Information

Frequently Asked Questions about

Special Awards Judging at the Greater San Diego Science & Engineering Fair

 Basics & Registration

• What is a "Special Award"? Formerly known as Professional Society Awards, these are honors given independently by outside organizations (businesses, nonprofits, government agencies, etc.).

• How does an organization sign up? Contact Sejal Pabari, Special Awards Coordinator, at sejal.pabari@gsdsef.org. Provide a brief overview of your organization, your judging criteria, and the planned prize.

• How do individual judges sign up? Judging teams are assembled by the Judging Captain through their specific Organization, not the GSDSEF website. Once you have joined a team, you will be asked to register individually on the zFairs website. This will allow you to preview projects ahead of the judging day.

  
  

Logistics: When & Where

• Date: Wednesday of Fair Week (typically the 2nd or 3rd week of March). [See Full Schedule].

• In-Person Location: Typically at Balboa Park Activity Center (BPAC) - 2145 Park Boulevard San Diego, CA 92101. Carpooling is strongly recommended.

• Virtual Judging: Conducted via gsdsef.zfairs.com. No interviews; winners are selected based on digital materials (abstracts/slides). Winners list is due by 4:00 PM on Judging Day.

Preparing for Judging Day

• Finding Projects: Use the zFairs Student Showcase 1 - 2 weeks before the Fair to preview abstracts and search by keywords. Your Judging Captain may also receive a spreadsheet of abstracts ahead of time.

• What to Bring: 

  • Writing instruments and a clipboard.

  • Note paper or your organization’s specific judging forms.

  • Your Judging Captain’s cell phone number

  • Note: A lanyard and ID badge will be provided on-site. You will not be permitted to enter the BPAC without your lanyard

• Dress Code: Wear comfortable walking shoes: While students wear professional attire, judges are not required to do so. We encourage wearing your organization’s pins or badges.

On-Site Procedures

• Check-In/Out: Only the Judging Captain needs to check in at the GSDSEF desk to collect team materials and check out to submit final winner forms.

• Finding Your Team: The BPAC is loud and cell reception can be spotty. Make arrangements to meet your team outside the building or for lunch before entering.

• Building Access: You must wear your provided lanyard to enter. If you arrive late, call your Captain to walk you in.

• Food & Water: No food or drink (except capped water bottles) is allowed in the judging area. No meals are sold on-site. We recommend teams plan a group lunch nearby before or after judging.

• Judges’ Caucus Area: A limited seating area is available on a first-come, first-served basis. You are welcome to bring folding chairs or blankets for outdoor team discussions.

Interacting with Students

• Be Supportive: Many students (especially younger ones) are nervous. Introduce yourself, your organization, and use open-ended questions.

• Time Management: Limit interviews to 5–7 minutes. Be mindful of other judges waiting to speak with students at popular projects.

• Maintain Suspense: Do not tell a student they have won. We want them to be surprised at the Awards Ceremony.

• Photos: You may take photos with the student's permission (they have signed media releases). To avoid "tipping off" winners, mention you are photographing many students.

• Business Cards/Fliers: Only hand these out if you have enough for every student you interview to avoid showing bias.

• GSDSEF’s standard rubric and other judging resources can be found here: Additional Judging Resources

Choosing & Contacting Winners

• Reporting Winners: Your Judging Captain submits one winner form. You will receive a printed list of student contact information on the spot.

• Initial Contact: Do not reach out until after the Awards Ceremony. Once the fair concludes, please send a "Congratulations" email or next-step instructions as soon as possible so students aren't left wondering.

• The "End of April" Deadline: Students are instructed to contact the GSDSEF if they haven't heard from their awarding organization by the end of April. Reaching out to your winners in a timely manner helps us avoid unnecessary back-and-forth.

• Prize Delivery: Organizations are responsible for delivering prizes. You may mail them, leave them at the GSDSEF for weekend pickup, or invite winners to your own organization's symposium or board meeting.

• Incorrect Info: If student contact info is wrong, email sejal.pabari@gsdsef.org for assistance.

Still have questions?

Contact Special Awards Lead Sejal Pabari at sejal.pabari@gsdsef.org.