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RBSEF 2026 SCHEDULE

Wednesday 11/12/2025
Registration Starts
(rbsef.stemwizard.com)

Sunday 2/1/2026
11:59 PM
Early Registration Deadline (for discounted fee)

Sunday 2/15/2026
11:59 PM
Final Registration Deadline

Sunday 2/22/2026
11:59 PM
Project Materials Submittal Deadline

Monday 3/2/2026
6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Project Setup at Albright's Schumo Center (Bollman Gymnasium)
ALL FORMS AND FEES DUE BEFORE SETUP

Tuesday 3/3/2026
8:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Judges review projects at Albright

Tuesday 3/3/2026
1:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Student Interviews at Albright

Wednesday 3/4/2026
11:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Public Viewing of Projects

Thursday 3/5/2026
8:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Public Viewing of Projects

Thursday 3/5/2026
6:00 PM
Award Ceremony at Albright's Schumo Center (Bollman Gymnasium)

Project Pickup Times
Thursday 3/5/2026
8:00 AM - 4:00 PM Before Award Ceremony
8:00 PM - 9:00 PM Following Award Ceremony
Friday 3/6/2026
7:00 AM - 8:30 AM
REMAINING PROJECTS WILL BE DISCARDED

RBSEF 2026 SCHEDULE
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    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

    ABOUT US
    DIRECTIONS
    CONTACT US

    RBSEF Mission Statement: Provide a platform to enable middle and high school students to build STEM literacy and 21st century skills through expression of their personal interests in STEM supported, encouraged, and rewarded by the local science and technology ecosystem.

  • FAIR INFORMATION
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    CATEGORIES & DESCRIPTIONS

    Junior Division-Grades 6-8

    Senior Division-Grades 9-12

    RBSEF Required Forms

    1. Junior Division Forms: Grades 6-8
    • All students complete Form 1: Checklist for Adult Sponsor
    Form 1: Checklist for Adult Sponsor
    • All students complete Form 1B: Approval Form
    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
    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)
    Form 1A: Student Checklist
    • All students complete Form 1B: Approval Form
    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.
    ISEF Rules Wizard
    RBSEF Required Forms

    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.

     

     
    Science Fair Activities
    STUDENT INFORMATION
    TEACHER INFORMATION
    JUDGE INFORMATION

    Judge Registration

    Judge Criteria

    VOLUNTEERS
  • DISPLAY AND SAFETY
    prohibited

    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!!!

    PROHIBITED ITEMS
    ELIGIBILITY & EXHIBIT RULES

    1. Eligibility rules: Determine whether or not you can compete

    2. Exhibit Information: Size and Weight Restrictions

    3. Disqualifying Violations

    4. Additional Exhibit Guidance

  • SPONSORS
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    SPECIAL AWARDS SPONSORS

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

    LEARN MORE BELOW

    FIRST TIME SPONSORS
    RETURNING SPONSORS
    FAIR SPONSORSHIP

    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.

  • AFTER RBSEF
    ISEF
    Thermo Fisher Junior Innovators Challenge
    GENIUS Olympiad
    BioGENEius Challenge
    ISEF
    iseflogo

    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.

    Check out the highlight video!
    Thermo Fisher Junior Innovators Challenge
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    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.

    GENIUS Olympiad
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    GENIUS (Global Environmental Issues and US) Olympiad promotes a global understanding of environmental issues and the achievement of sustainability through basic science, arts, creative writing, engineering, design, and business development. GENIUS Olympiad provides challenges and opportunities for secondary school students, to instill in them the skills and knowledge needed to be the citizens, leaders, scientists, artists, writers, engineers, and policy makers of the future—agents who will promote and contribute to greater environmental sustainability throughout their lives.

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

    BioGENEius Challenge
    biogeneius-logo

    US NATIONAL BIOGENEIUS CHALLENGE

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

  • HALL OF FAME
    award

    HALL OF FAME

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

    HALL OF FAME

    AWARD LISTINGS

    2024 RBSEF Awards Listing by School
    2019 RBSEF Awards Listing by School
    2018 RBSEF Awards Listing by School
  • RESOURCES
    resources
    FAQ's
    RBSEF Program Archives

    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.

    Unclaimed Award Policies
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    Bronze Sponsor

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  • Gold Sponsor

    Gold Sponsor

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  • Platinum Sponsor

    Platinum Sponsor

    $5,000.00     Select options
  • RBSEF Supporter

    RBSEF Supporter

    $250.00     Select options
  • Silver Sponsor

    Silver Sponsor

    $1,000.00     Select options
  • Special Award Funds

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RBSEF Mission Statement

Provide a platform to enable middle and high school students to build STEM literacy and 21st century skills through expression of their personal interests in STEM supported, encouraged, and rewarded by the local science and technology ecosystem.

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DONATE TO RBSEF

Donations to RBSEF for the general administration of the fair are always welcome. You can donate online here, or mail a check payable to “RBSEF” to:

RBSEF
P.O. Box 13314
Reading, PA 19612

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  • Home
    • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Directions
  • Fair Information
    • Categories and Descriptions
    • RBSEF Required Forms
    • Science Fair Week-Daily Activities
    • Student Information
    • Teacher Information
    • Judging
    • Volunteers
  • Display and Safety
    • Safety: Prohibited Items
    • Eligibility and Exhibit Rules
  • Sponsors
    • Special Award Sponsors
    • First Time Sponsors
    • Returning Sponsors
    • Fair Sponsorship
  • After RBSEF
  • Hall of Fame
    • Award Listings
  • Resources
    • FAQs
    • RBSEF Program Archives
    • Unclaimed Award Policies
  • Cart
    • Checkout