Changes for 2010 Mercer Science and Engineering Fair

By msecsuper Jul 06, 2009

Welcome to the new website for the Mercer Science and Engineering Fair. We are revamping this for a number of reasons, including a more interactive registration system that is now up and running. Sign up for a new account if you are a teacher or student.

This is a summary of some of the changes for the 2010 fair:

ELEMENTARY Division

  • Students can now choose from two categories: Biological and Physical.
  • No ISEF forms are required, but we have restricted the kinds of projects that can be done
  • The following projects are not allowed:
    •   Animal experiments that require SRC approval
    •   Human subject experiments that require IRB approval
    •   Projects that grow microorganisms or use human tissue
    •   check out the website for more details and examples; the majority of projects last year do not fall into these categories
  • Online registration is significantly simplified for elementary division students

 

JUNIOR Division

  • Categories still are Biological and Physical
  • The application process is now the same as for the senior division
  • We recommend that students DO NOT do any project that requires precertification

 

SENIOR Division

  • Precertification is now done completely online; nothing needs to be mailed in until the final application deadline.

Use the ISEF Rules Wizard to check what forms you might need for your project. Projects that need more than Form 1, 1A, 1B, and the Research Plan will need precertification before the project experimentation commences.

For Elementary division projects that need precertification, contact us to see if the project is allowed. In general, animal projects that are observational and human subject projects with minimal only are allowed. Likewise, human subject projects that are surveys and do not involve emotional stress, ingestion (tasting) or physical exertion are allowed. Contact us if you have questions or need an exemption BEFORE experimentation.