The University of Southern Indiana's Tri-State Science and Engineering Fair provides opportunities for talented K-12th grade students to showcase their interest in scientific research and receive community recognition for their achievements.
This year's fair will be held March 7-8, 2019 in the Recreation, Fitness and Wellness Center on the campus of the University of Southern Indiana and is open to students in grades K-12 from schools within a 75-mile radius of Evansville.
Students may enter in one of the following categories:
Awards
Note from the Director (8/6/2018): Hoosier Science and Engineering Fair Advancement Tracks
Two advancement tracks have been created for the 2019 Tri-State Science and Engineering Fair. The two tracks were developed to ensure that those wishing to compete for advancement to the HSEF are on track to do so and that their paperwork has been completed properly over the course of their research and that ISEF rules have been followed. When mistakes are made and forms are overlooked, disqualification at the state level is imminent. Two tracks gives fair coordinators focus in mentoring students early and often in the process to ensure no one is disqualified after advancement. Please click on the "For Exhibitors" link to the left to learn more about what this means for you and your students.
Letter from Director - August 7, 2018
Reminder from Director - August 20, 2018
Note from the Director: ALCOA Foundation Teacher/Adult Sponsor Recognition Program
Thanks to generous funding by the Alcoa Foundation, again this year up to ten sponsoring adults and teachers will be recognized for their diligence and coaching throughout the Tri-State Science and Engineering Fair project preparation season. Official adult sponsors of Grand Award-Winning or Honorable Mention Grand Award-Winning projects in the elementary, junior, and senior divisions will receive $50 cash awards alongside their students as they accept their awards during the closing ceremony.
If you haven't gotten involved in the fair, this is a wonderful time to start! The staff of the SwISTEM Resource Center at USI are excited to help you get started!
For more information regarding this program or for assistance in getting your students involved in the fair, please contact Allison Grabert (afgrabert@usi.edu).
Adult Sponsor Definition: The qualifying adult for whom the student exhibitor is registered under in the SEFI registration system.
Adult Sponsors are eligible for more than one $50 award.
Awards will not be split among co-sponsors.
Note from the Director: Registration Caps for the Tri-State Science and Engineering Fair
Since 2008, the staff of the Tri-State Science and Engineering Fair (TSEF) at the University of Southern Indiana (USI) have worked very hard to ensure that any student in the region who would like to enter the fair may do so free of charge. Because of extreme growth trends in the number of project entries in the Junior/Elementary Division, the science fair committee has concluded that the time has come for registration caps to be imposed on schools entering students in the Junior/Elementary Division. This is due in whole to venue size, judging time constraints, security/fire code issues, the new USI Child Protection Policy implementation, and volunteer shortages. Beginning in 2016, each elementary and middle school may register 10% of their total school enrollment as indicated by the Indiana Department of Education's Compass online database or the Kentucky Department of Education's Kentucky School Report Card online database. For instance, if your school's enrollment equals 700 students, a total of 70 students from that school may enter the Tri-State Science and Engineering Fair. Please note, this policy does not pertain to those schools entering students into the Senior Division.
The TSEF committee understands that this may cause a re-structuring of advancement protocol at the local/school level. We apologize for any inconvenience. If you have any questions, need more information, or have concerns regarding this policy, please feel free to contact Fair Director, Allison Grabert at afgrabert@usi.edu.
We hope to see you and your students there!
Please use the navigation bar to the left to learn more about the Tri-State Science and Engineering Fair!