Bringing Your Science Project into �ISEF Compliance
A Brief Tutorial �2024-2025
Ventura County Science Fair
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What Is ISEF and Why Should I Care?
ISEF stands for the International Science and Engineering Fair, the world’s largest and most prestigious international pre-college science competition�
Students who win their locally affiliated science fair competitions are eligible to compete in the Regeneron ISEF Fair (airfare and lodging is paid for by the affiliated fair)�
The Ventura County Science Fair is now an ISEF affiliated fair�
Colleges are looking for students who have done impressive self-directed research �
Participation in the Regeneron ISEF Fair is proof of that independent research
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Becoming ISEF Compliant
ISEF rules require student projects to meet standards regarding the rigor, safety, and ethics of their research �
Before starting the research project, every student must complete the ISEF Rules Wizard�
The ISEF Rules Wizard will clarify what forms you will have to complete to be ISEF compliant�
The ISEF Rules Wizard determines whether your student’s project requires pre-approval by your school’s Institutional Review Board (IRB) or Scientific Review Committee (SRC) �
Schools are required to have their own IRB/SRC for initial project review before submitting ISEF paperwork to the Ventura County Science Fair�
After project submission to the Ventura County Science Fair, an additional final project review will be performed by the Ventura County Science Fair IRB/SRC at the county level
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How to Create a School IRB/SRC Committee
If your student was required to fill out Forms 4 - 6 their project must be reviewed by the appropriate IRB or SRC committee�
IRB committees determine whether students working with human subjects are ensuring the physical and psychological safety of test subjects, and are maintaining the privacy of those subjects�
SRC determines whether students working in labs with a variety of materials/animals are following proper safety procedures�