For Junior Division Students and Sponsors

Project registration and display and safety clearance will take place on Friday, February 16, 2024 between 4:00 and 7:00 PM

TBD: All Junior Division (Grades 6-8)


Sponsors may register and clear projects without students in attendance but ALL materials including technology must be brought for clearance by the RGV RSEF Display and Safety Committee members between 4:00-7:00 PM. 

Any materials not cleared at this time may not be brought into the display area on Saturday, February 17th.

All students and sponsors are required to read the ISEF Rules and Guidelines

Information for students on science projects can be found at the following link: Science Project Resources 

 

The Intel International website provides many helpful links including:

Science Buddies

Regional Fair registration fees are $25.00 per student being advanced from a district fair.

If a student is home schooled, email rgvrsef@rgvrsef.com to make arrangements to be able to compete.

A UTRGV link will be posted shortly with payment information for advancing students.


Students

This year’s Science and Engineering Fair will use a paperless system called STEM Wizard. This online process improves students’ paperwork, the process of reviewing students’ projects, and increases communication between students, teachers, and fair coordinators. 

Each student is to be registered by their District Fair and must complete inputting their project information in order to advance to the Regional Science and Engineering Fair. 

*Please be advised that in order to be compete at the RGV Regional Science and Engineering Fair, students must compete at the District level, unless home schooled.

 Students

Thermo Fisher Scientific Junior Innovators Challenge (JIC) has replaced the  Broadcom MASTERS competition for top 10% of Junior Division students


Eligibility 

1. Nominee(s) must be in the 6th, 7th or 8th grade when they compete at your fair. 

2. Nominee(s) must place in your fair’s category judging and be in the top 10% of nominees (usually place 1st in a RGV RSEF Junior Division category). 

3. Nominee(s) must meet the eligibility requirements in the official rules. - Students who have previously won an award as a finalist in the Society’s middle school competition (formerly the Broadcom MASTERS), other than the Rising Star or Team Award, are not eligible to compete in Thermo Fisher JIC. 

Important Dates

Applications for nominees will be open from February to June 2024

Winners will be announced September 2024.

Winning projects will be showcased in October 2024

Regional, State and ISEF Judging Criteria:

Judging Criteria for Science Projects

I. Research Question (10 pts)

___ clear and focused purpose

___ identifies contribution to field of study

___ testable using scientific methods

II. Design and Methodology (15 pts)

___ well designed plan and data collection methods

___ variables and controls defined, appropriate and complete

III. Execution: Data Collection, Analysis and Interpretation(20 pts)

___ systematic data collection and analysis

___ reproducibility of results

___ appropriate application of mathematical and statistical methods

___ sufficient data collected to support interpretation and conclusions

IV. Creativity (20 pts)

___ project demonstrates significant creativity in one or more of the above criteria

V. Presentation (35 pts)

a. Poster (10 pts)

___ logical organization of material

___ clarity of graphics and legends

___ supporting documentation displayed

b. Interview (25 pts)

___ clear, concise, thoughtful responses to questions

___ understanding of basic science relevant to project

___ understanding interpretation and limitations of results and conclusions

_ degree of independence in conducting project

___ recognition of potential impact in science, society and/or economics

___ quality of ideas for further research

___ for team projects, contributions to and understanding of project by all members



Judging Criteria for Engineering Projects

I. Research Problem (10 pts)

___ description of a practical need or problem to be solved

___ definition of criteria for proposed solution

___ explanation of constraints

II. Design and Methodology (15 pts)

___ exploration of alternatives to answer need or problem

___ identification of a solution

___ development of a prototype/model

III. Execution: Construction and Testing(20 pts)

___ prototype demonstrates intended design

___ prototype has been tested in multiple conditions/trials

 ___ prototype demonstrates engineering skill and completeness

IV. Creativity (20 pts)

___ project demonstrates significant creativity in one or more of the above criteria

V. Presentation (35 pts)

a. Poster (10 pts)

___logical organization of material

___clarity of graphics and legends

___ supporting documentation displayed

b. Interview (25 pts)

___ clear, concise, thoughtful responses to questions

___ understanding of basic science relevant to project

___ understanding interpretation and limitations of results and conclusions

___ degree of independence in conducting project

___ recognition of potential impact in science, society and/or economics

___ quality of ideas for further research

___ for team projects, contributions to and understanding of project by all members


Verified as current from: https://www.societyforscience.org/isef/grand-award/criteria/ 1-31-2023