This page is being revised for the 2025 Synopsys Championship. [2024-10-21]
Topics:
- Important Dates
- Announcements & Resources
- Application limits for teachers and schools
- Planning and preparation
- Application process
- Fair Check-In Day & Group Check-in
- Day of Fair
- Teacher Chaperones + Rules for Teachers
Important Dates
Note: The Scientific Review Committee (SRC) and IRB will have 2 meetings before the final pre-approval deadline. Applications that are submitted by October 30 will be reviewed before the rush at the November 13 deadline.
Announcements & Resources
Virtual Teacher Workshop for 2024-2025: Wednesday, October 9th 4:30-5:30pm
A Teacher Workshop specifically geared to help teachers fill out the Synopsys Championship paperwork was held virtually on Wednesday, Oct 9th from 4:30-5:30pm. Feel free to watch the recorded session here.
It is strongly recommended for teachers who are new, relatively new or returning to the Championship attend the Teacher Workshop. The workshop will focus on how to fill out the forms correctly, especially projects that require SRC pre-approval, the importance of dates, and meeting Minimum Quality Requirements. It is strongly recommended that you take time to review the ISEF Rules and Guidelines and Contact us ahead of time with any questions you would like answered before joining the session.
Virtual Student Clinic for 2024-2025: Tuesday, October 22nd 5:30-6:30pm
A question and answer session will be held virtually on Tuesday Oct 22 from 5:30-6:30pm. It is recommended that students, new teachers, as well as sponsors who will supervise a PSP (privately-sponsored project), attend to ask questions and get answers. The slides will give you an overview of how to get started, dos and don’ts and timelines for the 2025 Synopsys Championship. It is strongly recommended that you review the slides before coming to the Q&A. Please RSVP via this Google Form if you plan to attend and the Zoom link will follow. Feel free to contact us if you have any questions.
Virtual Student Clinic for 2024-2025: Thursday, October 24th: Engineering Projects ONLY
A question and answer session will be held virtually on Thursday Oct 24 from 5:30-6:30pm. It is recommended that students, new teachers, as well as sponsors who will supervise a PSP (privately-sponsored project), attend to ask questions and get answers regarding their Engineering Project. The slides will give you an overview of how to get started, dos and don’ts and timelines for the 2025 Synopsys Championship. It is strongly recommended that you review the slides before coming to the
Q&A. Please RSVP via this Google Form if you plan to attend and we will send you the Zoom link. Feel free to contact us if you have any questions.
Field of Study Reminder
As a reminder, students may not do any health-related project that involves diagnosis or treatment without supervision of a doctor.
Research Class/Science Club Update
High School Teachers with a Research Class and/or Science Club must now submit a formal request yearly for additional projects to the SRC by submitting this form no later than the SRC pre-approval deadline. This year that deadline is Nov 13, 2024. Further details about Application Limits can be found here.
Sign up for the Research Teachers Conference Lottery!
DEADLINE APPROACHING! Join 200 U.S. high school teachers in Washington, D.C. for this inspiring weekend of all-expenses-paid, peer-led professional development. Attendees will share best practices, troubleshoot challenges and explore strategies for supporting student research projects.
The conference takes place October 4-6, 2024. Click here to learn more about eligibility and sign up here! Lottery closed August 1.
The Society for Science has partnered with Rise
Rise is a program that finds promising young people and provides them with opportunities that allow them to work together to serve others, by providing resources like including higher education scholarships and a global network. To read more about this program click HERE.
The Society for Science offers Funding for Teachers
STEM Research Grants provide support to middle and high school teachers engaging their students in authentic science research – and the application opens soon!
Teachers can apply for up to $5,000 to purchase specialized equipment, or for $1,000 in pre-selected STEM kits. Full time educators employed in the United States are encouraged to sign up here to be notified when the application opens. Priority consideration is given to schools who support low income students or those underrepresented in STEM fields.
Invitation to apply for the (free) Advancing STEM Research Teaching Program (ASRT)
The application will launch in October and closes in mid/late November.
This professional development program for high school teachers is completely free thanks to funding from Regeneron and Carl Zeiss Microscopy. Over the past 5 years, individual teachers, groups of teachers and Science Fair Directors have applied, been accepted, and benefitted from this very customized ASRT program.
If one or more of the “Top 10 mistakes teachers make….” have impacted you, or the high school teachers in your region, when guiding your students through planning, working on, and presenting STEM Research projects, you/they should consider applying for the free, customized, in-person, Advancing STEM Research Teaching Program.
Link to apply for High School Teachers: https://forms.gle/dzMXJNMhbVXbQ73e7
Society Update: Applications for the Advocate Program are now closed
Sign up to be notified when the 2024/2025 application opens. This program provides a stipend, training, and year-round support to teachers and mentors who help students from traditionally underrepresented groups and low-income households enter STEM research competitions. Click here for eligibility requirements. Please share with your educator networks!
Enroll your school in Science News for Middle and High Schools
Calling all science teachers: would you like a free tool that helps your students apply curricular topics to real-world scenarios, practice reading comprehension, and explore the world of science?
Science News Learning in High Schools and Middle Schools aims aims to boost science literacy for every student – and gives you easy ways to bring today’s science developments into your teaching. Your school’s participation is free. Sign up today to ensure your sponsored spot for the next school year!
Application Limits
The Application Limit for a teacher is determined by the number of scientific category award-winning projects you sponsored on the 2024 list of winning projects. Sponsored awards do not count in the total.
| # projects that won category awards in prior year | # sponsored projects allowed this year |
|---|---|
| 0 | 4 (also applies to new teachers) |
| 1 | 4 |
| 2 | 8 |
| 3 | 8 |
| 4 or more | 12 |
A teacher supervising a Research Class or school-based Science Club or equivalent may request from the SRC additional project application slots here. See the Application Limit page for more details.
Planning and Preparation
Read ISEF Rules and Guidelines before students begin their projects.
As an ISEF affiliated fair, the Synopsys Championship follows ISEF Rules and uses ISEF forms, but SCVSEFA also has some requirements and forms that are specific to the Synopsys Championship.
Review information under the Rules and Registration and Teachers tabs, including Who can Sponsor and Responsibilities. Information on projects at a Regulated Research Institution (RRI) may be found here.
Check the Student Information page to see our advice on finding a project and applying to the Synopsys Championship.
Student Clinics and Teacher Workshops
A Teacher Workshop, if available, is recommended for new teachers as well as sponsors who will supervise a PSP (privately-sponsored project). Contact the SRC if you would like to host a workshop at your school.
- Teacher Workshop 2024-2025 presentation – video recording
- Teacher Workshop 2023-2024 presentation: slides only
- Student Clinic 2023-2024 presentation: slides only
- Student Clinic 2022-2023 presentation: with narration or slides only
- Engineering Workshop slide presentation
- 2017-Teacher Workshop presentation for teachers
Application Process
The online application requires the student or team leader to complete several steps:
- register online,
- complete a set of digital forms,
- upload the forms to the students forms folders,
- pay the application processing fee, which officially SUBMITS the application for review.
After registration, the student (or team leader) receives a Project Code and personalized instructions via a detailed Project Page. You may read a general version of the application instructions here.
Teacher access to a project Forms Folder is possible but not automatic. Either the student/team leader or the Fair Administrator can grant access.
APPLICATION DEADLINES
- If SRC pre-approval is required for a project, the application must arrive before the deadline, see the Important Dates page for all deadlines.
- A project involving humans, including questioning about or testing a project, must be submitted for pre-approval and include the Human-Participants Research Plan.
- Application due dates are RECEIPT dates. An application will be processed if payment has not yet been received but needs to be paid within 7 days of the application deadline date. Alert the Fair Manager to any questions or problems via the contact page.
- Consider requesting payment voucher codes for your students if multiple projects will be covered by a single check. Contact the Fair Manager via the contact page for details.
Judging by Category and Field of Study
Students must select a Category and Field of Study when they register.
For detailed information on Categories, Fields of Study and project numbers, go to Project Categories.
- For Category Awards, projects are judged by category in groups of about 8 to 12 projects by a team of at least two judges.
- Projects done at home, school or in the field (non RRI) are judged by grade and category.
- Projects done at Regulated Research Institutions (RRI) are judged by category only.
Chaperones + Rules for Teachers
Registered classroom teachers employed by schools participating in the fair may sign up to be Chaperones during the judging period 1:30–6 PM by completing the application form. As part of the application you will need to confirm that you have read and agreed to observe Rules for Teachers. The application form will be made available before the fair.
