Virginia
Piedmont Regional Science Fair
Encouraging and Inspiring the Students of
Piedmont Virginia
in Science and Engineering
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Virginia
Piedmont Regional Science Fair
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Update: The final VPRSF 2008 Rulebook is available. See Rulebook. There are no changes to the categories this year. Check out the forms you will need using the ISEF Rules Wizard. Approval forms must be signed and, if required, reviewed by the SRC (Safety Review Committee) before any experimentation. SRC review should take place before December 1, 2007. The Entry Application review meeting has been scheduled for February 19, 2008 at 4:30 at Buford Middle School, Charlottesville. Check back here for further details. Teachers:Please register so we can add you to our email information distribution list. Register here Who May Enter:The Piedmont Regional Science Fair, governed by its Board of Directors, was established to serve the Central Virginia area. The Fair is open to students in public, private and parochial schools in the area. School participation can be arranged by contacting the Fair Director and sending a representative from the school to at least two designated planning meetings each year. Home school students may participate and parents are requested to contact the Fair Director in November to ensure that they participate in information distributions and planning meetings. How Many Entries Per School:Senior Division is ONLY for students in grades 9 - 12Each school is allowed to submit a maximum of sixteen (16) projects in the Senior Division — four projects per grade level. Petitions for up to four (4) more Senior Division projects can be made on a space available basis. A maximum of 2 Team Projects per school may enter. Team projects cannot progress to the International Fair. Each Senior Division first place winner in the Piedmont Regional Science Fair is eligible to enter the Virginia State Science Fair. The top two OVERALL Senior Division winners, the Grand Award winners, of the Virginia Piedmont Regional Science Fair are invited to attend the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair. Junior Division is ONLY for students in grades 6 - 8Each school is allowed to submit a maximum of sixteen (16) projects in the Junior Division. Dual school middle schools (i.e. schools that share the 6-8 grade range) are allowed to apportion allotment between those two schools. A maximum of 2 Team Projects per school may enter. Some Important Reminders:AVOID DISQUALIFICATION LATER! All bacteria are assumed to be pathogenic unless certified otherwise by a supplier such as Carolina Biological. If YOU collect it, by definition it is pathogenic. No pathogenic research may be conducted in the home so any bacteria you collect can only be studied in a lab setting. Note: E coli Strain K12 and Baker’s and brewer’s yeasts are not considered pathogenic. ALL studies involving the use of microorganisms (including bacteria, viruses, viroids, prions, rickettsia, fungi, and parasites), recombinant DNA (rDNA) technologies or human or animal fresh tissues, blood, or body fluids require pre-approval by the SRC. ALL studies in these areas of research are prohibited in a home environment. A risk assessment is required for all projects in these research areas. Research projects in these areas of research are now classified into biosafety levels that require appropriate biosafety containment. Essentially, biosafety level 1 research may be conducted in a high school with a trained Designated Supervisor. Projects Involving Unknown Microorganisms (i.e. those collected from the environment) have additional rules and restrictions. Some tissues do not need to be treated as potentially hazardous biological agents (i.e. plant tissue, established cell lines, hair, etc.) Please see the Additional Rules for Projects Involving Tissues Including Blood and Blood Products for full rules. All projects involving Potentially Hazardous Biological Agents require the Hazardous Risk Assessment Form (6A). Projects involving tissues, including blood and blood products, require the additional Vertebrate and Animal Tissue Form (6B). The ISEF Rules Wizard at www.sciserv.org/isef/students/wizard/index.asp is an easy way to determine which forms, in addition to the PRSF Application To Enter, are required for your project. All projects require three forms: the Checklist for Adult Sponsor/Safety Assessment Form, the Research Plan (1A) and Research Plan Attachment, and the Approval Form (1B). All projects also require an Abstract. So the student’s names get spelled correctly on their Regional certificates and in the Participation book, please check the spelling when registering. Also check the list of top problems with forms and safety on the Links page. The Scientific Review Committee:The Scientific Review Committee is composed of a minimum of three persons, including at least one biomedical scientist (Ph.D., M.D., D.V.M., D.D.S. or D.O.) and a science teacher, one of whom is familiar with animal care procedures. Policies For The Day:Participants should not wear clothing or nametags with their name or their school’s name on it or display this information in their reports or exhibits because this information could influence judging. Participants must stay in assigned areas during the entire judging time except during their assigned lunch break. They should bring quiet activities (books, cards etc.) to entertain themselves when judges are not interviewing them. Participants should bring bagged lunches or money sufficient to purchase lunch. Warning: Judging resumes after lunch. Know your schedule and be prompt. For More Information Contact: |
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