Eligibility | Project Pre-Approval Information | Fair Day Information
Eligibility & Project Pre-Approval
Eligibility
The GSSSF accepts science fair projects from students in grades 5-12 at public and private schools located in Onondaga, Madison, Oswego, Cayuga, and Cortland counties.
Project Pre-Approval Information
There are certain procedures that you are expected to follow. Your project must have a research plan and a set of procedures BEFORE you start experimenting. Once you have a research plan and procedures you can start the pre-approval process. For many experiments at the junior level, this requires just a few signatures on forms you can print out right after registering online. For senior level projects the GSSSF uses the International Science & Engineering Fair (ISEF) regulations. These student guidelines are nearly identical to those used by professional scientists and engineers. In order to make certain that you have followed appropriate (and ethical) procedures, a number of forms have been developed that you must complete. Any projects that require pre-approval and do not have it will not be allowed to enter the GSSSF. Find out from your teacher if your school has a scientific review committee (SRC) or if you must make use of the GSSSF’s SRC.
If your project DOES NOT involve any of the following, you may register online without pre-approval. Simply follow online instructions after you register. If your project DOES involve any of the following, you must have approval by a Scientific Review Committee BEFORE starting your experiment and send in the additional paperwork appropriate for your level:
- Human subjects, including surveys
- Non-human vertebrate animals
- Pathogens, controlled substances, recombinant DNA
- Human and/or animal tissue
- Hazardous substances
Additional Paperwork for Junior Level students:
- Project Plan (experimental procedure)
- Copy of survey(s) used, if applicable
- Written parental permission of any human subjects under age 18
Additional Paperwork for Senior Level Students:
- Human Subjects—Form 2 or Form 4
- Non-human Vertebrate Animals—Form 2 PLUS Form 5A or Form 5B
- Pathogens, Controlled Substances, Recombinant DNA—Forms 2, 3, 6A
- Human and/or Animal Tissue—Form 2 PLUS Form 6A or Form 6B
- Work in an Industrial/Institutional Setting—Form 1C
- Continuing Project—Form 7
If using the GSSSF’s SRC for pre-approval, completed forms can be digitally sent to gsssf@most.org or mailed to GSSSF/MOST, 500 S. Franklin St., Syracuse, NY 13202.
Certain areas of human research are exempt from review. Research of subjects under age 18 does not require additional paperwork for the following:
- Research is conducted in established settings (1) involving normal education practices and (2) research on individual or group behavior where the researcher does not manipulate behavior and the research does not involve stress to the subjects;
- Research involving OBSERVATION of legal public behavior;
- Research involving the collection or study of existing publicly available data.
Fair Day Information back to top
The GSSSF is Sunday, March 28 at Solvay High School in Syracuse. If you cannot attend, please contact the GSSSF at gsssf@most.org as soon as possible so that we can adjust our participant roster.
Check-In & Set-Up:
The exhibitor check-in area is arranged by last name. At check-in, you will pick up your exhibitor packet. In it, you will find your name tag, exhibitor ribbon and pin, exhibit card, and registration paperwork. At this time, you will be told where your project space is located. You need to wear your nametag and exhibitor ribbon at chest height throughout the day. If you are part of a team, the exhibit card and paperwork will be in one team member's exhibitor packet.
Exhibit Requirements:
1. Space is limited to 48 in. wide by 30 in. deep by 72 in. tall (from tabletop). Extra space is not available. Photos should be taken of any equipment that cannot fit in this space.
2. Exhibit Card (in the packet you receive at Check-In) must be displayed near the top right of your project board.
3. Absolutely NO:
- animals (alive or dead), animal parts or fluids
- hazardous substances
- chemicals stronger than household grade
- fire, flames or hot plates
- flammable substances such as gas or kerosene
- firearms or weaponry
- unsafe electrical connections
4. "Non-toxic" bacteria/cultures need to be in a fully sealed petri dish.
5. Names of human subjects must not appear anywhere on your project or in your report.
6. Any photographs need to be labeled with the name of the photographer. Any other borrowed images (Web, magazine, etc.) need to be labeled with their source.
7. LABEL EVERYTHING WITH YOUR NAME in case it is lost or misplaced.
8. If your exhibit requires electricity and you did not indicate so in your registration, you must contact the GSSSF at gsssf@most.org by March 20. Bring an extension cord at least 20 feet long to the fair.
Scientific Review Committee/Display & Safety Review:
You must get approval by the Science Review Committee/Display and Safety Committee before judging begins. The exhibit cannot be changed once approval is given. Failure to have SRC/D&S approval will disqualify you from the science fair. All Senior Level (grades 9-12) students must have their registration paperwork ready at their exhibit for the Scientific Review Committee (SRC) to look over and notarize. Your paperwork will be in your exhibitor packet or at your location. All Junior Level (grades 5-8) students must have their exhibit looked over by the Display & Safety (D&S) Committee when the exhibit is completely set up. The SRC/D&S Committee will notarize your project after its review. The exhibit cannot be changed in any way after approval. All students must be present at their exhibit during the SRC/D&S review in case of questions or needed changes.
Lunch/Afternoon Snack:
The GSSSF recommends you eat lunch before the fair as food is no longer allowed in the exhibit hall. However, the judging period has been shortened to accommodate this. You may bring a snack to eat during the break after judging, and there will be refreshments provided during the celebration of achievement/public viewing hour after the awards ceremony.
Judging:
Judging will begin promptly at the times listed in the schedule. At judging time, you must be at your exhibit and all parents, teachers, friends and family members who are not judges must leave the exhibit hall for the entire judging period. You will not be able to leave the exhibit hall during judging unless it is an emergency. During the judging period, you will meet with 4 GSSSF judges and any Special Awards judges whose awards are compatible with your project. Please stand through all conversations with judges. Greet the judges, shake their hands or do whatever else you need to do to feel connected to the judge and less nervous. Typically, you will spend about 10-15 minutes with each judge. Be prepared to talk about your research first--how and why you chose your topic, your background research, your experimentation and your results. HINT: Practicing this in advance with adults you are comfortable with will help you improve your presentation.
The judge will then initiate a question-and-answer conversation. Feel free to ask the judge to clarify any question you do not understand. Each GSSSF (red ribbon) judge will notarize your exhibit card. If you think a GSSSF judge has not judged you, please contact a GSSSF official (white ribbon). There may be "down time" during judging. You are encouraged to bring a book, headset, etc. to help you through that time. However, the GSSSF is NOT responsible for anything you bring to the fair. Chairs are permitted, but please stand for all judges. You are allowed to have snacks and beverages at your exhibit. If you need to leave your exhibit at any time during judging, please leave a note for the judges.
Guest Speaker:
Participants will be seated theater-style for the guest speaker and the Awards Ceremony. Student participants should be seated in reserved sections for easier access to the stage during the awards ceremony.
Awards:
The success of a science fair project is judged by a number of standards but should not be measured by the awards you receive. The goal of taking part in a science fair is the satisfaction of investigating and discovering new things—even if it’s only new to you. All participants receive a Certificate of Participation given by judges at the end of the judging period.
Awards Ceremony:
This year we will acknowledge award recipients by projecting their names during the awards ceremony, they will find medallions and certificates at their exhibits during the MOST’s Celebration of Achievement. GSSSF awards are given in Honors, High Honors and Highest Honors. About one third to one half of science fair participants receives a GSSSF medallion. Next are Special Awards given by organizations, businesses, colleges and universities. The Awards Ceremony concludes with the Discovery Channel Young Scientist and the Society for Science and the Public’s Middle School Awards for the Junior Level and the New York State Science Congress and the International Science & Engineering Fair Awards for the Senior Level. The GSSSF asks that you stay until the conclusion of the Awards Ceremony so that the proceedings are not disrupted. If you must leave before the conclusion of the Awards Ceremony, please contact the GSSSF at gsssf@most.org so that any awards can be sent to your school.
MOST Celebration of Achievement & Public Viewing:
This year following the Awards Ceremony the MOST is hosting a Celebration of Achievement to recognize all students’ efforts in putting together their science fair projects by awarding each participating exhibitor a student membership to the MOST. This hour of the science fair will also accommodate public viewing to allow students to interact with each other and view each other’s projects. The exhibit hall will be open to the public and the media (TV, newspaper and radio) as well as exhibitors and their families. During this time you are encouraged to walk around and view other students’ exhibits. This is your chance to see which projects received the highest honors. This is also the best opportunity for families and schools to take photos and video.
Media Release Statement: - back to top
Please note that by registering for the GSSSF you are authorizing the Milton J. Rubenstein Museum of Science & Technology to take/use still or video photographs of yourself as a participant ( either with or without names ) for publications, photo contests, publicity and/or public relations purposes in television, newspapers, websites, magazines, travel publication, posters or in-house publications unless you indicate otherwise by filling out this disclaimer form. Please remit the signed form to GSSSF officials during the set-up period on Saturday, March 27, 2010 at Solvay High School.
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