Future innovators take centre stage at Canada-Wide Science Fair

What were you doing in junior high?

For Stephen Karpala, Imperial’s Fire Protection Principal Engineer at the Strathcona Refinery, that question was impossible to ignore as he walked the floor of the 2026 Canada-Wide Science Fair in Edmonton recently. Surrounded by hundreds of student-led projects, he found himself inspired by the talent, curiosity and determination on display.

“I look at my experience in junior high and high school, and I wasn’t doing anything close to what these students are doing,” he says. “It was incredibly impressive.”

The Canada-Wide Science Fair, held May 23 - 29, is the country’s largest youth STEM event. Imperial was a proud partner of the Tour Day on May 27 and the Energy Challenge throughout the week.

Stephen shares his love of engineering by volunteering to coach a local youth robotics team through the Strathcona County Robotics Association in the FIRST Tech Challenge competition. Because of his commitment to community and STEM, he was invited to represent Imperial at the Canada-Wide Science Fair, which featured 344 projects by 390 student finalists from across the country.

The experience exceeded expectations.

One student had developed software to help detect near-Earth asteroids. Another explored a new way of explaining the expansion of the universe without relying on dark matter or dark energy. Others tackled biomedical challenges, including improving the accuracy of blood oxygen monitors and researching more effective ways to deliver anti-fungal treatments.

“These were junior high and high school students working on topics that felt close to university or even graduate-level research,” he says. “It completely floored me.”

Beyond the technical sophistication of the projects, Stephen was struck by the students themselves. Whether presenting to large audiences or discussing their research one-on-one, they demonstrated professionalism, confidence and curiosity well beyond their years.

That curiosity, Stephen believes, is exactly why supporting events like the Canada-Wide Science Fair matters.

“As a company, we’ve built our success on innovation and creative problem-solving. If we want to continue meeting society’s evolving energy needs, we need future generations willing to ask questions, explore ideas, and think differently.”

The event also highlighted the broader impact of Imperial’s support. In addition to the student finalists, thousands of local students toured the fair, experiencing firsthand what science, technology, engineering and mathematics can make possible.

For Stephen, the takeaway is clear.

“We can be proud to support opportunities like this. These students are the future of our communities, our industries and our company. Seeing their curiosity and determination gives you a lot of confidence about what’s ahead.”