| Biography |
|---|
| My name is Abby Mattina. I am a grade 9 student in the TOPS program at Bloor Collegiate Institute in Toronto, Ontario. My grandfather grows switchgrass in southwestern Ontario. He would tell me stories about how local farmers were starting to use switchgrass for their bedding needs, and finding that it absorbed and desorbed moisture really well. This is what inspired me to try to actually measure the absorptive capacity and moisture loss rate of switchgrass for my project. I hope to take this research further by testing the switchgrass bedding in a laboratory setting, examining different chop sizes, organic materials, and varieties. My advice to other students who are thinking about doing a science fair project is to always be mindful of how your project contributes to the existing literature and/or addresses a real-world problem. |
| Abby Mattina
Time to Switch to Switchgrass Bedding?
| Challenge: | Resources | | Category: | Intermediate | | Region: | Toronto | | City: | Toronto, ON | | School: | Bloor C.I. | | Abstract: | The purpose of this project is to measure the absorptive capacity and moisture loss rate of switchgrass bedding relative to wheat straw and wood shavings. Three different switchgrass chop lengths are tested. The switchgrass results fall within a similar range to wheat straw and wood shavings, supporting the existing literature that switchgrass is a viable, sustainable bedding option for farmers. |
| Awards | Value | Excellence Award - Intermediate
Silver Medal
Sponsor: Youth Science Canada | | Western University Scholarship
Silver Medallist - $2000 Entrance Scholarship
Sponsor: Western University | $2 000.00 | | Total | $2 000.00 | |
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