The Indianapolis Metropolitan Regional Science and Engineering Fair needs your help and support to have a successful science fair. Science fair competitions are essential to the growth of promoting our youth to be critical thinkers and prepares them to compete in a global environment.

How To Get Involved

Planning Committee–Members will implement the actual flow of operations and develop the structure of competition day; registration, concessions, activities, judging, gift packs, parking, parents, logistics. Members will be assigned a function on competition day. Meet monthly from September through December then weekly beginning January.

Board of Directors– Identify potential sponsors, resources, marketing and financial tools. Coordinate information on city, state and international levels.  Develop and oversee short and long term strategies including a workable budget. Meet two to three times per year.

Scientific Review Committee (SRC)- Reviews some projects before experimentation. Reviews all projects just prior to competition. Membership must include: a biomedical scientist (Ph.D., M.D., D.V.M., D.D.S., D.O.), an educator, and one other member. Information and forms available at: www.societyforscience.org/isef/document

Judging – The judging period is 9-11:30 a.m. Judges break for a complimentary lunch and proceed to deliberation. Deliberations normally last till 2 p.m. There are four areas of judging;

• Science Symposium (Grades 1st-3rd) Saturday March 3, 2012: Teachers, parents, college students, ages 16 and older (high school students must submit a STEM teacher recommendation)Elementary Division (4th and 5th) Saturday March 3, 2012: Teachers, parents, college students, adults 18 and older

• Junior Division (6th-8th) Saturday March 10, 2012: High school teachers, STEM career adults, college students

• Senior Division (9th-12th) Saturday March 10, 2012: Professors, grad students, STEM career adults, experts in the field 

Judges - if you have not registered, please register now for regionals:

1. Visit SEFI online
2. Click on the Central Region
3. There is no field for date available so please indicate in the 'Area of Expertise' box what date(s) available to help. (i.e. Engineering March 5)
4. Visit this link and select 'Judging' if you would like to view the judging rubric.
5. Visit this link if you would like to view the categories being judged.

Sponsors - CIRSEF would like award outstanding students with either scholarships and/or awards and prizes. Sponsors may donate the following items:

• Cash Awards: general or specific awards. For instance, an engineering company may sponsor a “Best in Engineering” award and a department of chemistry may award “Best in Chemistry”.

• Awards: tangible items such a microscopes and other STEM equipment, trips, etc

• Lunch: sponsor the judges’ luncheon

• Souvenir Items: t-shirts, lanyards, name badges, cinch bags, pens, etc.

• State competition: sponsor a regional student winner to state (Cost: $100 per student)

• Door prizes

Partnerships - CIRSEF is in need of community, corporate, and other higher educational institutions resources. There is strength in numbers.