<p>Hi,</p>
<p>Over the summer I conducted research with a local professor and wanted to submit my research to some science fairs. However, my project was in the field of neuroscience, and it was specifically a behavioral experiment. </p>
<p>Since it is a behavioral experiment in which I work with rats (including stereotaxic surgery), I cannot submit to Siemmens. </p>
<p>Before we do surgery, we drop the rats to 85%-90% of their weight. According to the Intel Science Fair rules, you can't drop the animals to or less than 85% of their original weight.</p>
<p>As for my local science fair, you need to get permission from an endorsement board before you conduct your project if it involves vertebrate animals, which is not possible since I have already performed a good amount of the work necessary. If you advance from this fair, to the regional fair and eventually the state fair, you can get selected to go onto Intel Science and Engineering Fair. </p>
<p>So either I'm misreading rules, hopefully, or I'm screwed for submitting to any of the major science competitions.</p>
<p>Anyone else do a behavioral experiment and have similar issues?</p>