Science and Engineering Project Categories Project Categories Animal Sciences Behavioral & Social Sciences Biochemistry Biomedical/Health Sciences & Bioengineering Cellular & Molecular Biology Chemistry Computational Biology & Bioinformatics Computer Science & Systems Software Earth & Environmental Science Engineering: Electrical, Mechanical & Robotics Engineering: Energy, Materials, & Transport Mathematics Microbiology Physics & Astronomy Plant Sciences Product Testing (Junior Division Only)

Physics & Astronomy Physics is the science of matter and energy and of interactions between the two. Astronomy is the study of anything in the universe beyond the Earth. Subcategories: Atomic, Molecular, and Optical Physics Astronomy and Cosmology Biological Physics Condensed Matter and Materials Mechanics Nuclear and Particle Physics Theoretical, Computational, and Quantum Physics Other/Multiple Atomic, Molecular, and Optical Physics: The study of atoms, simple molecules, electrons, light, and their interactions. Projects studying non-solid-state lasers and masers also belong in this subcategory. Astronomy and Cosmology: The study of space, the universe as a whole, including its origins and evolution, the physical properties of objects in space and computational astronomy. Biological Physics: The study of the physics of biological processes and systems. Condensed Matter and Materials: The study of the properties of solids and liquids. Topics such as superconductivity, semi-conductors, complex fluids, and thin films are studied. Mechanics: Classical physics and mechanics, including the macroscopic study of forces, vibrations and flows; on solid, liquid and gaseous materials. Projects studying aerodynamics or hydrodynamics also belong in this subcategory. Nuclear and Particle Physics: The study of the physical properties of the atomic nucleus and of fundamental particles and the forces of their interaction. Projects developing particle detectors also belong in this subcategory. Theoretical, Computational, and Quantum Physics: The study of nature, phenomena and the laws of physics employing mathematical or computational methods rather than experimental processes. Other/Multiple: Studies in Physics and/or Astronomy that do not fit in the above subcategories or which may involve multiple subcategories. Next Project Category Previous Project Category

GSDSEF Privacy Statement Privacy and COPPA The Greater San Diego Science and Engineering Fair, Inc. (GSDSEF) exists to promote project-based learning in science/engineering/mathematics and to foster public awareness of the scientific/engineering/mathematics accomplishments of students throughout San Diego and Imperial Counties in grades 6-12, especially the accomplishments of those who participate in the GSDSEF. We recognize, however, that both parents and students are rightfully concerned about their online privacy. The purpose of this page is to explain the policies of the GSDSEF with respect to the protection of participants' privacy. This page also serves to satisfy the requirements of the Children's On-Line Privacy Protection Act of 1998 (COPPA), whose rules became effective on April 21, 2000. The privacy protection policies of the GSDSEF go beyond the requirements of COPPA by including all participants (not just those under age 13). Privacy Policy All private personal information about participants collected by the Greater San Diego Science and Engineering Fair will be used only for the purposes of the operation/promotion of the GSDSEF. No private personal information will be shared with any outside agency except as required for the operation/promotion of the GSDSEF. No personal or private information of any participant will be sold or given to any organization for any commercial purpose by the GSDSEF. However, the GSDSEF will share private personal information with external agencies which sponsor Special and Professional Society Awards. This information includes the addresses and/or email addresses of their award winners only for purposes of delivering award checks and/or invitations to awards dinners. "Private Personal Information" as used here means personal identifying information which would not normally be known by random strangers, and includes such information as a person's home address, phone number, birthdate, and parents’ names. Certain information about a participant, such as his/her school or grade in school, is not considered "private" for purposes of this policy. While a participant's name is certainly "personal identifying information," the GSDSEF does publicize the names, schools, and teachers of participants in its Fair Directory, as well as the accomplishments of its participants such as their awards, including posting them on the GSDSEF website. This use has been authorized by all participants and their parents, on their Application to the GSDSEF. How Does GSDSEF Collect Information About Participants? The principal avenue by which the GSDSEF collects information is the electronic screening form and subsequent application that every student completes as a prerequisite to participate in the GSDSEF. Student names, emails, telephone numbers, and schools are available to screeners and GSDSEF officials to access their projects. Screeners and other GSDSEF officials can see the emails and telephone numbers of students; however, screeners and GSDSEF officials are instructed that no student personal identifying information is to be shared with any other person or entity. This Website, gsdsef.org, Also Collects Information About Its Visitors As with every Web server, every requested URL is logged along with the time, IP address, and referring URL. This information cannot be used to identify any individual unless further information is explicitly provided by that person. We use the information we collect to measure the number of visitors to the different sections of our site, and to help us make our site more useful to visitors. We want to be very clear: We will not obtain personally-identifying information about you when you visit our site, unless you explicitly choose to provide such information to us. These are the only ways that any information about any person is collected by the Greater San Diego Science and Engineering Fair as of the time of this writing. Other forms may be created in the future if other opportunities are then offered by the GSDSEF, and should be included in the above list. United States Federal Government Information About Privacy Rules On October 21, 1998, COPPA, the Children's On-Line Privacy Protection Act of 1998, was signed into law by President Clinton, with broad support from industry and advocates for children and privacy. The statute required that the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) issue rules to implement COPPA's privacy protections within one year. On April 27, 1999, the Commission published a proposed rule in the Federal Register and requested public comment. Following a review of the comments, the FTC issued the final rule on October 20, 1999, giving websites six months to come into compliance with the Rule's requirements by the Rule's effective date of April 21, 2000. The full text of COPPA, and helpful documents constructed by the Federal Trade Commission, are all available on the "Children's Privacy" page of the FTC's website at https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/privacy-security/childrens-privacy . Questions about GSDSEFs Privacy Policy If you have any questions or concerns about the policy described above, please click a Contact Us link, here or at the bottom of each GSDSEF website page.

The 71st Greater San Diego Science and Engineering Fair The 71st Greater San Diego Science And Engineering Fair was held on Wednesday, March 12, 2025, at the Balboa Park Activity Center, 2145 Park Blvd, San Diego, CA. Click here for the Fair Directory, Category and Special Awards listings, and Awards Ceremony program and slides.

75th International Science and Engineering Fair (2025) The world's largest and most prestigious science competition, concluded with the Grand Awards ceremony in host city Columbus, Ohio. Over 30 million high school students from 1,600 affiliated fairs in 70 countries competed to qualify, of which only 1,700 students made it, including 10 from the Greater San Diego Science and Engineering Fair. Read More Important: 2026 Parking Update Despite our extensive efforts, GSDSEF has been unable to secure free parking at Balboa Park with the City of San Diego. Please note: All visitors must follow Balboa Park’s new tiered parking rules Rates vary by your residency as well as the duration and location of your parking You may be required to pre-register an account and/or download an app on your smartphone If pre-registering an account, do not wait until the last minute, because they can take awhile for the City to approve (though not the 48hrs they warn about, in our experience) ADA parking remains free in all stalls for those with a valid disabled license plate or placard Click here for the latest City of San Diego information about Balboa Park Parking and how to obtain a parking pass GSDSEF volunteers do not qualify for the "Balboa Park Volunteer" free parking category The Upper Inspiration Point lot is the closest to the BPAC

CALENDAR AND SCHEDULE Calendar and Schedule (NOT IN USE) JAN 2026 2 Student Registration Begins MAR 2026 12 Application Payments Required.

Earth & Environmental Science a) Earth Sciences Studies of the environment and its effect on organisms/systems, including investigations of biological processes such as growth and life span, as well as studies of Earth systems and their evolution. Subcategories : Atmospheric Science Climate Science Geosciences Water Science Other/Multiple Atmospheric Science: The study of the Earth’s atmosphere, its processes, the effects other systems have on the atmosphere, and the effects of the atmosphere on these other systems as well as meteorological investigations. Further investigation in this field relates to atmospheric chemistry, atmospheric physics, atmospheric changes (both long and short-term) that define average climates and their change over time, and upper layers of the atmosphere, where dissociation and ionization are important. Climate Science: Studies of Earth’s climate, particularly evidential study of climate change over a period of time. This field studies long-term trends in average meteorological conditions and changes in these averaged conditions from season to season, year to year, decade to decade. Geosciences: Studies of Earth’s land processes, including mineralogy, plate tectonics, volcanism, and sedimentology. Water Science: Studies of Earth’s water systems, including water resources, movement, distribution, and water quality. This field includes the occurrence, movement, abundance, distribution, and quality of subsurface waters and related geologic aspects of surface waters. Furthermore, it projects may also address water from the moment of precipitation until it evaporates into the atmosphere or is discharged into the ocean; for example, river systems and the impacts of flooding. Other/Multiple: Studies in Earth Sciences that do not fit in the above subcategories or which may involve multiple subcategories. b) Environmental Sciences: Management and Engineering Studies that engineer or develop processes and infrastructure to solve environmental problems in the supply of water, the disposal of waste, or the control of pollution. Subcategories : Bioremediation Environmental Effects on Ecosystems Land Reclamation Pollution Control Recycling and Waste Management Water Resources Management Other/Multiple Bioremediation: The use of biological agents, such as bacteria or plants, to remove or neutralize contaminants. This includes phytoremediation, constructed wetlands for wastewater treatment, biodegradation, etc. Environmental Effects on Ecosystems: Studies of the impact of environmental changes (natural or as a result of human interaction) on ecosystems, including empirical pollution studies. Land Reclamation: Studies that apply engineering principles and design techniques to restore land from wetlands, seas, lakes, deserts or mines, through drainage or irrigation to a more productive use or its previous undisturbed state. This subcategory also includes studies involving the restoration of land that is damaged by natural phenomena, such as erosion, or impaired by industrial and urban processes. Pollution Control: Studies that use engineering principles and design to prevent or control air, water and solid waste pollution. Recycling and Waste Management: Studies involving the extraction and reuse of useful substances from discarded items, garbage, or waste. The process of managing, and disposing of, wastes and hazardous substances through methodologies such as landfills, sewage treatment, composting, waste reduction, etc. Water Resources Management: Studies that apply engineering principles and design to the planning, developing, distributing and managing the optimum use of water resources. Studies in this subcategory might include applied surface and groundwater hydrology, forecasting and control of quantity and quality of water or simulation and modeling of water resource systems. Other/Multiple: Studies in Environmental Sciences: Management and Engineering that do not fit in the above subcategories or which may involve multiple subcategories. Next Project Category Previous Project Category

Plant Sciences Studies of plants and how they live, including structure, physiology, development, and classification. Includes plant cultivation, development, ecology, genetics and plant breeding, pathology, physiology, systematics and evolution. Subcategories Agriculture and Agronomy Ecology Genetics and Breeding Growth and Development Pathology Plant Physiology Systematics and Evolution Other/Multiple Agriculture and Agronomy: Application of the various soil and plant sciences to soil management and agricultural and horticultural crop production. Includes biological and chemical controls of pests, hydroponics, fertilizers and supplements. Ecology: The study of interactions and relationships among plants, and plants and animals, with their environment. Genetics and Breeding: The study of organismic and population genetics of plants. The application of plant genetics and biotechnology to crop improvement. This includes genetically modified crops. Growth and Development: The study of a plant from earliest stages through germination and into later life. This includes cellular and molecular aspects of development and environmental effects, natural or manmade, on development and growth. Pathology: The study of plant disease states, and their causes, processes, and consequences. This includes effects of parasites or disease-causing microbes. Plant Physiology: The study of functions in plants and plant cells. This includes cellular mechanisms such as photosynthesis and transpiration, and how plant processes are affected by environmental factors or natural variations. Systematics and Evolution: The study of classification of organisms and their evolutionary relationships. This includes morphological, biochemical, genetic, and modeled systems. Other/Multiple: Studies in Plant Science that do not fit in the above subcategories or which may involve multiple subcategories. Next Project Category Previous Project Category

Engineering: Energy, Materials, & Transport a) Engineering: Energy Studies/processes involving the production and/or storage of energy. Subcategories : Biological Process and Design Solar Process, Materials, and Design Energy Storage Wind and Water Movement Power Generation Hydrogen Generation and Storage Thermal Generation and Design Triboelectricity and Electrolysis Other Biological Process and Design: Studies involving using biological processes to produce sources of energy such as in microbial fuel cells, algae, biomass, fossil fuels and waste. Solar Process, Materials, and Design: The study and design of photovoltaics, including components such as collectors, concentrators, photoconductor composition and spectral sensitizers. Energy Storage: The study of battery and storage cell composition and design. Wind and Water Movement Power Generation: The application of engineering principles and design concepts involving processes to generate power from fluid flow, including turbines design, angle of attack and surface optimization. Hydrogen Generation and Storage: The application of engineering principles and design concepts involving hydrogen production, optimization, and storage for energy production. Thermal Generation and Design: Studies of generation of power from geothermal and other thermal sources, design, and processes. Triboelectricity and Electrolysis: Studies involving the generation of electricity from a static charge, electrolysis reaction and charged particles. Other/Multiple: Studies in Engineering: Energy, Materials, and Transport that do not fit in the above subcategories or which may involve multiple subcategories. b) Engineering: Materials The study of the integration of various materials forms in systems, devices, and components that rely on their unique and specific properties. It involves their synthesis and processing in the form of nanoparticles, nanofibers, and nanolayered structures, to coatings and laminates, to bulk monolithic, single-/poly-crystalline, glassy, soft/hard solid, composite, and cellular structures. It also involves measurements of various properties and characterization of the structure across length scales, in addition to multi-scale modeling and computations for process-structure and structure-property correlations. Subcategories: Biomaterials Ceramic and Glasses Composite Materials Computation and Theory Electronic, Optical, and Magnetic Materials Nanomaterials Polymers Other/Multiple Biomaterials: Studies involving any matter, surface, or construct that interacts with biological systems. Such materials are often used and/or adapted for a medical application, and thus comprise whole or part of a living structure or biomedical device which performs, augments, or replaces a natural function. Ceramic and Glasses: Studies involving materials composed of ceramic and glass – often defined as all solid materials except metals and their alloys that are made by the high-temperature processing of inorganic raw materials. Composite Materials: Studies that integrate multiple materials such as ceramics, fiber, metals or polymers to create a superior and unique material. Computation and Theory: Studies that develop and apply theoretical methods and/or use computer modeling to design new materials, predict material behavior under differing environmental conditions, understand energy transfer, etc. Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials: The study and development of materials used to form highly complex systems, such as integrated electronic circuits, optoelectronic devices, and magnetic and optical mass storage media. The various materials, with precisely controlled properties, perform numerous functions, including the acquisition, processing, transmission, storage, and display of information. Nanomaterials: The study and development of nanoscale materials; materials with structural features (particle size or grain size, for example) of at least one dimension in the range 1-100 nm. Polymers: The study and development of polymers; materials that have a molecular structure consisting chiefly or entirely of a large number of similar units bonded together, e.g., many synthetic organic materials used as plastics and resins. Other/Multiple: Studies in Engineering: Energy, Materials, and Transport that do not fit in the above subcategories or which may involve multiple subcategories. c) Engineering: Transport Studies that focus on the science and engineering that involve movement or structure. The movement can be by the apparatus or the movement can affect the apparatus. Subcategories: Aerospace and Aeronautical Engineering Civil Engineering Control Theory Ground Vehicle Systems Naval Systems Other/Multiple Aerospace and Aeronautical Engineering: Studies involving the design of aircraft and space vehicles and the direction of the technical phases of their manufacture and operation. Civil Engineering: Studies that involve the planning, designing, construction, and maintenance of structures and public works, such as bridges or dams, roads, water supply, sewer, flood control and, traffic. Control Theory: The study of dynamical systems, including controllers, systems, and sensors that are influenced by inputs. Ground Vehicle Systems: The design of ground vehicles and the direction of the technical phases of their manufacture and operation. Naval Systems: Studies of the design of ships and the direction of the technical phases of their manufacture and operation. Other/Multiple: Studies in Engineering: Energy, Materials, and Transport that do not fit in the above subcategories or which may involve multiple subcategories. Next Project Category Previous Project Category

Microbiology The study of micro-organisms, including bacteria, viruses, fungi, prokaryotes, and simple eukaryotes as well as antimicrobial and antibiotic substances. Subcategories: Antimicrobial and Antibiotics Applied Microbiology Bacteriology Environmental Microbiology Microbial Genetics Virology Other/Multiple Antimicrobials and Antibiotics: Studies involving substances that kill or inhibit the growth of a microorganism. Applied Microbiology: The study of microorganisms having potential applications in human, animal or plant health. Bacteriology: The study of bacteria and bacterial diseases and the microorganisms responsible for causing a disease. This field focuses on ideas spanning a wide range of topics, from identification and characterization of bacteria, all the way to the development of effective vacancies to combat various types of bacteria. Environmental Microbiology: Studies involving microbial interactions and processes within the environment. Air microbiology, soil microbiology and water microbiology as well as the study of biofilms would be included in this subcategory. Microbial Genetics: The study of the genetics of microorganisms such as bacteria, archaea and some protozoa and fungi and their chromosomes, plasmids, transposons and phages. Studies can also include gene transfer systems such as transformation, conjugation and transduction. Virology: The study of viruses – submicroscopic, parasitic particles of genetic material contained in a protein coat – and virus-like agents. Research in this subcategory may focus on the development and effectiveness of treatments for viruses, the development and life cycle of a particular virus, or how the immune system recognizes a virus and what stimulates immune responses. Other/Multiple: Studies in Microbiology that do not fit in the above subcategories or which may involve multiple subcategories. Next Project Category Previous Project Category

2026 Results - 72nd Annual GSDSEF (under construction) Table of Contents 2026 GSDSEF Student Directory Category Place Awards Special Awards Advancement to Affiliated Fairs and Competitions Teacher of the Year Awards Ceremony Program Awards Ceremony Pictures Awards Ceremony Slides – Category and Grand Awards Grand Award Winners GSDSEF Student Results In Post-GSDSEF Competitions California Science and Engineering Fair (CSEF), April 2026 International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF), May 2026 Thermo Fisher Scientific Junior Innovation Challenge (TFSJIC), later 2026 2026 – 72nd GSDSEF Student Directory 2. 2026 GSDSEF Directory_FINAL .pdf Download PDF • 127.99MB 2026 – 72nd GSDSEF Award Results Click here for the GSDSEF summary press release . Category Place Awards Junior Division Place Award Results by Category: 3. Jr. Division Category Awards .pdf Download PDF • 74KB Senior Division Place Award Results by Category: 4. Sr. Division Category Awards .pdf Download PDF • 76KB Special Awards Special Awards List: 5. Special Awards List by Organization .pdf Download PDF • 386KB Special Awards Slide Scroll: 6. Special Awards Slide Scroll .pdf Download PDF • 11.42MB Special Awards — Stage Awards Slides 7. Special Awards Slides - Stage Awards .pdf Download PDF • 950KB Affiliated Fairs – Qualified and Nominated Students California Science and Engineering Fair Qualified Students (JR and SR divisions): 8. CSEF-Qualified Slides .pdf Download PDF • 201KB Thermo Fisher Scientific Junior Innovators Challenge Nominees (JR division): 9. TFSJIC Nominees Slides .pdf Download PDF • 146KB 2026 – 72nd GSDSEF Teacher of the Year Tina Tom – Chula Vista Middle School Over the past seven years, l've mentored approximately 350 students, with 70 of those young scientists ultimately representing Chula Vista Middle School at the Greater San Diego Science and Engineering Fair, with some going on to the California Science and Engineering Fair. The true power of a science project lies in the fact that students have complete ownership of their work, while teachers like me serve as guides on this rewarding journey. This experience is particularly transformative at our Title I school because it provides exposure to the power of science that many might not otherwise encounter. By mastering the Scientific Method, time management, formal reporting, experimental design, and data analysis, students gain essential life skills that inspire them to pursue STEM at the university level and beyond. 2026 – 72nd GSDSEF Awards Ceremony Program 12. Awards Ceremony Program .pdf Download PDF • 2.39MB Pictures from the 72nd GSDSEF Awards Ceremony Awards Ceremony Slides – Category and Grand Awards 14. JR Div Third Awards .pdf Download PDF • 1.05MB 17. SR Div Third Awards .pdf Download PDF • 1.11MB 15. JR Div Second Awards .pdf Download PDF • 1.23MB 18. SR Div Second Awards .pdf Download PDF • 1.21MB 16. JR Div First Awards .pdf Download PDF • 1.37MB 19. SR Div First Awards .pdf Download PDF • 1.39MB 20. JR+SR Grand Awards .pdf Download PDF • 911KB Grand Award Winners SENIOR DIVISION JUNIOR DIVISION Grand Award Winners: Life Sciences Grand Award Winners: Life Sciences Giles Del Priore and Ronald Wyatt Eastlake High School Advisor: Amanda Williams ISEF FINALIST Project Title: Design and Evaluation of a Behaviorally-Grounded, Caregiver Governed AI Companion for Individuals with Memory Impairment Jonah Figueroa The Rhoades School Advisor: Roxanne Hunker Project Title: Quantifying Effects of Commercial Fertilizers on Cyanobacteria Growth Claire Lim Canyon Crest Academy Advisor: Ed Gerstin ISEF FINALIST Project Title: Inducible TLR4 Decoy for Targeting Microglial Activation to Reduce Neuronal Degeneration in Parkinson’s Disease Uma Kattamuri Oak Valley Middle School Advisor: Kristina Latonia-Wilson Project Title: Elevated CO2 During Kalanchoe pinnata Growth Reveals Enhanced Antiproliferative and Synergistic Therapies Grand Award Winners: Physical Sciences Grand Award Winners: Physical Sciences Kayley Xu The Bishop’s School Advisor: Marcus Milling ISEF FINALIST Project Title: Designing a Passive All-Dielectric Metasurface for Retinal Disease Intervention Through Beam Steering Paul Schnabl The Bishop’s School Advisor: Kelly Kleinertz Project Title: ARGOS: Machine Learning Irrigation Reduced Water Usage and Improved Growth Ethan Hu The Bishop’s School Advisor: Benjamin Heldt ISEF FINALIST Project Title: Configurable Electromagnetic Refreshable Tactile Display with FDM Printable Bistable Cam Aishah Siddiqui Bright Horizon Academy Advisor: Najwan Naserelddin Project Title: Joynt Quest - A Therapeutic Glove Integrated with a Digital Game-Based Rehabilitation System For Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis Grand Award Runners Up: Life Sciences Grand Award Runners Up: Life Sciences Charles Brum Catholic Cathedral High School Advisor: Jeanette Loptka ISEF FINALIST Project Title: BeeCast: A Novel Predictive Model Using Neural Network to Predict Colony Collapse Shanmei Lee and Maya Goel The Rhoades School Advisor: Roxanne Hunker Project Title: Investigating Regrowth in Coastal Sage Scrub Burned Habitat Janet Yang Canyon Crest Academy Advisor: Xiaohui Liu ISEF FINALIST Project Title: Neuro-Behavioral Convergence: A Multimodal Approach to Stroke Risk Assessment Olivia Liu La Jolla Country Day School Advisor: Chris Uyeda Project Title: Soap, a Friend or Foe of Skin Bacteria? Grand Award Runners Up: Physical Sciences Grand Award Runners Up: Physical Sciences Shounak Ray Chaudhuri Francis Parker School Advisor: J.P. Pierce ISEF FINALIST Project Title: Novel Scalable Multiphase Autonomous Vehicle Systems for Emerging Markets Manas Pisipati The Rhoades School Advisor: Roxanne Hunker Project Title: A Study of the Effects of Salt Nucleation on Doped Amino Acids Ryan Rezaei Canyon Crest Academy Advisor: Albert Dul ISEF FINALIST Project Title: Omni-Prot: Unifying Protein Function Prediction with PLM-Centric Fusion Joie Green Muirlands Middle School Advisor: Lori Trombley Project Title: Soon I will be Invisible: How to Direct Energy with Topological Metamaterials GSDSEF Student Results In Post-GSDSEF Competitions 2026 California Science and Engineering Fair (CSEF) Only one project in each CSEF Category is awarded a 1st, 2nd, 3rd, or 4th Award. Each category may have more than one 5 th Award (= Honorable Mention). Students at CSEF can also receive Sponsored Awards and Major Fair Awards. At the 2026 CSEF, 36 GSDSEF projects (37 students) received an Award ( see GSDSEF press release here ): 19 Junior Division projects received a Category Award (4 First, 4 Second, 3 Third, 5 Fourth, and 3 Fifth) 17 Senior Division projects received a Category Award (3 First, 2 Second, 2 Third, 1 Fourth, and 9 Fifth) 3 Sponsored Awards 2 Major Fair Awards CSEF Award Results of GSDSEF Junior Division Students: 21. CSEF GSDSEF Jr Div Winners by Last Name .pdf Download PDF • 230KB CSEF Award Results of GSDSEF Senior Division Students: 22. CSEF GSDSEF Sr Div Winners by Last Name .pdf Download PDF • 217KB CSEF Sponsored Awards Results of GSDSEF Students: 23. CSEF SponsoredAwards_v_2026 .pdf Download PDF • 980KB CSEF Major Fair Awards (SR) and additional TFSJIC nominations (JR): 24. CSEF MajorFairAwards_2026 v2 .pdf Download PDF • 183KB 2026 International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) At the 2026 ISEF, six GSDSEF projects received a Category Award in a competition with approximately 1700 other ISEF finalists from around the world: Shounak Ray Chaudhuri, Second Award (Engineering Technology: Statics and Dynamics) Emma Liu, Third Award (Computational Biology and Bioinformatics) Ethan Hu, Fourth Award (Embedded Systems) Claire Lim, Fourth Award (Cellular and Molecular Biology) Ihan Sung, Fourth Award (Chemistry) Kayley Xu, Fourth Award (Biomedical Engineering) Ihan Sung also won a Second-place Aramco Special Award. Next Previous

Information FAQs 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.