Teacher Information
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1. Check Project Eligibility Rules
1. Check project eligibility rules
- Before you give approval for a student project, be sure to check the list of eligibility rules.
2. Check ISEF Rules/is IRB Approval Needed?
2. Check ISEF rules to be sure the project is permitted and that prior IRB and SRC approval are not needed.
- Here is a link to the ISEF Rules Wizard.
- Contact Us if you have any questions.
3. Collect Required Forms
3. Collect Required Forms
- Be sure students have completed the required forms to compete at RBSEF.
- Please note that there are different form requirements for Junior and Senior Divisions.
- The ISEF Rules Wizard can help you determine which forms to use for Senior Division and certain Junior Division projects.
- Be sure all forms are completed and signed.
- Be sure any additional forms are complete.
RBSEF Required Forms
- All students complete Form 1: Checklist for Adult Sponsor
- All students complete Form 1B: Approval Form
- Form 1, item number 4 provides a list of project content that requires PRIOR approval by an Internal Review Board (for Junior Division Projects).
- If the project involves vertebrate animals, humans, fungi, microbes (bacteria), recombinant DNA, or tissue cultures, an IRB must review the plan for the project and ensure that safety protocols are being met.
- An IRB member completes box 2a of Form 1B.
- Students are clear to proceed with the project once the IRB has approved it.
- If the project does not involve items in number 4 (projects dealing with vertebrate animals, some human experiments, fungi, microbes, recombinant DNA, or tissue cultures) of Form 1, no other paperwork is required.
2. Senior Division Forms: Grades 9-12
- All students complete Form 1: Checklist for Adult Sponsor
- All students complete Form 1A: Student Checklist (numbers 10 Research Plan and 11 Abstract are optional and not required for this fair, use of estimated dates is ok)
- All students complete Form 1B: Approval Form
- If any items from line 4 on Form 1, (projects dealing with vertebrate animals, some human experiments, fungi, microbes, recombinant DNA and tissue cultures) are part of the project, additional forms may be required.
- Use the ISEF Rules Wizard to help you determine which forms to use.
4. Experimentation
1. Check project eligibility rules
- Before you give approval for a student project, be sure to check the list of eligibility rules.
5. Teacher Registration
5. Teacher Registration
- If you registered last year you do not need to register again.
- You may want to log in and verify your information
- Please Note: You must register your name and school before your students can register their projects online.
- Teacher registration is also required to track your students’ registrations.
6. Student Registration
6. Student Registration
- Student registration opens on January 1, and early registration closes at midnight on February 8. (all registrations are time stamped when they register)
- Students can still register (late) until midnight on February 22, however late registration fees ($5 per student) apply during this time in addition to the regular $15.00 fee ($20.00 total).
- No registrations can be edited after February 22. Please plan accordingly.
- The student is not registered until the entry form is completed online and other required forms are submitted to RBSEF with the required signatures. Registration is contingent upon receipt of required forms with required signatures.
RBSEF Required Forms
- All students complete Form 1: Checklist for Adult Sponsor
- All students complete Form 1B: Approval Form
- Form 1, item number 4 provides a list of project content that requires PRIOR approval by an Internal Review Board (for Junior Division Projects).
- If the project involves vertebrate animals, humans, fungi, microbes (bacteria), recombinant DNA, or tissue cultures, an IRB must review the plan for the project and ensure that safety protocols are being met.
- An IRB member completes box 2a of Form 1B.
- Students are clear to proceed with the project once the IRB has approved it.
- If the project does not involve items in number 4 (projects dealing with vertebrate animals, some human experiments, fungi, microbes, recombinant DNA, or tissue cultures) of Form 1, no other paperwork is required.
2. Senior Division Forms: Grades 9-12
- All students complete Form 1: Checklist for Adult Sponsor
- All students complete Form 1A: Student Checklist (numbers 10 Research Plan and 11 Abstract are optional and not required for this fair, use of estimated dates is ok)
- All students complete Form 1B: Approval Form
- If any items from line 4 on Form 1, (projects dealing with vertebrate animals, some human experiments, fungi, microbes, recombinant DNA and tissue cultures) are part of the project, additional forms may be required.
- Use the ISEF Rules Wizard to help you determine which forms to use.
7. Submit Forms and Entry Fees
7. Submit Forms and Entry Fees
Forms may be downloaded and mailed to:
RBSEF
P.O. Box 13314 Reading, PA 19612
- Forms and fee payments can be submitted electronically on the StemWizard site following the registration process.
- If paying entry fees ($15 per student for on-time registrations) by check, (all registrations are time stamped when they register) Please Make Checks Payable to: RBSEF Inc.
- Place the student’s name and school in the memo line. If paying for more than one student, please include a list of students the registration covers. Mail checks to the address above.
- A late fee of $5.00 (total $20 late registration) applies for registrations after the deadline (and before the late registration deadline) in the fair schedule. We are sorry but we are unable to accept registrations after the late registration has passed.
RBSEF Required Forms
- All students complete Form 1: Checklist for Adult Sponsor
- All students complete Form 1B: Approval Form
- Form 1, item number 4 provides a list of project content that requires PRIOR approval by an Internal Review Board (for Junior Division Projects).
- If the project involves vertebrate animals, humans, fungi, microbes (bacteria), recombinant DNA, or tissue cultures, an IRB must review the plan for the project and ensure that safety protocols are being met.
- An IRB member completes box 2a of Form 1B.
- Students are clear to proceed with the project once the IRB has approved it.
- If the project does not involve items in number 4 (projects dealing with vertebrate animals, some human experiments, fungi, microbes, recombinant DNA, or tissue cultures) of Form 1, no other paperwork is required.
2. Senior Division Forms: Grades 9-12
- All students complete Form 1: Checklist for Adult Sponsor
- All students complete Form 1A: Student Checklist (numbers 10 Research Plan and 11 Abstract are optional and not required for this fair, use of estimated dates is ok)
- All students complete Form 1B: Approval Form
- If any items from line 4 on Form 1, (projects dealing with vertebrate animals, some human experiments, fungi, microbes, recombinant DNA and tissue cultures) are part of the project, additional forms may be required.
- Use the ISEF Rules Wizard to help you determine which forms to use.
8. Assist Students in Planning Their Displays
1. Check project eligibility rules
- Before you give approval for a student project, be sure to check the list of eligibility rules.
9. Verify That Your Students are Properly Registered
9. Verify That Your Students are Properly Registered
- Visit the registration website.
- From the top menu, select “Register” then “Verify Registered” and select your school(s).
- The list contains first name, project title, and project number. (For security reasons the last names are not shown.)
- The project number is listed but not the category. Students can verify their categories by entering the registration system through the student portal using the user name and password they established during registration.
- Teacher instruction video.
10. Attend the Science Fair
10. Attend the Science Fair
Science Fair Week-Daily Activities
Monday-6pm-8pm Project Set-Up
- Be sure your project is labeled with your project number. The project number is found with your project information in STEMWizard.
- Remember to check what is not allowed in the science fair before you bring your project to the science fair.
- Bring your project to the Albright College Bollman Gymnasium.
- Parking is on 13th St. and on parking lot next to the gym.
- Set up your tri-fold board at the location labeled with your project number.
- A Safety Checklist will be at your project station. Fill in the checklist and ensure you can say “yes” to all the questions. Drop the checklist into the box labeled “Completed Safety Checklists” at the registration table on your way out.
- If you have any questions about items on the checklist you may ask any safety inspector on the floor your safety question. Safety inspectors will be wearing fluorescent RBSEF green vest.
Tuesday-1pm-3pm Student Interview Session
- Your school will arrange to bring you to the Albright College Gym for student interviews.
- It is important to keep as quiet as possible while waiting in the bleachers during the interview session so that judges can hear the students being interviewed.
- Be sure you know your project number and listen carefully for it to be called. Because it would be too crowded to have all students on the floor at all times, projects are called down to the floor in batches.
- Depending on the type of awards you are eligible for, you may be interviewed multiple times, and not all awards require interviews. There are several interview judges involved: category judges, special awards judges, and a fair-staff judges.
Thursday-6:00pm-9:00pm Awards Ceremony (location TBD)
Over $10,000 in special awards will be given out to deserving students at the ceremony. After the special awards the place awards for each category will be given out. At the end of the ceremony the champions of grade 6, 7 and 8 will be announced and finally the senior division Grand Champion, Champion and Reserve Champion will be announced. The champions receive plaques for their awards. The Grand Champion and Champion of the senior division (gr. 9-12) will receive an all expense paid trip to compete in the International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) in May. Note: if you cannot attend the awards ceremony you can pick up your award Friday morning before 8:30 am, or you will have to make arrangements with your Teacher-Sponsor.
Project Removal
Thursday from 8:00am-4:00pm (before award ceremony)
Thursday after 9:00pm (after award ceremony)
Friday 7:00am-8:30am
- Come to the Bollman Gymnasium to remove your project from the gym.
- Someone else can remove your project if you a cannot do it.
- We recommend you pick up your projects after the award ceremony, but we understand if you cannot come to the ceremony, so you have an option to pick it up earlier in the day Thursday as indicated above.
- Projects not removed will be discarded after 8:30am Friday.
11. Pick Up Your Awards
11. Pick Up Your Awards
- About $10,000 in awards are presented each year to students in grades 6 to 12 who participate in the fair.
12. For Additional Help or Advice
12. For Additional Help or Advice
Deanna Witzel, Fair Director, Director@rbsef.com, 484-769-8733, for general questions.
Scientific Review Committee, SRC@rbsef.com, for prior approvals for use of some animals, tissue, or dangerous substances in experiments.