Judge Information

RBSEF judges are selected from local community organizations for their expertise and willingness to share their knowledge and to encourage the students. Typically, five to seven judges will be responsible for ranking the entries in each of the fair’s twelve categories.

JUDGE REGISTRATION

Here are some places where volunteers are needed:

Adjutant Judges:

Who can volunteer: College students or staff with backgrounds in the sciences or math.
What they will do: Interview students who would not otherwise receive an interview. (Suggested questions will be provided)
Time Commitment: Buffet lunch is served from 11:30-12:15, students arrive for interviews from 1:00 to 3:00 PM
Date of Service: Tuesday the week of Science Fair (see schedule on right side of screen)
Place of Service: Albright College, Bollman Gym on 13th Street.

Special Awards Judges:

Who can volunteer: College students in their senior year or staff with backgrounds in the sciences or math.
What they will do: Choose projects that best fits provided criteria for an award.
Time Commitment: The week prior to the science fair, award criteria and project summaries will be provided in order for the special awards judges to identify the projects eligible for awards. On Tuesday the week of the fair: Breakfast Buffet at 7:45, Judging session from 8:00-11:30, Buffet lunch is served from 11:30-12:15, students arrive for interviews from 1:00 to 3:00 PM. Evaluation of projects may resume during and after interviews until selections are made. Special awards judges need not be available the entire day, however, it is highly recommended that they be available to interview students as part of the award selection.
Date of Service: Tuesday the week of the science fair (see schedule on right side of screen).
Place of Service: Albright College, Bollman Gym on 13th Street.

Category Awards Judges:

Who can volunteer: College level staff with backgrounds in the sciences or math. We have a particular need for judges in Senior Division Medicine and Health, our largest category.
What they will do: Evaluate all projects in the category, conduct student interviews and rank the winning projects.
Time Commitment: The week prior to the science fair project materials will be made available for review online. On Tuesday the week of the fair: Breakfast Buffet at 7:45, Judging session from 8:00-11:30, Buffet lunch is served from 11:30-12:15, students arrive for interviews from 1:00 to 3:00 PM. Category Judge teams continue to deliberate after interviews the remainder of the afternoon.
Date of Service: Flexible times starting the Wednesday after online project materials are due until the Sunday before project setup in the gym; and Student Interview Day the week of Science Fair. (see schedule on right side of screen).
Place of Service: Albright College, Bollman Gym on 13th Street.

First-time judging volunteers, use the Judge Registration Button to register as a judge at the Reading-Berks Science & Engineering Fair. Previous judges are contacted prior to the Fair and enrolled to judge in the categories of their expertise.

Since we are using a new registration platform, we need all judges to register on STEM Wizard. Click the button for registration Instructions.

Project Judging Day Schedule for Judges – The Tuesday of Fair Week

Continental Breakfast and Instructions

7:45 AM

Morning Judging of Projects

8:00 to 11:30 AM

Buffet Lunch

11:30 AM to 12:15 PM

Students Arrive

1:00 PM

Interview Students

1:00 to 3:00 PM

Select Category Winners

3:00 to 3:30 PM

Select Finalists

3:30 to 4:15 PM

RBSEF judges are volunteers who donate their time and expertise to provide fair and impartial judging of student projects. We are grateful for the many judges who tirelessly aid in our fair, many of whom have served for decades. Thank you for serving the STEM students in Berks County in this way!

Judging Criteria

Category Awards judging is conducted using a 100-point scale with points assigned to criteria: (1) creative ability, (2 or 3) scientific thought or engineering goals, (4) thoroughness, (5) skill, and (6) clarity, with interviews for further consideration. For additional information on this criteria, click the button below

SCORING GUIDELINE

RBSEF 2025 SCHEDULE

RBSEF 2025 SCHEDULE

Wednesday 10/4/2024Registration Starts(rbsef.stemwizard.com)

The RBSEF, Berks County’s regional science fair, was started in 1952 by the Reading Chemists’ Club. The fair takes place at Albright College in March of each year. Participation in the fair is open to students from Berks County schools in grades 6-12

Junior Division-Grades 6-8

Senior Division-Grades 9-12

Science Fair Week-Daily Activities

Monday-6pm-8pm Project Set-Up

Tuesday-1pm-3pm Student Interview Session

Thursday-6:00pm-9:00pm Awards Ceremony (location TBD)

Project RemovalThursday from 8:00am-4:00pm (before award ceremony)Thursday after 9:00pm (after award ceremony)Friday 7:00am-8:30am

Judge Registration

Judge Criteria

SAFETY: THE ITEMS ON THE SAFETY PAGE ARE PROHIBITED AND UNACCEPTABLE FOR DISPLAY. THESE ITEMS WILL NOT BE ALLOWED IN THE FAIR. CHECK THE LIST AT THE ABOVE LINK AND DO NOT INCLUDE THESE ITEMS IN ANY PART OF YOUR EXHIBIT!!!

Eligibility rules: Determine whether or not you can compete

Exhibit Information: Size and Weight Restrictions

Disqualifying Violations

Additional Exhibit Guidance

Thank you for your interest in sponsoring an award at the Reading – Berks Science and Engineering Fair!

LEARN MORE BELOW

Fair Sponsorship is a great way to ensure that RBSEF will have the funds necessary to continue to operate the second-longest-running science fair in the country. All of our staff is volunteer, so 100% of your sponsorship is dedicated to the running of the fair.

The Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (Regeneron ISEF), a program of Society for Science & the Public, is the world’s largest international pre-college science competition.

Each year, the Grand Champion and Champion of the Reading-Berks Science and Engineering Fair win an all-expense paid trip to compete in the International Science and Engineering Fair.

RBSEF judges nominate the top 10% of 6th, 7th and 8th grade student participants for this national competition through their judging procedures. Nominees then need to complete an online application for a chance to compete at the national level.

RBSEF typically has the opportunity to nominate two students to present their qualified projects each year in the GENIUS Olympiad at SUNY Oswego.

US NATIONAL BIOGENEIUS CHALLENGE

Check back often for updated information on this competition at the state and local levels.

View past winners by decade from the 1950's to the 2020's

RBSEF Uncashed Award Check Policy

Rationale: While it is the intention of RBSEF to ensure that 100% of designated award funds be enjoyed by the students who have earned them, we also recognize that students bear the responsibility to cash their checks or communicate with RBSEF if a check has been lost.