How are winners to the California Science & Engineering Fair (CSEF) selected?
Each year, we are allotted a number of spots in the California Science & Engineering Fair. The CSEF allocation is calculated on a 5 year rolling average of the number of projects from our local Championship which won at the state fair level. For 2021, we were allotted 101 projects at CSEF.
The projects are ranked by the CSEF judging team, and the top 101 projects are notified that they qualify to apply to CSEF. Note: Category judging results do not determine CSEF judging results. First place category winners are not necessarily eligible to attend. Also, the Synopsys Championship has more first place winners than the slots allotted by CSEF.
We strive to send projects to CSEF representing every category we have at our science fair. In underrepresented categories, this may mean that we send second and honorable mention projects. In overrepresented categories (such as software engineering), we pick from among the first place winners using the results of the sponsored awards judging to order the projects. Because of this, some first place projects may not qualify to attend CSEF.
Of the qualified projects, the top 12 (6 each at middle school and high school) received a cash award in 2021. When CSEF is an in-person fair, these Championship winners are given a paid trip to CSEF in Los Angeles, and reimbursed the Application fee. The remaining qualified projects are not financially sponsored by SCVSEFA.
If you received a CSEF eligibility email or letter at the Awards ceremony indicating that you are a qualified student, go to the CSEF website to register and pay your application fee immediately.
If qualified students do not want to attend, their spots become available to students/projects who are wait-listed alternates according to the Synopsys Championship ranking of scientific merit. Alternates may apply to attend the fair only if a Qualified winner does not apply, thereby making space available.
How are winners to the International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) selected?
The selection of projects for ISEF is called Grand Prize Judging. The Grand Prize Judges are specifically at the Synopsys Championship to choose the top projects for grades 9 through 12. They are highly qualified, experienced judges with differing areas of expertise among them.
The top 10 high school projects at the Synopsys Championship are awarded Grand Prize and are given a paid trip to ISEF. In 2020 and 2021, they received a cash award.
How are winners of eligibility to enter the Thermo Fisher Scientific Junior Innovators Challenge selected?
First Place category award winners in middle school from our fair who receive a letter of eligibility at the Awards Ceremony may apply.
See the Society for Science website for this competition.
