regional Science & Engineering Fair (DMRSEF) on February 20, 2026, held on the Auraria Campus in downtown Denver.

DAS Science Fair Judges Berrin Serdar, John Gerlitz, Dena McClung, Dr. John Bickel, Burak Serdar

The Denver Metro Regional Science & Engineering Fair is one of Colorado’s largest and longest-running STEM competitions. Each year, middle and high school students from across the metro area present original research projects in fields ranging from engineering and medicine to physics and astronomy. Top winners often advance to state and international competitions, making this event an important stepping stone for the next generation of scientists and engineers.

DAS Members Serve as Judges

Dr. John Bickel judges an award in the Junior Physics, Energy & Astronomy Category

DAS members Burak and Berrin Serdar have been involved with the fair for several years, originally inspired by their children, Ersel and Selen, who both completed impressive projects as students. Selen was also a 2025 Van Nattan-Hansen-Anderson Scholarship recipient.

In December, Berrin reached out to DAS to recruit additional volunteer judges. Dr. John Bickel, John Gerlitz, and Dena McClung enthusiastically signed up.

Judging assignments included:

Engineering: Burak Serdar and John Gerlitz
Medicine & Health Sciences: Berrin Serdar
Astronomy, Energy & Physics: Dr. John Bickel and Dena McClung

DAS Special Awards

First Place project in Junior Physics, Energy & Astronomy Category by Musab Atif.

In addition to judging, DAS sponsored two Special Awards at the fair.

The Denver Astronomical Society Junior Young Physicist Award went to Larsson Burke. In a fun coincidence, Larsson’s father, Ben, was also volunteering at the fair—though the judging team did not realize the connection until afterward.

Larsson’s project involved photographing the Moon using two different telescopes and two different cameras. He then analyzed the images to determine how many craters could be identified in each photograph, helping him evaluate which equipment combination produced the best results.

The Denver Astronomical Society Senior Young Physicist Award was presented to Mia Peterson for her project studying the “stickiness” of a homemade analogue for lunar regolith. She tested how the material adhered to different surfaces and explored the most effective methods for removing it—research with clear applications for future lunar exploration.

Inspiring the Next Generation

Junior Physics, Energy & Astronomy category winners Musab Atif (1st place) and Nimisha Upadhyay and Azaria Saiz (2nd place).

John Gerlitz shared his experience:

“It was both an honor and a humbling experience to participate in the fair and meet the next generation of engineers. Reviewing innovative projects—such as Analyzing the Impact of Dust Accumulation on Solar Panel Voltage: A Comparative Study with and without an Arduino-Based Vibration Mechanism, Analyzing the Effectiveness of Blown Wing Application in Fighter Jet Movement Dynamics (the Senior Engineering category winner), and A Non-Invasive Microfluidic Platform for Hematologic Flow and Anemia Screening—was an amazing experience.

Interviewing the authors was equally inspiring, and I look forward to participating again next year!”

The level of creativity, technical skill, and scientific curiosity on display at DMRSEF was impressive. DAS is honored to support young scientists and engineers who may one day help answer some of astronomy’s biggest questions.

Keep Looking Up

Opportunities like the Denver Metro Regional Science & Engineering Fair remind us that the future of science is bright. By supporting students today—through judging, mentoring, and sponsoring awards—we help nurture the curiosity that drives discovery.

Clear skies and happy stargazing!