LOCAL FAIR COORDINATOR Guidelines

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The Science Education Foundation of Indiana, Inc. (SEFI) is the governing body for and supporter and sponsor of the Hoosier Science and Engineering Fair. In addition, SEFI provides great financial and logistical support to the NIRSEF Senior Exhibitors attending the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair.

Because the NIRSEF feeds into the Hoosier SEF, we abide by all rules and guidelines set at the state level (although ours are more restrictive for certain projects). We are providing the SEFI Rules for Indiana Elementary and Middle School Science Projects to assure that projects at the Elementary and Junior levels follow all state-mandated guidelines.

All Senior level projects should follow guidelines as established by ISEF and as it is made available on the ISEF website at: http://www.societyforscience.org/isef.

To view the SEFI Rules for Indiana Elementary and Middle School Science Projects, click here."

LOCAL FAIR COORDINATOR GUIDELINES

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Participating in the NIRSEF:
1. Local Fair Coordinators must first inform the NIRSEF of the intent to send students from their schools. Complete this registration online at: http://science.nd.edu/nirsef. Following Local School Registration, Local Fair Coordinators will receive all information germane to registering their students’ projects for the NIRSEF.

2. Student exhibits on any scientific subject or engineering process may be entered if students are enrolled in any class from grade 3 through grade 12 in any public, private or parochial or home school in St. Joseph, Elkhart, Marshall and Fulton Counties.

3. Students and their projects are entered and assessed at the following levels:
• Elementary = Grades 3 – 5
• Junior = Grades 6 – 8
• Senior = Grades 9 – 12

4. Students with outstanding projects that are the epitome of engineering, scientific or math investigations will be recommended to the Hoosier Science and Engineering Fair. Students compete at the Hoosier SEF at the Junior (grades 3 – 8) and Senior (grades 9 – 12) levels.

5. Outstanding Senior level exhibits will also be recommended to the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF). Student availability to participate in ISEF and the Hoosier SEF is part of the recommendation decision process. Any senior project that is recommended to the Intel ISEF must also be available to participate in the Hoosier SEF. In 2010, the Hoosier SEF will be held at IUPUI in Indianapolis on Saturday, March 27th.

6. All entries of student project for NIRSEF will be conducted through the Online Registration System (supported by the Science Education Foundation of Indiana). Principals, teachers or science fair coordinators who have completed the Local School Registration for the NIRSEF will receive instructions about how to enter students’ project information.

7. The Online Registration of Students Projects for the NIRSEF will commence on January 4, 2010 and close at 5:00 pm Friday, February 12, 2010. IF PROJECT INFORMATION IS NOT ENTERED BY THE DEADLINE DATE AND TIME, STUDENTS WILL NOT BE ALLOWED TO EXHIBIT THEIR PROJECTS AT THE NIRSEF.

8. All students - individual entrants and those in team projects - must pay an entry fee per person. Please note that entry fees for team projects are per individual and not per project. The fee for 2010 is $6.00 per person.

9. Exhibitors attending the NIRSEF should expect to stay at the NIRSEF venue the entire day. We request all exhibits be removed by 5:00 pm. For their safety and security, exhibitors will not be allowed to leave the NIRSEF venue unless due to an illness or an emergency.

Key Information for Student Research:
1. Experiments on vertebrate animals at the Elementary and Junior levels is not allowed. At the Senior level, vertebrate animal research is strongly discouraged. In all cases, students wishing to conduct animal research should consider using invertebrates (insects, crayfish, worms, etc.).

2. Experiments using human subjects, pathogenic agents, tissues and hazardous chemicals/devices must conform to regulations set forth by the International Science and Engineering Fair (refer to documents at the website:
http://www.societyforscience.org/isef/about/rules_regulations.asp). Failure to do so will disqualify an exhibit from special awards.

3. It is imperative that ANY PROJECTS investigating animals, human subjects, pathogenic agents, tissues and hazardous chemicals or devices be reviewed by our Scientific Review Committee (SRC) PRIOR TO EXPERIMENTATION. Forms for submission at the Elementary and Junior levels are available at the NIRSEF website (http://science.nd.edu/nirsef). Senior level forms are available at the ISEF website:
(http://www.societyforscience.org/isef/document/index.asp). If you are uncertain whether your research project is allowable, please contact the NIRSEF Executive Director first – prior to experimentation! The SRC Committee will assess your project and provide guidance.

4. Teachers, family members and sponsors may advise. Any help provided by an adult or advisor should be acknowledged in the exhibit.

5. Prior to experimentation, write a research plan. Be certain it is clear and follow it!

6. Keep and use a science notebook. Document all work with photographs and keep in the science notebook. While some photos may be displayed, others that are archived in the notebook may help explain and describe the project.

7. The abstract is the last piece of written work prior to assembling the project board. Abstracts must be no more than 250 words in length and are a summary of the research conducted (check out the ISEF website for abstract writing info: http://www.societyforscience.org/isef/document/index.asp).

8. Practice the project presentation multiple times. It should not be memorized but a story of how the work commenced, how the research was conducted, what the results were and what else might be done. Rehearse in front of a mirror, to family members, to friends and teachers at school. It’s important to feel comfortable with what was accomplished.

Guidelines For Exhibiting Projects at NIRSEF:
1. An exhibit may be entered through a school or group, and a student may enter only one exhibit (regardless if it’s an individual or team project entry).

2. Individual and team projects may be entered at all grade levels, and all Regional Fair exhibitors will receive certificates and ribbons (based on how their projects have been assessed). A team project is one that has been developed by two or three students at the Elementary (grades 3-5), Junior (grades 6-8) or Senior (grades 9-12) level and will require only one space for display.

3. An exhibit must not be an identical repetition of one shown by the same exhibitor at a fair of a previous year. Continuation projects from previous year’s research must be indicated.

4. Exhibitors may set up their exhibits at the Stepan Center on the campus of the University of Notre Dame on Friday, February 26, 2010, between 5:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. or on Saturday, February 27, 2010 between 8:00 a.m. and 9:00 a.m. Exhibits must remain on display through the Awards Presentation on February 27th and may be removed following, but not earlier.

5. Exhibits must be confined to a table or floor space 30 inches front to back. Maximum floor to top height is 9 feet. Side-to-side measurements for elementary and junior projects will be 36 inches, and for senior projects will be 48 inches (as required by ISEF). Proper attention to exhibit safety is expected of all fair participants.

6. THE FOLLOWING ITEMS ARE NOT ALLOWED TO BE EXHIBITED: Students who bring these items to the NIRSEF will not be allowed to set up their exhibits until these items are removed

We recommend that scientific equipment that is fragile or expensive NOT be displayed with the projects unless they are absolutely necessary to the display’s presentation. If the equipment meets the guidelines above, it SHOULD NOT BE OPERATED. It is for display only. The Fair is not responsible for theft, damage or breakage to any equipment.

6. Construction of the exhibit must be durable; movable parts firmly attached and safe. All switches and cords for 110-volt operation must be of approved UL variety.

7. Judges will assess exhibits on February 27th, between 9:00 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. Only judges, the fair committee (including fair volunteers) and exhibitors will be permitted in exhibit area during the project assessment period. Exhibitors must be present during the judging. Please communicate this information to all parents!! Exhibitors will be assessed on: creative ability, scientific thought, thoroughness, skill, clarity and communicative value (and teamwork for team projects), not on value of accessory equipment either borrowed or purchased. Decision of the judges will be final.

8. During the lunch period from 12:30 pm to 1:30 pm, judges may still be completing their assessments of exhibits. The fair will remain closed to the public during this time and exhibitors allowed to eat lunch. Lunches may be brought from home or exhibitors can purchase a lunch from Notre Dame Concessions (hamburger, hot dog, chips, beverages) for a modest fee.

9. The NIRSEF is open to the public at 1:30 pm (following the lunch period). Within reason, exhibitors should remain with their projects at the NIRSEF from this point until the Awards Ceremony, and then re-seat themselves near the stage for the Awards Ceremony in the case that awards are received. The Awards Ceremony is slated to begin around 3:15 pm and end around 4:30 pm. We ask that all project materials be removed from the NIRSEF venue by 5:00 pm.