Judges

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Register now to be a 2025 category judge!

Thursday, March 13th: SYNOPSYS CHAMPIONSHIP JUDGING DAY
Time: 10:30 AM to 6:00 PM
Location: San Jose Convention Center, South Hall

Judge check-in starts at 10:30 AM, and all judges must be checked in by 12:00 PM on Judging Day. Virtual judging is not permitted and all judges must be present in person from 12:00 PM to 6:00 PM. Both new and returning Category judges and Grand Prize judges are required to register each year.

Every year we are looking for scientists, computer scientists, engineers and others who enjoy talking to enthusiastic young people about scientific inquiry and engineering challenges. Category Judges should have at least a Bachelor’s degree in a technical field or in education (with a concentration in a technical field). For more details and to register, please visit the Category Judging page.

Sponsored Awards judges should not register. Instead they will receive an invitation and information from their organizations or from a SCVSEFA Sponsored Awards coordinator.

As of September 2022, we renamed Special Awards to Sponsored Awards to align with California Science and Engineering Fair procedures.

Introduction

The success of our science fair depends to a large extent on the quality of the projects and your judging. This guide will help prepare you. Please review it carefully. The information and guidelines here will make your task easier and more enjoyable. A science and engineering fair is a competition based upon the quality of the projects and experiments done by students. The fair has three purposes: to stimulate young people’s interest in science and engineering, to provide an educational experience to the students, and to publicly recognize the students’ talents and achievements.

The Synopsys Silicon Valley Science and Technology Championship is managed by the Santa Clara Valley Science and Engineering Fair Association (SCVSEFA). The Championship is a Regional Fair affiliated with the International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF). Each year in May we send Grand Prize-winning projects (from grades 9 through 12) to ISEF. In addition, 100 of our winning projects in grades 6 through 12 are eligible to participate in the California Science & Engineering Fair. Selected winning middle school students also have an opportunity to participate in the Thermo Fisher Scientific MASTERS program.

Conflict of Interest Policy of SCVSEFA

A judge may not judge projects for which they have a conflict of interest. A conflict of interest arises in the science fair when a judge has competing interests or loyalties that can interfere with their objectivity.

Judges must identify any student participating in the fair who:

  • is related to themselves or is a close family friend,
  • is or was a student of theirs or was a student at their school,
  • was mentored or otherwise advised by them on their current project, or
  • is the child of a close business associate.

 
If a judge is assigned to a group of projects that includes a conflict of interest described above, he or she must notify the Judges Check-In Desk immediately for re-assignment or other adjustment.

Judges should refrain from talking to their children, children’s friends or teacher-chaperones during the judging period to avoid the appearance of conflicts of interest.

Harassment Policy of SCVSEFA

  • SCVSEFA is committed to providing an environment for students, volunteers, and employees, free of harassment of any kind. SCVSEFA will not tolerate harassment of students, judges, volunteers, employees or anyone else associated with the Synopsys Championship.
  • If you feel that you have been harassed or feel you have witnessed harassment, please report the incident to any member of the SCVSEFA Board of Directors.

 
Complete Harassment Policy of SCVSEFA

Judge Etiquette

Please conform to the following rules to assure a good judging experience for all judges:

  • Judges should not break in with questions or comments while another judge is interviewing a student. Wait until the interview is completed.
  • Interview projects for no more than 10 minutes. Set a timer on your phone. Be aware of other judges waiting to speak to a student.
  • If another judge’s interview lasts more than 10 minutes, ask the judge if he or she is about to finish.
  • Do not correct or criticize another judge in front of the students.

Awards

There are three kinds of awards.

Category Awards are given by the SCVSEFA for scientific merit, including the First Place, Second Place, and Honorable Mention Awards. About 40% of projects receive a Category Award. Grand prize winners, Isabelle Stone and Castro Family Award winners, and GP alternates automatically receive a 1st Place Category Award.

Grand Prize Awards are given by the SCVSEFA to 10 top high school projects selected for further competition at ISEF, the International Science and Engineering Fair. A further 6 top high school projects receive the Grand Prize Alternate awards and win a trip to CSEF, the California Science & Engineering Fair.  Six top middle school projects are given Isabelle Stone or Castro Family Awards and win a trip to CSEF.

Almost 100 projects in addition to the Grand Prize winning projects from middle and high school are selected as eligible for further competition at the California Science & Engineering Fair.

Sponsored Awards are given by various professional organizations and companies. Each organization has its own criteria. Sponsored awards may take many forms, including certificates, cash, trips, equipment, and internships. As of September 2022, we are renaming Special Awards to Sponsored Awards to align with California Science and Engineering Fair procedures.

Category Awards

Projects are judged in groups of about 8 to 12 projects by a team of judges using specified criteria. At least two judges evaluate each project. Projects are judged with projects from similar fields of study. Projects done at Regulated Research Institutions (RRI) (grades 9 to 12 only) are judged with other RRI projects. RRI projects are judged by category only. Projects done at school or home are judged against other non-RRI projects. Non RRI projects are judged by grade and category. For certain fields of study, 11th and 12th grades may be judged together.

Sponsored Awards

The criteria for the sponsored awards are determined by the sponsoring organizations. Judging teams for these awards are usually from the sponsoring organizations but may, if requested, be provided by the SCVSEFA.

Presentation of Awards

Awards are presented to the students at the Awards Ceremonies approximately 3 weeks after the Championship. Projects winning awards will be posted after the Awards Ceremony.