The Jefferson County Science Fair adheres to the International Rules for Pre-College Science Research, the official rules of the
Regeneron ISEF (for high school students) and
Thermo Fisher Scientific Junior Innovators Challenge (for middle school students), as applicable.
Students and parents are also advised of the rules of the
West Virginia Science and Engineering Fair as well.
The purpose of these rules is to:
- protect the rights and welfare of the student researcher and all human participants
- protect the health and welfare of animals
- ensure adherence to local, state, and federal regulations
- ensure use of safe laboratory practices
- protect the environment
- determine eligibility for competition in Society-affiliated fairs
- to ensure the safety and well-being of fair visitors
Projects will be inspected for potential Display and Safety (D&S) violations prior to judging. Without further notice to the participant, the D&S Inspector may remove or obscure any prohibited items on display and make safe any potentially hazardous condition. Where necessary, the D&S Inspector will make a reasonable attempt to work with particiapants to correct any serious violations. Projects with unresolved violations after commencement of judging will not be eligible to compete in subsequent Society-affiliated fairs.
The D&S inspector most commonly encounters violations of the following rules:
- Absolutely NO liquids, not even water
- No chemicals, food, grocery items, spices, or edible items
- No plants, fruits, seeds, soil, sand, rock, or cement
- No glass (no jars, containers, light bulbs, aquariums, etc; tablets/laptops are allowed)
- No exposed sharp objects, pinch points, electrical wires, or other potential hazards
- No insects, animals, body parts or fluids, bacteria, etc (living or once living)
- No items that may have contained or been in contact with hazardous substances
- No lasers, bright lights, flames, loud noises, odors, or other distractions
- No personal information (name, school, grade, web address, phone number, etc)
- No active internet connections
Participants are encouraged to display photographs of their work. Photographs are usually an excellent alternative way to display otherwise banned items. Remember that photos should not include any human faces, animals in distress, or potentially offensive images.
This is only a summary list of common violations. Participants are strongly encouraged to carefully review the complete
Display and Safety Rules in advance of fair participation. Questions should be directed to the student's science teacher or the SRC.