Science Fair Time

Forrest M. Mims III

How clean is top of that soft drink can from which you just took a sip? What kind of critters are in that quart of air you just inhaled? Is the water in the neighborhood creek as clean as it looks?

These are among the many thousands of questions asked by students who are now presenting the results of their research at science fairs around the United States.

Science fairs are a rite of passage for many U.S. students, many of whom go on to study science in college.

Inconsistent judging has discouraged some students from entering science fairs. So has the fact that students who do their projects in professional and university labs compete on the same level as those who do their projects on a kitchen table.

Another major problem is the enormous time and effort that science fair planning requires. They are a major undertaking that requires considerable time by students, teachers and judges. The paperwork alone has become such a huge burden that some students are discouraged from doing what might have become breakthrough projects.

The paperwork problem is driven by Science Service, the administrator of the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF), with which many regional and State science fairs in the United States are affiliated. A prime goal of these regional science fairs is to send student projects to the International Science and Engineering Fair. For this to happen, the regional fairs must agree to strictly abide by ISEF rules.

The ISEF rules are stricter and more detailed than ever before. They prohibit the display of everything from liquids to dried plants to covered culture trays. The rules for culturing even common airborne bacteria and spores are so strict that many projects are disqualified or never begun. Don’t even think about doing a high-power laser project.

Have you ever met a student shortly after his or her project was disqualified by the science fair staff? I have. About all I can say is that life is not fair and they must press ahead for next year, rules and all.

Why are the rules so strict? When I asked this question a few years ago, a high official gave the predicted answer: liability. A science teacher recently told me that she was given the same answer when she asked.

In short, the ISEF is afraid of being sued by a parent for not requiring their child to use common sense when they conduct a science project. Some of the ISEF rules are important, but the overall package of rules is probably causing a sharp decline in the kinds of projects that used to win major awards.

Want to build a new kind of liquid-fueled rocket? Don't even try. Want to use real bacteria to test your airborne bacteria detector that might save lives in a biowarfare attack? You'll need to be personally supervised by at least one doctorate-level scientist.

In spite of overly strict rules and inconsistent judging, tens of thousands of students still enter science fairs each year. All learn about the practical side of doing science. Some advance to higher level competitions. The best projects reward students with cash prizes and college scholarships.

Citizen scientists can play a vital role in science fairs by volunteering their time to help judge and to mentor students. They can also visit science fairs and encourage students.

I did just this a few days ago. The students who asked questions were genuinely appreciative of my answers. Some of these students had projects worthy of advancing to the regional science fair in March and possibly even beyond.

Get involved. You, too, can watch students you have advised be successful in doing real science.