Dozens of Tucsonans came together Friday night in the University of Arizona’s Bear Down Gym to celebrate seven decades of hard work, community and science.

Past, present and future participants, staff, volunteers, community members and local officials gathered at the site where the first Southern Arizona Research, Science, and Engineering Foundation fair was held in 1955 to celebrate 70 years of the nonprofit’s work to develop young learners into the next generation of scientists and engineers. 

“SARSEF belongs to the communities of Southern Arizona,” CEO Julie Euber told the crowd, kicking off the event.

Attendees were treated to a trip back in time through interactive exhibits and displays, each representing a different time period of SARSEF. 

The first display represented SARSEF’s first two decades, from 1955 through 1974, and mimicked an office. Vintage posters of butterflies, minerals, bugs and a chart of the moon were posted on the walls, with books and a copy of The Tucson Daily American newspaper spread out across a desk. Tucked behind a table covered in test tubes and a microscope sat a 4-foot-tall polygraph machine that SARSEF purchased through a UA auction.

The next display represented was set up like a living room, with a plaid couch, vintage Apple computer and a bookshelf with a radio, astronaut toys and a “Return of the Jedi” metal lunch box helping to set the mood. Faded yellow wallpaper and vintage SARSEF posters adorned the walls.

The third exhibit was a large trifold wall, meant to represent the years 2015 and beyond, and included information about the fair, winning projects and blank posters where people could write down their hopes for the future of STEM programs.

Attendees were also able to leave a recorded message for future SARSEF participants and commemorate the occasion with a personalized coaster, thanks to business technology and marketing solution firm Proper Villains, whose table boasted a steady line all night.

SARSEF’s history and impact were not only represented through the displays and experiences, but also through the attendees.

Tony Adams, a SARSEF Fair participant in 1958 and 1959, talked about the impact of SARSEF on his life, showing attendees his second and first place medals. Adams said he was happy to return for the milestone and share his experience.

Sharon Christie, a science teacher at Douglas’ CAS Charter School, took the stage next, talking about the significance of SARSEF’s contributions to rural communities.

Local politics was also well represented among the speakers, with Arizona Sen. Priya Sundareshan, District 3 Supervisor Jennifer Allen and Patrick Robles, the Southern Arizona Director for U.S. Senator Ruben Gallego, all on hand to celebrate the occasion.

Robles said he was moved by how SARSEF has been able to make science cool and accessible to kids who speak Spanish and help them find their places in STEM fields. He thanked the students, “who choose to find their passion and pursue it strongly.”

“I know what that feeling is like, so if you’re not sure about whether you want to pursue that passion, pursue that passion, and you can do so with SARSEF,” Robles said.

Some attendees, like Adams and Sundareshan, had parents who were already in STEM or STEM-related fields, so the fair was a place they felt comfortable.

For others, like 20-year-old Yaritza Durazo, whose parents weren’t quite as knowledgeable about STEM fields, the SARSEF fair is where they discovered their passion for science. 

“I think SARSEF is really a catalyst to where I am today,” said Durazo, who participated in her first SARSEF fair in the seventh grade and said it sparked her love for science.

During the fair, a woman told Durazo’s parents how amazing it was that their daughter was participating. After that, her parents did everything they could to get her more involved in STEM.

She’s now studying physiology and medical science at the UA and works as an outreach specialist for SARSEF. 

“For the past 70 years, SARSEF has provided students from all around Pima County with the necessary platform to ask questions, to test hypotheses, and showcase their talents and ingenuity as they continue to adapt to our ever-evolving society,” said Allen.

Gracie Kayko is a University of Arizona alum and freelance journalist.

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