A Pathway to Intel Science Fair

I’m a high school freshman with an interest in computer science. I’ve wanted to do a science fair project that can qualify for the Intel Science Fair for years, and I have started multiple threads on this topic. However, all I have gotten are responses pointing to the Intel ISEF website. As a result, I started this thread with the intent to ask someone who has actually become an ISEF Participant for tips/ advice. Specifically, how much background knowledge do I need to do a science fair project? Do I need to ask a college professor to do research with them?

Take a look at this website: https://apps2.societyforscience.org/AbstractSearch/Abstract/Index
You can see the types and rigor of projects that made it to Intel Isef. You don’t need do research with a college professor to qualify. It’s the amount of dedication and work you put into the project. It should also be something you’re interested in, so your time is spent well.

@penngirlpending Thanks but I’ve already browsed through much of the database. Specifically, I still had questions about how much background knowledge I would need to do a project on the caliber of Intel. Also, thanks about the answer to the professor question.

@Mahindra - I participated 2016 and will again in 2017. Here is my ISEF journey. YMMV. Participated in regional science fair. Placed first in my category. In my region, all first placers go to State Science Fair, but not all go to ISEF. Only three got selected for ISEF. My category was not computer science. No - you do not need a college professor, my school teachers were my project mentors. You do need a project that is applicable to the world at-large. Don’t get bogged down by the depth of the other abstracts - some of those are ridiculously high level. In order to participate in ISEF, your project does not need to necessarily be that complex.
As a freshman, you have very good chance to get in within the next 4 years or all 4 years. Select a project that you are really interested in, work hard and smart on it, present it well - you will do great.

@Thanks MedSciBud. Are you a freshman as well? Will colleges regard as qualifying for the ISEF as a game-breaker? And do you actually interact with other participants at the fair?

So, my daughter has done science fair for years, but will never make it to ISEF. (She’s a junior and didn’t win at regional or state this year. Seniors rarely compete in ISEF science fairs because it’s right during college application season. She may do a paper for Regeneron over the summer, we’ll see.)

Yes, you should work with a mentor with more experience than you. It does not have to be a college professor in CS. There are a lot of talented computer scientists working in industry, and CS projects don’t need a specialized lab so you could even work with your mentor over email. Talking to teachers who are experts in winning science fairs for tips on the presentation and interview would be helpful as well.

There are science mentorship programs and summer programs that prepare kids for these competitions. It would be to your benefit to join one if you can. For example, my state has a national lab with a community program that sends a bunch of prize winners to our fair, and there’s a guy with a nuclear reactor in his garage who mentors champion physics students. There are specific schools and teachers who really know what they’re doing as well (like a STEM magnet high school that sends a ton of high-ranking projects to the fair.) This may not be an option (we didn’t live in the part of the state with the national lab and the STEM high school is in a different school district than where we live.) But, if you can find a program, it can give you a leg up. Science fair can be a team sport - where all the kids being mentored by the same person build off each other, or it can be a more solo thing. Don’t go it alone if you don’t have to.

Start entering your regional fair and learn from experience. Some states have more science opportunities than others, and depending on where you’re from the level of completion may set a higher or lower bar to getting an ISEF slot. Until you start competing you won’t really know what you’re up against. The abstracts that @MedSciBud says are “overkill” are the standard required in other parts of the country.

Recognize that “good science” and “good science fair” overlap considerably, but are two separate things. The science has to be sound, of course, but it also has to be well-presented (in your paperwork and your display), the person who did it should be a joy for the judges to interview, the topic should be (as noted above) useful to the world at large. Curiosity driven science is not as rewarded. If you’re “in it to win it,” you have to learn how to play the game a bit.

My kid would have spent all that time on science fair anyway. She is truly passionate about what she does. She did earn a number of smaller awards and will get a nice letter of recommendation from her sophomore and junior year mentor. She may even get a small paper out of the project she did this year. (Yep, not good enough for ISEF, but possibly a publication.)

My personal advice is, if you’re doing this just for college admissions, or if it’s only “worth it” to you if you get to ISEF, think twice. There is no “golden ticket” to a highly selective school. If you’re in it to develop science and other skills that will benefit you over the long run, there is a lot to learn from competing in science fairs.

Just start entering. At the end of each fair season, see what you accomplished and make a plan for improving the next year. My kid was an honorable mention at regionals as freshman, a 3rd as sophomore, and a 2nd as a junior. Our state fair is pretty small so no hoops to jump through to qualify for that. She didn’t get any of the major awards at the state level. So my advice is to enjoy the journey, because the destination is never guaranteed.

@AroundHere Thank you. I really appreciate it.

@Mahindra - no I am not a freshman - I am a senior. Unlike what @AroundHere mentioned - seniors like myself - do participate in science fairs - not because we want to get to ISEF, but because we love scientific research.
@Mahindra - if you are looking at a college admission boost, depending on the level of college, getting to ISEF is probably not a big plus. Researching in a formal research setting such as NIH is a good plus - and I can say that with confidence because AOs from three of the colleges (top 20) hand wrote a note to me about that - plus I got research scholarship at two top 20 colleges.
Summary - do science fair / research - not just to boost your college admission, but if you really love it. Try finding research / project / internship opportunities with college professors or outside research agencies (summer or otherwise). Depending on your CS interest, there may be plenty of private organizations that you can intern at.
Good luck @Mahindra

@MedSciBud Thank you.

@Mahindra I am a Intel ISEF finalist and honestly all I can say is do what you’re passionate about. Don’t worry about other’s research and how it’s so advanced. I’m being serious. This isn’t some advice that everyone says that doesn’t mean a thing. It does. All of my judges could tell how passionate I was about my project, and I think that’s what pulled me through. I didn’t do any fancy lab stuff with a mentor, I just did real world work. To put it into perspective, I prevailed against a guy who was an ISEF finalist in my district last year; and this was also my first high school science fair. (Some of the high schoolers I was in competition with have been doing great at the science fair since freshman year.)

Good luck next year! And remember, real world work is key!

@MedSciBud Can I PM you?

@equationlover Thank you equationlover.

Real world problems are definitely huge. Probably my own child’s biggest scoring problem is her passion for curiosity driven versus obviously useful science.

There are relatively simple projects that score well because they are impeccably implemented. Creativity and rigor are rewarded. I’ve even seen the age-old “what’s the best way to ripen a banana?” question score well, but it was a very carefully controlled experiment and beautiful presentation of the data and results.

Anyone have ideas for which field of computer science I should do my research in? Machine learning/data science? A.I? Cybersecurity? Intelligent Transportation?

The last two - cyber security or intelligent transportation are closer to “real world problems,” but they need to be narrowed down and made quite a bit more specific. The first three, machine learning, data science, and A.I. are tools that might be applied to real world problems, but they are tools, not problems.

First pick your problem space. Then apply it to a concrete problem by researching or talking to experts in the field. Then research the best tools for the job.

@AroundHere Thanks

@Mahindra - I am not sure if people on CC can suggest the area for your research. Your personal interest, availability of resources & mentors in your region / area, etc need to be considered when you decide to research. IMHO - you should pick a topic that interests you, but like @AroundHere said - pick one that has some good applications. If you want ideas, I am sure your regional science fair / state science fair / ISEF websites can help see the kinds of projects done in the past.

If you care about security, take a look at defcon and blackhat for ideas.

@roethlisburger Isn’t defcon a military defense condition related to nuclear war. Isnt blackhat hacking illegal?

@Mahindra

Defcon and Blackhat are some of the largest security conferences.

@roethlisburger Oh. Sorry. Now I feel stupid.