The Arizona Science and Engineering Fair office is pleased to announce the Arizona Science and Engineering Fair (AzSEF), scheduled April 11-13, 2011 at the Phoenix Convention Center, South Hall. The Fair is open to students in grades 5-12 attending schools in Arizona. This state fair is supported by Society for Sciences & the Public. Winning students and their teachers will be selected to attend, with all expenses paid, the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair, held in Los Angeles, CA in 2011.

Every student will receive a participation certificate. Medals will be awarded to the top projects in each category of each division and one grand award will be presented to the top project in the Elementary and Jr. High division which will include the opportunity to attend the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair as observers. In the High School Division up to 8 projects will be selected as Grand Awards and those students and their teachers will receive an all-expense paid trip to represent the AzSEF at the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair. In addition to these awards, numerous special awards will also be given to students whose work represents the interests of our partnering supporters. We expect to award more than $40,000 in prizes and awards.

One teacher from each division will be selected to receive the Division Teacher Award. This award includes a plaque and cash award to the teacher,  a trophy, and a banner to the school recognizing them as the best of show in their division based on the placement of their students. One teacher will be selected by nomination to receive the AzSEF Teacher of the Year Award.

The AzSEF office continues to bring exceptional educational programs to teachers throughout Arizona. We are available to assist schools and teachers in developing or expanding science programs so that more students may participate in the AzSEF. This support includes curriculum and training for teachers which is adaptable and can be used as after-school, in-school or a science lab class program.

Through the website (http://azsef.org ) you will find information regarding the 2011 AzSEF. Please review all the information with attention to dates, resources and contact information. The AzSEF will be an exciting and rewarding event for students and teachers. We look forward to helping you prepare our youth in their journey into the science process and research.
Sincerely,
Phillip Huebner
Director,

Arizona Science and Engineering Fair
AzSEF

Why Complete a Science Fair Project?

The following statement is excerpted, with thanks, from the Greater San Diego Science and Engineering Fair Web site.

A science fair project is the ultimate answer to the often-asked student question: "Why do I need to learn this stuff, anyway?"

It integrates, into one functional activity, virtually all of the skills and arts that are usually taught separately (sometimes not at all or without obvious "purpose") in many schools. When brought to completion, the project is an amalgamation of reading, writing, spelling, grammar, math, statistics, ethics, logic, critical thinking, computer science, graphic arts, scientific methodology, self-learning of one or more technical or specialty fields, and (if the project qualifies for formal competition) public speaking and defense in front of expert judges. It is, perhaps, the only educational activity that allows students to teach themselves, to take from the established information what they need to discover something exciting and new, and to identify and choose the tools that they need to conduct and conclude their project. When a student completes a science fair project, year after year, through junior and senior high school, the science fair process yields mature, self-confident, skilled, and competitive young leaders who have career goals and the preparation, discipline, and drive to attain them.

A science fair project can be self-validating and exciting because it is not just practice. It involves real discovery of little known or even unknown information.

It develops personal power of importance in students, where perhaps none or little existed before. The project usually is based on scientific questions or interests that the students already have, and allows them to develop the questions independently into formal, testable, solvable problems. When such studies are undertaken in earnest, the students often become driven by their projects. Learning the outcome and finding the answer can be an electrifyingly powerful moment of discovery. It proves to students, and to others, that they were successful and that they did it on their own! The result? An ordinary student is motivated to become an excellent student, and an excellent student to become a scholar. Of all the programs that a school might offer a student to improve self esteem, it seems that participation in a science fair is one sure-fire way to build student confidence, challenge potential, and instill the incredible feeling of independent achievement that the successful science fair project provides.

Science fair projects can pay off in cash and open the doors of academic opportunity.

Well-done projects generally lead to competition and awards at Intel ® ISEF-affiliated regional fairs. First-place winners at regional fairs usually have the opportunity to compete for additional awards in the California State Science Fair. Top first-place winners from junior and senior divisions in many fairs are selected as sweepstakes winners and receive cash awards. Additionally, selected senior sweepstakes winners (the best of the best) go on to compete with other grand prize winners from throughout the world for substantial cash and scholarship prizes at the annual Intel International Science and Engineering Fair.

Perhaps most importantly, however, graduating high school students with records of awards for original research or engineering at the regional fair and beyond, have a distinct advantage over other college applicants in being considered and accepted by the schools of their choice. This is because science fair honors rank high among the screening factors used by admissions officers at most top universities.

Lastly, students who participate in regional fairs have their projects evaluated by top local scientists from research and industry. Participants whose projects are judged to be worthy of international competition will be judged by the top scientists of the world. Imagine your student discussing a project with a Nobel Prize winner. The exposure and self confidence such an opportunity generates cannot be quantified.

How to conduct a science fair

In this PDF document you will find a lot us useful information and guidelines about how to conduct a science fair at your school. This documents includes topics such as "how to encourage participation" and "tips for students and teacher" amongst many other.

Coordinators Handbook

In this PDF document you will find information regarding dates and organization structure of the fair along with some basic rules and regulations for the fair and projects. Some material has been by other schools to show how they have conducted their science fairs.

Research Guide
2012 Student Handbook

In these PDF documents you will find information that should mostly benefit students on how to conduct their research, experimentation, and timing.

Tips for Teachers
Teachers Handbook

In these PDF documents you will find information that should mostly benefit teachers on how to conduct their sciences fair, experimentation, and timing.

2012 Rules and Regulations

In this PDF document you will find all the rules and regulations for AzSEF. There rules are directly based on Intels International Science Fair (ISEF). AzSEF will be enforcing these rules.

AzSEF Judging criteria

In this PDF document you will find what criteria will AzSEF judges be looking at when interviewing students at the fair.