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Information Learn More Why should students do STEM Research Projects? Benefits.. The GSDSEF promotes experimentation, creativity, and discovery…. Students benefit by: • using many disciplines including reading, writing, mathematics, art and design. • using logic, data, reason, rationale, and critical thinking to formulate conclusions. • earning awards, scholarships, and trips. • defending their research to judges, increasing their communication skills. • completing a STEM portfolio of their skills • getting a sense of pride by completing a long term, open-ended project with perseverance In the competitive world of college applications, participation in the GSDSEF is a great plus because it proves that the student can set goals and complete a long-term project that distinguishes him/her from other students. Students, if you are you • a 6 th - 12 th grade student interested in science, technology, engineering, and/or math. • curious and like to think outside the box • enjoy building or creating things • like to come up with solutions to problems • want to make a difference in the future participating in the Greater San Diego Science and Engineering Fair is for you! For over 70 years, the GSDSEF-- now with over 35,000 alumni ! -- has been promoting and nurturing San Diego’s and America’s future STEM workforce. The GSDSEF is a 501(c)(3) run by volunteers on the Management Committee and Board of Directors, and is supported entirely by regional corporate and educational donors—truly a hugely successful industry-education partnership! The GSDSEF is very important in maintaining this region’s leadership in STEM and cultivating it further and is an opportunity for regional companies and organizations, who understand the importance of an educated and qualified STEM workforce, to invest in their future resource pool through their sponsorship and participation. Each March the GSDSEF sponsors the largest and most prestigious STEM competition in San Diego and Imperial Counties. All 6-12 students in these two counties are welcome to participate. All projects go through a rigorous safety and quality review in order to qualify to compete, and every student who participates wins a Categorial Award. In addition, professional Societies and Organizations award nearly $40k in prizes. Each year 89 students from the GSDSEF are selected to compete in the California Science and Engineering Fair. The top 8 Senior Division (9-12) projects in the GSDSEF earn the unique privilege to compete against the world’s best young researchers at the International Science and Engineering Fair—the largest and most competitive STEM Fair in the world. The GSDSEF fosters creativity and innovation through inquiry, celebrates students’ STEM achievements, and showcases how young minds can make an impact in the present and future. Come and join us! Get involved now as a student, teacher, parent, volunteer, or sponsor!

Information Workshops SLB members are eager to share their enthusiasm, experience, and knowledge with you in a series of interactive step-by-step workshops designed to help you produce a successful STEM project. Workshop topics focus on how to participate in the GSDSEF as well as the entire science fair process and the scientific method/engineering principles from start to finish - from coming up with a project idea, to putting together your science notebook, to designing your poster board, and to finally preparing you for judging. Experienced SLB members are also available to work with you on an individual basis - to answer your specific questions based on your own project. For 2025-26, SLB will be hosting most workshops via Zoom. Workshop information will be sent to your teachers. Zoom links to each workshop will be sent to those who RSVP. Workshop Schedule 2025-26 All workshops are scheduled on Saturdays from 9:30-10:30 AM Sept. 6, 2025 - Workshop #1- Finding an Idea Sept. 20, 2025 Workshop #2- GSDSEF Student Account and SRC Process Oct. 11, 2025 Workshop #3- Using the Scientific Method/Engineering Design Process: Problem-->Results Dec. 6, 2025 - Workshop #4A- Data Analysis and Statistics- Basic Dec. 17, 2025 Workshop #4B- Data Analysis and Statistics- Advanced Jan. 10, 2026 Workshop #5- Screening- Digital Project Slidedeck and Notebook Feb. 14, 2026 - Workshop #6- Science Fair Display Backboard and Notebook March 7, 2026 - Workshop #7- In -person Science Fair Judging Practice; 2:30-5:30pm; Tierrasanta Library March 28, 2026 - Workshop #8- Post Fair Workshop Check out our GSDSEF YouTube page for more workshops!

Information GSDSEF / ISEF Rules and Regulations 25/26 WHO MAY ENTER the GSDSEF Any 6th through 12th grade student attending a public, private, parochial or home school in San Diego or Imperial Counties may enter a project in a local school science fair. Top projects from each school then move through the online 1) SRC Review Process, where projects are reviewed for safety, 2) Screening, where projects are reviewed for quality, and 3) Application, where students apply to attend the GSDSEF. DIVISIONS Junior -- grades 6 through 8 (either individual or 2-person team projects may be entered) Senior -- grades 9 through 12 (either individual or 2-person team projects may be entered) All students who develop a project for the Greater San Diego Science & Engineering Fair must read and comply with all Rules and Regulations in this document. Parents, teachers and adult supervisors must also read and understand the rules and regulations. Following are the ETHICS STATEMENT, the ISEF RULES and ADDITIONAL GSDSEF RULES. ETHICS STATEMENT FOR GSDSEF PARTICIPATION The GSDSEF follows the Ethics Statement of the International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF). Student researchers, as well as adults who have a role in their projects , are expected to maintain the highest ethical standards. These include, but are not limited to: Integrity. Honesty, objectivity, and avoidance of conflicts of interest are expected at every stage of the research. The project should reflect independent research done by the student(s), and represent only one year’s work. Legality. Compliance with all federal, country, state, and local law is essential. All projects must be approved by a Scientific Review Committee (SRC), and when necessary must also be approved by an Institutional Review Board (IRB), Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC), and/or Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC). Respect for Confidentiality and Intellectual Property. Confidential communications, as well as patents, copyrights, and other forms of intellectual property must be honored. Unpublished data, methods, or results may not be used without permission, and credit must be given to all contributions of research. Stewardship of the Environment. It is the responsibility of the researcher(s) and the adults involved to protect the environment and its organisms from harm. All projects involve some amount of risk. Everyone is expected to recognize the hazards, assess the risks, minimize them, and prepare for emergencies. Animal Care. Proper care and respect must be given to vertebrate animals. The guiding principles for the use of animals in research includes the following “Four R’s”: Replace, Reduce, Refine, Respect. Human Participant Protection. The highest priority is the health and well-being of the student researcher(s) and human participants. Potentially Hazardous Biological Agents (PHBAs ). It is the responsibility of the students and adults involved in the project to conduct and document a risk assessment, and to safely handle and dispose of organisms and materials. Scientific fraud and misconduct are not condoned at any level of research or competition. This includes plagiarism, forgery, use or representation of other researcher’s work as one’s own and fabrication of data. Fraudulent projects will fail to qualify for competition in affiliated fairs and ISEF. Society for Science and the Public reserves the right to revoke recognition of a project subsequently found to be fraudulent. GENERAL REQUIREMENTS BY ISEF These requirements are not limited to the following list. For COMPLETE requirements, please refer to the ISEF Rules and Guidelines. All students must adhere to local, state, and US Federal laws, regulations and permitting conditions. Note: The GSDSEF may have additional restrictions or requirements compared to ISEF. All projects must adhere to the GSDSEF rules, guidelines, and requirements in order to qualify for ISEF. It is the responsibility of the student and the Adult Sponsor/Teacher/Advisor to evaluate the study to determine if the research will require forms and/or review and approval PRIOR to experimentation . As necessary, SRC, IRB, IACUC, IBC approvals must be received and documented before experimentation begins. The use of non-animal research methods and alternatives to animal research are strongly encouraged and must be explored before conducting a vertebrate animal project. Introduction or disposal of non-native, genetically-altered, and/or invasive species (e.g. insects, plants, invertebrates, vertebrates), pathogens, toxic chemicals or foreign substances into the environment is prohibited. Please reference local, state, and national regulations. All students must follow the Ethics Statement and ISEF Rules and Guidelines in order to compete at the affiliated fair (GSDSEF), California Science and Engineering Fair (CSEF) and the International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF). Projects may include no more than 12 months of contiguous research and may not include research in the prior year. For example, for the 2026 ISEF competition, research cannot be from before January of 2025. A research project may be a part of a larger study performed by professional scientists, but the project presented by the student must only be only their own portion of the complete study. GSDSEF PROJECT SAFETY RULES AND GUIDELINES--in Addition to ISEF The Greater San Diego Science and Engineering Fair (GSDSEF) adheres to and complies with the Safety Rules and Guidelines of the International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF). Refer to for questions regarding general safety and specifically Vertebrate Animals, Research Involving Humans, Biohazards, and other Hazards. Research involving Vertebrate Animals and Humans have additional rules, regulations, and guidelines which must be complied with. See information in the ISEF Rules and Guidelines which can be found at https://sspcdn.blob.core.windows.net/files/Documents/SEP/ISEF/2026/Rules/Book.pdf In addition to ISEF Rules and Guidelines, the GSDSEF: prohibits projects involving tobacco; tobacco products; smokeless powder; black powder; explosives; the manufacture of rocket fuel and/or alcohol/other intoxicants or gasohol (or the production of these). reserves the right to decline any project it deems unsafe. Any project requiring anything to be burned requires a Hazards Form. PLEASE NOTE: STUDENTS MAY NOT LOAD OR RELOAD ANY AMMUNITION. For questions about this GSDSEF Rule, please contact Steve Rodecker, steve.rodecker@gsdsef.org

Information Mentoring Program SLB Mentorship Program The GSDSEF SLB will be continuing its annual Mentorship Program designed to pair GSDSEF participants with experienced mentors to help you improve and succeed with your project. You will receive individualized attention with an experienced GSDSEF mentor who will not only assist you with the science/engineering in your project, but guide you through the GSDSEF participation process as well. Meetings will be approximately 30-45 minutes/week (or as needed) and conducted via Zoom. Mentors will guide you on how to: Navigate the online participation process Submit necessary ISEF forms for the Scientific Review Committee (SRC) Process Create an impactful methodology Gather reliable results Analyze complex data Organize information into presentable formats Prepare a cohesive presentation for Judges Prepare your digital and physical presentations and notebooks Extend the impact of your project And much, much more!! In order to best support students, GSDSEF SLB pairs mentees and mentors based on their project categories and interests. NOTE: We highly recommend students have a general understanding of what they want their project to be before signing up. Information on how to sign up for a mentor will be sent to your advisors/teachers in September and October. It will also be available here online.

Information SRC Review What is SRC Review? During the Scientific Review Committee (SRC) review, qualified scientists, engineers, and teachers review each project to determine if safe scientific and engineering practices have been followed. This process occurs BEFORE you start your project and you must have approval from the SRC BEFORE you start your project. For SRC Review 1.Students log into their account. 2. Students then click on DASHBOARD in upper left hand column, then click on CREATE PROJECT which is on the right side. 3. Students fill in all details about their project (title, materials, procedure, etc.) in TAB 1 and TAB 2. Teacher and student should review the procedure to check for any needed ISEF forms. Information can be found below and in the FORMS HELPER TAB 3 on student account. 4. Attach any ISEF forms that are needed in TAB 4. 5. DIGITAL Signature Procedure-- TAB 5 a) Student fills in and signs form digitally. b) Parent fills in and signs form digitally. c) Student sends the form to the teacher to be signed digitally. d) The teacher/advisor will receive an email notifying him/her that there are projects to review and sign. Once the teacher/advisor signs digitally, the project will be automatically sent for SRC review. The project will be reviewed by the GSDSEF SRC and the student will receive an email with approval or a request for forms/modifications before approval is given to start. ALL Students--Do not start with your project until you have received SRC approval. Depending on the project, you will get approved, be asked to make modifications, or be asked to provide further forms. If you have questions whether your proposed project is acceptable or to clarify any safety concerns, please contact Rose Armour at rose.armour@gsdsef.org .

Information FAQs FAQs about Professional Society/Special Award Judging at the Greater San Diego Science & Engineering Fair SPECIAL AWARD JUDGING BASICS ADVANCED JUDGING: INTERACTING WITH STUDENTS THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF JUDGING: CHOOSING WINNERS BACKGROUND INFORMATION ABOUT THE GSDSEF ALL ABOUT SPECIAL AWARDS SPECIAL AWARD JUDGING BASICS: What? Note: What were previously referred to as "Professional Society Awards" are now called "Special Awards." This updated name better reflects the wide variety of organizations that participate in sponsoring these recognitions. “Special Award” is a broad term used to describe any recognition given independently by a participating group, organization, or company at the Greater San Diego Science & Engineering Fair (GSDSEF). This includes industry organizations, professional societies, special interest groups, nonprofits, businesses, and government agencies. When? ● Wednesday of Fair Week, which is typically the second week of March each year ● See GSDSEF Schedule for exact dates Where? IN PERSON: Balboa Park Activity Center: 2145 Park Boulevard San Diego, CA 92101 ● Website: https://www.sandiego.gov/park-and-recreation/centers/bpac ● Map: Google Map Link for BPAC ● NOTE: We advise carpooling whenever possible Virtual: ● zFairs - gsdsef.zfairs.com (registration required) ● No student interviews; select winners based on materials uploaded to zFairs Showcase (Abstract, slide deck, etc.) only ● Winners List due by 4:00pm on Judging Day Parking ● Free parking available in parking lot How do I know which projects to look at? ● Each Organization has its own method to determine which projects to look at, so please check with your point of contact or head judge if you are unsure. ● You may preview all projects online, including Abstract, deck, etc. in the zFairs Student Showcase, 1-2 weeks before Fair Week. ● To identify which projects meet your judging criteria, use the search bar for keywords or categories ● Your Judging Captain may also be sent a spreadsheet of all Abstracts ahead of the event What is “Preview Night”? ● Preview Night is a chance to get an early look at the projects while they are being set up, on the Tuesday of Fair Week—and closes at 7pm. ● Preview Night is an opportunity for your team to get an advance look at the projects, before official judging. While most of the projects will be present, students will continue to arrive during your preview time - a project that is not in place may simply be arriving late, rather than a no-show ● PLEASE NOTE that this is NOT an opportunity for formal judging. Students will be in and out, setting up their projects and will NOT be available for interviews or questions ● To get the most out of your Preview Night experience, we suggest that you pre-select projects based on their titles and the Abstracts (see the above Q&A on “How do I know which projects to look at) and use Preview Night as an opportunity to refine your list prior to the actual judging. You may see projects that are interesting and meet your team’s criteria but are not on the list, or others that you can rule out without an interview ● You do not need to attend as a group or check in to view projects. Although most preview night teams do arrive as groups, we also have individuals who come without their team ● VIRTUAL projects previews are also available online at gsdsef.zfairs.com in the week(s) leading up to the event What should each Judge bring on Judging Day? ● A writing tool that you are comfortable with (a limited number of pencils are available on site) ● A clipboard, if possible, to provide a firm surface for writing (a limited number of clipboards are also available on site) ● Paper (or a judging form from your Organization) to take notes ● Your head judge’s contact information (where/when to meet, cell phone number, etc.) ● A lanyard with the name of your organization will be provided. If you wish, you may bring a business card to insert into your lanyard Is there a dress code? We strongly recommend that you wear comfortable walking shoes to ensure good traction on the material used to cover the Balboa Park Activity Center’s wooden floor. The students are asked to wear professional attire, to show that they are taking this seriously, but we do not require this of our judges. If you have an identifying badge, ribbon, pin, or other item from your organization, we encourage you to wear it. Do I need to check in with the GSDSEF on Judging Day? ● Only the Judging Captain for your team needs to check in with the GSDSEF. That person will also need to check out before leaving, to ensure we have all our paperwork for your winner(s) ● The Judging Captain will be given name badges and lanyards, as well as the Judging Form that needs to be turned in before they leave How do I find my team? IMPORTANT: We do not have a good answer to this question! ● Since there are typically about ~400 students and 250-300 judges, it is loud in the Balboa Park Activity Center, and therefore announcements we make using the PA system are not always easy to understand ● Some teams have reported problems with cell phone reception as well ● We strongly suggest that your team make arrangements ahead of time for meeting outside the building ● The happiest teams are often those which meet for lunch and carpool to the GSDSEF How will students and volunteers know I’m allowed into the building on Judging Day? You will be given a lanyard and ID badge , identifying you as a judge. These will be in a packet handed to your Judging Captain, so please be sure you know where to meet your Judging Captain before entering the building. If you arrive late, we do have extra credentials and a list of judge names, so we can check you off. Can you give me some tips on how to judge student projects? Your team will have its own criteria for selecting winning projects. The GSDSEF does have its own standards and judging forms used by the Categorical and Grand Award Judges. Links to all of the material we provide for morning judges (the categorical judges who award placements in the GSDSEF) can be found at the BOTTOM of ou r page about categorical judging under GSDSEF background. In addition to the GSDSEF’s standards, we also have suggestions for interviewing students. Of course, your team is likely to have significant differences from our example. Will there be food available on-site on Judging Day? Meals are not available for purchase at the Balboa Park Activity Center. There are a few snack and drink machines in the foyer, but we strongly suggest you make your own arrangements with your team about lunch. Some teams choose to meet for an early lunch and then carpool to the GSDSEF, while others prefer a later lunch, after judging. You may not bring food or drink into the judging area, except for water bottles with lids. Where can we sit to eat, or while we discuss who our winners are? We will have a Judges’ caucus area set up inside the Balboa Park Activity Center. However, spaces are limited and will be available on a first come, first served basis. There are a very limited number of chairs and tables outside the Balboa Park Activity Center, as well as a low wall surrounding the area. You are welcome to bring your own folding chairs, tarpaulins or blankets to sit on while you discuss your team’s choices. If you do bring your own items to sit on, we suggest you leave them in a safe place until you are ready to use them. ADVANCED JUDGING: INTERACTING WITH STUDENTS What suggestions do you have for interacting with students? ● Please introduce yourself, and let them know which organization you are with ● Please be gentle! Many of our students are very intimidated by presenting their projects to adults, especially the younger ones; they do not have the same detailed level of expertise as most adult scientists (although a few of them are always amazing on their narrow topic) ● We suggest you ask open-ended general questions to begin -- for example “How did you determine if your results were statistically significant” rather than “Where is your Poisson Distribution?” You can always add more detail in follow-up questions Can I tell a student that they have won our award? Please do not tell students they have won! We want the students to attend the Awards Ceremony and be pleasantly surprised Can I take photographs of our winners? All students will have signed a media release permitting GSDSEF to use their images for promotional purposes. With that said, if you would like to take photos, please ask if it is OK with the student first, and try your best to suggest that you are photographing many of the students you interview, not necessarily the winners. Please do not make a special point of photographing anyone, because we don’t want to tip off the winners, and we also don’t want students to believe they won only on the basis of having a photogenic project. Can I give my card (or my organization’s flier) to a student I interview? If you brought enough for everyone, feel free – and please mention that you are giving this to every student. Please, do not give items to only a few of the students you interview, since students often interpret this as indicating whether or not they won, and we don’t want anyone to feel discouraged or be unpleasantly surprised at the awards ceremony if they did not win, nor to skip the ceremony because they “know” they won. Can I Contact a Student About Their Project? We only provide student contact information to your team’s Judging Captain. However, you are welcome to leave a message for the student, and we will ensure that the student receives it. THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF JUDGING: CHOOSING WINNERS How do we let the GSDSEF know who our selected winners are? Your Judging Captain will have a form to return, with information about your winners. Only one form is needed per team. How do we know how to reach the winners? When you turn in your Winner form, your selections will be inputted into the zFairs system and a list of contact information will be generated and printed for you on the spot. We request that you DO NOT reach out to your winners until after the Awards Ceremony. What if the contact information is wrong? Always a possibility, since the students type in the information themselves in most cases. We try to verify their contact information before they leave the GSDSEF. If you can’t reach the student, e-mail sejal.pabari@gsdsef.org and let her know about the problem -- we will try to get you better information. When do I contact our winners? It is our expectation that each Organization will reach out to their winners as soon after the Fair as possible. This initial communication may be a simple “Congratulations” email, or provided detailed information about next steps. It is important to establish this connection, so that students are not left wondering where their prize is. Students are asked to reach out to GSDSEF if they have not heard from their Professional Society. We can avoid much back and forth if you reach out to your winners in a timely manner. How do students get their prizes? The way that students get their prizes varies from one organization to the next. Sometimes, an item is left at the GSDSEF to deliver on the weekend, when students pick up their projects and take them home. Far more often, the organization will contact the winners directly, and either mail their prize or arrange to hand it over at their own event such as part of the program at an organization’s board meeting, or a part of a larger awards ceremony at an annual symposium held locally. BACKGROUND INFORMATION ABOUT THE GSDSEF What is the GSDSEF? GSDSEF is short for Greater San Diego Science and Engineering Fair, which has been celebrating students since 1955. For more information about the GSDSEF, please see our about page . What Other Judging opportunities are there? ● In addition to the Special Awards Judging, we also have “Categorical Judging” and “Grand Award Judging” ● The Categorical Judges are our morning judges, and they select the First through Fourth place winners in each category. They also make recommendations for California Science Fair selections and for the Grand Awards. For more information about becoming a Categorical judge, please see information under the "Judges" dropdown menu. ● The Grand Award judges are typically our most experienced judges, and they choose the GSDSEF’s top winners, many of whom go to the Regeneron International Science & Engineering Fair. This judging happens at the same time as the Special Awards judging Who pays for all this? The GSDSEF is an all-volunteer, registered tax-exempt California non-profit 501(c)3 Corporation, operating as a Public Charity Status. We are totally dependent on donations from industry, business and friends like you to make the science fair possible. EIN #23-7332855. For information on how to donate, please see information under the "Sponsors" dropdown menu. ALL ABOUT SPECIAL AWARDS What is a Special Award? Note: What were previously referred to as "Professional Society Awards" are now called "Special Awards." This updated name better reflects the wide variety of organizations that participate in sponsoring these recognitions. “Special Award” is a broad term used to describe any recognition given independently by a participating group, organization, or company at the Greater San Diego Science & Engineering Fair (GSDSEF). This includes industry organizations, professional societies, special interest groups, nonprofits, businesses, and government agencies. How does an Organization sign up to participate? Contact Sejal Pabari, the GSDSEF Special Awards Coordinator, at sejal.pabari@gsdsef.org . The GSDSEF will need to know a little bit about your organization, how you plan to determine your winners, and what you plan to give the student winner(s). Can you give me an overview of how Special Award Judging Works? Once your organization has signed up to participate, your organization determines, based on its own criteria, which projects to judge. Many teams use the Project List (including the Abstracts) to determine which projects should be looked at most carefully. Preview Night is held the evening before Judging Day, and gives you a chance before judging to look over projects in a little more detail.You may also preview projects online. Your team judges projects in person or online on Judging Day, and the Judging Captain fills out paperwork to let the GSDSEF know who your winners are. The Judging Captain receives contact information for your winners, and your organization arranges to get the award to the student. More information about each process is below. How do individuals sign up to judge for a Special Award? Individuals sign up through their Organization, not online with the GSDSEF. If you are interested in judging but do not know who to contact, please contact Sejal Pabari, the GSDSEF Special Awards Coordinator, at sejal.pabari@gsdsef.org . She can let you know who to contact, or get you started as a new team. I STILL HAVE A QUESTION! If you still have a question that is not answered above, please contact Sejal Pabari, the GSDSEF Special Awards Coordinator, at sejal.pabari@gsdsef.org .

Information Special Awards Sponsors Recent Special Award Sponsors Below is a sample of organizations that have generously supported our students. Please note this is not a definitive list. American Psychological Association American Society of Civil Engineers American Society of Mechanical Engineers, San Diego Section American Society of Non Destructive Testing (San Diego Section) Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association Association for Women Geoscientists Association for Women in Science San Diego BD “Advancing the World of Health” Award Broadcom “Coding with Commitment” Award Building Industry Association Cares California Association of Professional Scientists California Environmental Health Association Southwest Chapter and County of San Diego DEHQ California School Nurse Organization - San Diego/Imperial (CSNO- SDI) Collins Aerospace’s Fred H. Rohr Science Award Department of Defense (DoD) STEM Leadership Prize DRS Daylight Solutions Award for Optical Physics and Engineering DRS Daylight Solutions Project Assistance Award for Optical Physics and Engineering General Atomics Sciences Education Foundation Lemelson Early Inventor Prize Marine Technology Society NASA EARTH System Science Award National Geographic Award National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration “Taking the Pulse of the Planet” Award Nature Needs SD Office of Naval Research (U.S. Navy/U.S. Marine Corps) Professional Engineers in California Government Award Regeneron Biomedical Science Award Ricoh USA, Inc. San Diego Astronomy Association San Diego Chapter, American Society of Materials International San Diego County Dental Foundation San Diego County Veterinary Medical Association San Diego County Water Authority San Diego Psychological Association San Diego Section, American Chemical Society Scripps Research Young Scientist Award Society for In Vitro Biology Society for Women Engineers - San Diego County Section Stockholm Junior Water Prize Taiwan Award The Society of American Military Engineers - San Diego Post Thermo Fisher Award Thermo Fisher Scientific Junior Innovators Challenge Torrey Pines Docent Society U.S. Air Force U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) U.S. Metric Association Yale Science and Engineering Association

Information Judging Info Dear Judges, Judging for the 2026 Greater San Diego Science and Engineering Fair will take place in person at the Balboa Park Activity Center on Wednesday, March 18, 2026. You can support the Fair and the students by volunteering as a judge. To register as a judge, please click here to access zFairs. While we are planning on in-person judging, early virtual previews of student projects will still be available in zFairs. Learning videos will be available to help you navigate through zFairs. With your help as a judge, we will make the 2026 GSDSEF as successful as all the previous 71 Fairs! For 2026 we will continue with these categories and descriptions which were introduced in 2022. Please view the GSDSEF Categories below for for descriptions, and note that each category name is hyperlinked to a category-specific judging guide. Animal Sciences Behavioral and Social Sciences Biochemistry Biomedical/Health Sciences, and Biomedical Engineering Cellular and Molecular Biology Chemistry Computational Biology and Bioinformatics Computer Science and Systems Software Earth and Environmental Sciences Engineering: Electrical, Mechanical, and Robotics Engineering: Energy, Materials, and Transport Mathematics Microbiology Physics and Astronomy Plant Sciences Product Testing (Junior Division only) Vickie Driver Judging Coordinator For more information, please contact: judging@gsdsef.org For Your Information: The Fair has three sets of judges. 1- The Category judges decide the Fair's own placements (first through third) in each of the 16 categories. Category (Morning) Judging will take place on Wednesday, March 18th , 2026 from 7:30AM –12:00PM. 2- Grand Awards Judges decide on the Fair's top awards in Life and Physical Sciences. Grand Awards Judging will take place on Wednesday afternoon, March 18th , 2026 from 1:00pm to 3:00pm. 3- Registered Professional Societies choose among the participants based on specific criteria. Judging Timeline For 2026. Professional Society/Special Awards Judging will take place during the afternoon of Wednesday, March 18th , 2026 from 1:00pm to 3:00pm. Judging Descriptions About Category (Morning) Judging The Greater San Diego Science & Engineering Fair is an exciting and important San Diego community event that relies entirely on the generosity of our community's volunteers. The Fair will usually have about 325 science projects on display along with the 350 plus 6th-12th graders who produced them. Being a judge is actually a lot more fun than it sounds. It mostly requires listening to enthusiastic young kids tell you what they did. For anyone new to judging, there is a great deal of advice regarding how to judge kinds of questions to ask (see judging resources page). Also, judging is done in teams, so there are typically experienced judges to assist someone new, should that need arise. Most of the projects are done by 7th and 8th graders, so you don’t need to be a PhD (although we do appreciate having PhD’s on our judging teams). You do need a background in science, math, computers or engineering and a good knowledge of the scientific method. Grand Award (Formerly Sweepstakes) Judging These are the very best projects in the Fair. Projects recommended for Grand Award consideration are reviewed by teams of our most experienced judges during the afternoon judging session (7 or more years of experience are required). Four Grand Award and four Runners-up are selected in both Junior (7th - 8th grade) and Senior (9th -12th grade) Division. Professional Society Judging Over 40 Professional Societies and other organizations present awards at the GSDSEF. Each provides its own judges and sets its own criteria for awards. In order to participate, one person for the Professional Society must agree to act as a point of contact for the GSDSEF. This person is responsible for recruiting judges for that Professional Society, and reporting their selected winners to the GSDSEF. Awards may be then left with the GSDSEF for distribution directly to students, or the Professional Society may arrange another method to present their awards. For more information, or to sign up your Professional Society, please contact sejal.pabari@gsdsef.org at the GSDSEF.

Information What Are Special Awards? Note: What were previously referred to as “Professional Society Awards” are now called “Special Awards.” This updated name better reflects the wide variety of organizations that participate in sponsoring these recognitions. “Special Awards” is a broad term used to describe any recognition given independently by a participating group, organization, or company at the Greater San Diego Science & Engineering Fair (GSDSEF). This includes industry organizations, professional societies, special interest groups, nonprofits, businesses, and government agencies. Each year, these organizations come together to celebrate student achievement by sponsoring Special Awards that honor excellence in specific fields - from engineering and environmental science to health, innovation, and community impact. Why Special Awards Matter Special Awards are a meaningful way to recognize and encourage promising young scientists and engineers. These awards connect students with real-world opportunities and highlight exceptional work that aligns with an organization’s mission or values. Over 175 Special Awards and scholarships - totaling more than $40,000 - are given each year. We thank all the local and national organizations who support GSDSEF students through their generous contributions. How Special Awards Work Customize your award : Define the award’s name, field, selection criteria, number of winners, and the prize. Awards may include certificates, event invitations, gift cards, or monetary awards. Choose your judges : Send your own representatives or have GSDSEF select winners based on your specifications. Celebrate achievement : Awardees are recognized during the GSDSEF Awards Ceremony. Sponsors receive contact information to follow up with their winners directly. Who Can Sponsor a Special Award? We welcome: Industry organizations Professional societies Special interest groups Companies and startups Government agencies Nonprofit organizations Academic institutions Professional Awards Sponsors and Criteria .pdf Download PDF • 466KB If you’re interested in sponsoring an award, contact our Special Awards Coordinator, Sejal Pabari, at sejal.pabari@gsdsef.org . Awards and Eligibility Criteria The actual number and scope of sponsoring organizations from year to year can vary. Below, you will find a list of recent participants and their respective judging criteria for your reference. Please keep in mind that this is not a definitive list. Ready to Support the Next Generation of Scientists? Become a Special Award sponsor and help inspire future leaders in science, engineering, and innovation. If you’re interested in sponsoring an award, contact our Special Awards Coordinator, Sejal Pabari, at sejal.pabari@gsdsef.org . For more information about Professional Society and Special Awards, please review the Special Awards FAQs Page

Information Judging Resources Find judging resources below: GSDSEF standards for judging a science fair project 02062025 .pdf Download PDF • 44KB 20 Questions You Might Ask .pdf Download PDF • 114KB Comparing Projects .pdf Download PDF • 98KB Elements of a Science Fair Project A .pdf Download PDF • 109KB Reward the Best Encourage the Rest_2025Final .pdf Download PDF • 129KB Judges Rubric .pdf Download PDF • 168KB For more information, email judging@gsdsef.org

Board of Directors Dr. Earl Williams, BOD President, Naval Information Warfare Systems Command Mr. Sany Zakharia, BOD Treasurer, Qualcomm Ms. Vickie Driver, Zim Biosciences Dr. Donna Kritz-Silverstein, UCSD Mr. Sam Ferguson, Lockheed Martin Management Committee Steve Rodecker, Fair Executive Director Sany Zakharia, GSDSEF Treasurer/Fundraiser Officers *Board Members Emeritus* Phil Gay Wendy Gay Student Leadership Board Management Committee Member Arnav Dagar, SLB President Board of Directors Meeting Dates TBD Liaisons Mrs. Shirley Miranda, San Diego City Schools, Liaison to the California Science and Engineering Fair Mr. John Spiegel, San Diego County Office of Education Liaison The Management Committee is a group of volunteers who give their time and expertise to coordinate and produce the Greater San Diego Science & Engineering Fair.

CALENDAR AND SCHEDULE Calendar and Schedule JAN 2026 2 Student Registration Begins MAR 2026 12 Application Payments Required.