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Participants

Students can participate either in Junior Division, grades 5 through 8, or in Senior Division,52779468121_98493eab2f_k-1.jpg grades 9 through 12. You can compete in the following eight categories: 

  • Behavioral and Social Sciences 
  • Cellular, Molecular, and Microbiology 
  • Chemistry and Biochemistry 
  • Computer Science, Engineering, and Mathematics 
  • Earth and Environmental Sciences 
  • Human and Animal Sciences 
  • Physics and Astronomy 
  • Plant Sciences 

 

Due to the sensitive nature of working with human subjects, we continue the stringent oversight for projects requiring IRB (Institutional Review Board) approval. This process is as follows: 

  1. Before experimentation can begin, the project needs local IRB approval at your school. (Please note that the local IRB at your school cannot include an LPN as the medical member.) 
  2. After receiving local IRB approval (before experimentation begins), all IRB protocol papers must be sent to the MSRSF SRC by the January 17, 2025, deadline.  

Note: this deadline is received by, not mailed by. 

  1. SRC will review the protocol and give final approval for experimentation to begin. All protocol papers for projects requiring SRC approval (before the experiment can begin) are also due January 17, 2025.   

Please ensure all forms, especially dates and signatures, are filled out correctly, and be aware of deadlines! 

Please note – if there is low participation (<3 projects) in any Junior or senior category, we will combine two or more categories into one for judging and awards. The director will be in charge of combining categories to keep similar fields together. 

Rules 

To ensure that students who place will not be disqualified at subsequent competitions we will be strictly adhering to the rules set out by the Intel ISEF. Read the rules.  

All projects will have to be approved by our Scientific Review Board prior to the competition. Projects which include the use of human subjects, animals, and/or potentially hazardous biological agents will be subject to particular scrutiny -- and must have their research plan approved prior to beginning their research. 

Science Fair Timeline 

  • The deadline for RECEIPT of all protocol papers for projects requiring prior SRC and IRB approval is Friday, January 17. 
  • The deadline for POSTMARK of entry forms, fees, and other forms is Friday, February 28. 
  • Set up the projects for display between 7:30 a.m. and 9:00 a.m. on Tuesday, March 25, the Fair day. Please set up your projects by no later than 9:00 a.m. 
  • Judging of the projects occurs from 9:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. on March 25. Students MUST stand near their projects during the judging period.   
  • Public viewing of projects will occur from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday, March 25. 
  • Awards presentation will be held from 4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. in Cornell Auditorium on Tuesday, March 25. 
  • Projects display MAY be removed after the awards ceremony between 5:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday, March 25. 

Submit all forms and requests for information to: 

Dr. Rabindra Bajracharya, Director MSRSF 
Missouri Southern State University 
3950 E. Newman Road 
Joplin, MO 64801 

General information questions should be directed to: 

Dr. Rabindra Bajracharya 
Bajracharya-r@mssu.edu (Preferred) 
417-625-3024 

Rachael Gilmore (Administrative Assistant) 
Gilmore-r@mssu.edu 
417-625-9376,  

Information regarding protocol procedures should be directed to: 

Dr. Donna Johnson (SRC Chair) 
johnson-d@mssu.edu 
417-625-3556, 

Official Rules and Protocol Forms are available from the ISEF web page: 

https://student.societyforscience.org/intel-isef-forms

MSSU Science Fair Entry Form

You may also fax your forms to 417-625-3169. Please include a cover sheet and contact information with the faxed documents.