Benefits of Participating
Science & Engineering Fairs provide an opportunity for students, 3rd through 12th grades, who are interested in science and technology to pursue their personal areas of interest and to display their research as a presentation in a public competitive forum. The NC Science and Engineering Fair (NCSEF) works to create enthusiasm in science and technology while encouraging project-based inquiry. Benefits of participation in the NCSEF include:
- Preparation for college and business and insight into career options
- Builds confidence
- Increases organizational and process skills
- Improves writing and communication skills
- Requires creativity
- Improves visual/spatial thinking skills
- Opportunity to win awards, college scholarships and other prizes
Watch below for one students experience representing North Carolina in the 2019 International Science & Engineering Fair.
How Does it Work?
Students generally first compete at their own local school (or through homeschool). (see where to start below if your school doesn’t host a science fair).
Projects selected by the judges to advance to one of the 8 regional fairs will be asked to register online in STEMWizard, an online system used to manage all the regional and the state science fair.
This is the next step in a road that can lead to the state fair held in Raleigh and, for some young North Carolina researchers like you, to compete at the International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) in Los Angeles.
Some local fairs require ISEF forms, most do not, so you will likely need to fill several out. STEMWizard will help, and there is also lots of help available in the forms section here. Note that some forms are expected to be filled out before experimentation begins, so check dates before submitting. When in doubt ask your teacher, parents, or a NCSEF volunteer.
If your project selected to advance on to the state fair in Raleigh, your information and any forms submitted will be pre-populated t the state level. You’ll be asked to complete registration at that state level, an additional permission form, and pay a small registration fee that helps cover costs of putting on the fair each year. Some financial assistance is available both for registration and travel expenses, contact.
Judges at the state level will narrow down what began as thousands of North Carolina student researchers to select the very best senior projects to go on to international competition. Those students and their chaperones will travel to Los Angeles in mid May 2024 for a nearly week long competition at the International Science and Engineering Fair thanks to the support of NCSEF sponsors.
Where to Start
So you want to do a science or engineering project for the fair? Great!
The very first thing you should do is find out if your school holds a science and engineering fair. Ask you science teacher or principal. Science fairs are often supported by the local PTA or PTSA.
If your school doesn’t have a fair, contact the director of your regional fair to find out where you can compete.
Once you know where to enter your project it is time to develop a question or choose a problem, and get to work! But BEFORE you start collecting data, sure that you understand and follow all the rules and complete the required forms.
We’ve put together a bunch of other helpful tips and information to get you started and keep you going through competition day.
Questions?
If you have any questions about participating in the North Carolina Science & Engineering Fair contact the fair director at director@ncsciencefair.org.