- EISEF Information
- What is the EISEF?
- When and where is the EISEF?
- Who are the people who put on EISEF? How often do they meet?
- Who call tell me about … ? Who can help me with … ?
- You use a lot of abbreviations and special words. What do they mean?
- How do you pronounce “EISEF”? What about “ISEF”?
- What awards are available at the EISEF?
- What are the different EISEF awards?
- Can a student win more than one award?
- Student Entries
- How do I enter my Junior (6th through 8th grade) project in the Fair?
- How do I enter my Senior (9th through 12th grade) project in the Fair and compete for a trip to the International Fair?
- What if I can’t determine which category (biological or physical) my experiment/exhibit belongs in?
- Where do I find the paperwork required by ISEF that senior entries must submit?
- When are entries to EISEF due?
- What can I do if I’m late making my entry to EISEF? Will it still be permitted?
- What can I do if I my school Science Fair isn’t held until after the deadline for entries and we want to send our winners to EISEF?
- Do I have to be in a qualifying Science Fair to be eligible to exhibit at EISEF?
- There is no one at my school to help me enter the EISEF, what can I do? There are certificates and such to get signed, who will review them?
- How will I know if you’ve accepted my entry?
- How much does it cost to enter an exhibit at EISEF?
- There is a conflicting event (band contest, speech contest, etc.) which I should attend on Fair Day. Is there a way I can do both?
- I need to leave the Fair before the Awards Ceremony. Can I leave early and still win awards?
- Lindale Mall and Fair Day
- How do I get to Lindale Mall in Cedar Rapids?
- What is the overall schedule for March 17, 2012? What happens when?
- Is there an emergency number that we can call on Fair Day to contact someone at the Mall about EISEF?
- What should I wear to the EISEF? Is there a dress code?
- Will there be time to do some shopping while we’re at the mall?
- Why do you make us stand all morning? Why not give us chairs first thing?
- Other Science Fairs
- We don’t have a local science fair. How do we start one?
- EISEF’s territory doesn’t include my school. Is there a fair that does?
- Do I have to attend and win at a regional fair (like EISEF) to enter my exhibit in the State Science and Technology Fair of Iowa (SSTFI) in Ames?
- When and where will the 2012 ISEF take place?
- Helping EISEF
Frequently Asked Questions
This page contains answers to Frequently Asked Questions handled by our judges and officials, along with some tips that we have found useful and presented here as questions.
EISEF Information
What is the EISEF?
The Eastern Iowa Science and Engineering Fair is a regional science fair affiliated with the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF). Its ISEF ID is USIA01.
When and where is the EISEF?
The fair will be held on Saturday, March 17, 2012 at Lindale Mall in Cedar Rapids Iowa.
Who are the people who put on EISEF? How often do they meet?
Visit the Board of Directors to see EISEF’s personnel.
During the Fair “season”, September through March, we meet on the second Tuesday of every month. Our Calendar of Events shows the meeting dates for this season.
Who call tell me about … ? Who can help me with … ?
The Contact Us page should direct you to an EISEF board member who can help you.
You use a lot of abbreviations and special words. What do they mean?
The Glossary page has the definitions you’re looking for.
How do you pronounce “EISEF”? What about “ISEF”?
We say them “EE-sef”; and “EYE-sef”.
What awards are available at the EISEF?
Trophies, plaques, medallions, $$$, scholarships, and a trip to the International Science and Engineering Fair in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. See the Last Year’s Awards page for more information.
What are the different EISEF awards?
In each division, we present the following awards:
- Class I, to the best 15–20% of the exhibits
- Class II, to the next 15–20%
- Honorable Mention, to the next 15–20%
We select the best Junior exhibits as Junior Champions.
We select the best Senior exhibits as Senior Champions, who will represent us at the ISEF in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Can a student win more than one award?
Oh, yes. The 2010 Exhibits & Awards page you shows the awards that each student won at the 2010 Fair.
Student Entries
How do I enter my Junior (6th through 8th grade) project in the Fair?
Visit the Student Entry Form, fill out the form, and click the Submit button at the bottom. Then print the Signature page with your information, sign it, and mail a copy of it to EISEF. When you sign the Rules Certification section, you will satisfy the need for all other paperwork. You don’t have to write an abstract.
How do I enter my Senior (9th through 12th grade) project in the Fair and compete for a trip to the International Fair?
Visit the Student Entry Form, fill out the form, and click the Submit button at the bottom. Then print the Signature page with your information, sign it, and mail a copy of it to EISEF along with copies of the ISEF paperwork required for your experiment. You must include an abstract, but it need not be on the ISEF form.
What if I can’t determine which category (biological or physical) my experiment/exhibit belongs in?
Contact our Safety & Standards Committee (see the Contact Us page). We’ll also contact your adult sponsor if we have questions about your entry.
Where do I find the paperwork required by ISEF that senior entries must submit?
On the Forms Guide.
When are entries to EISEF due?
The deadline for mailing entries is approximately three weeks before the Fair. For the 2012 Fair, entries should be postmarked no later than February 26, 2012.
What can I do if I’m late making my entry to EISEF? Will it still be permitted?
The Student and Teachers page describes how to enter the Fair, including how to deal with late entries.
What can I do if I my school Science Fair isn’t held until after the deadline for entries and we want to send our winners to EISEF?
Phone the Safety & Standards Committee at the number listed on the Contact Us page and tell us how many students will be coming. When your fair is complete, call us with the names and exhibit information, then quickly complete and mail the entries for those students.
Do I have to be in a qualifying Science Fair to be eligible to exhibit at EISEF?
No. We may be the first fair you attend. However, the more fairs that you attend, the better your presentation will become.
There is no one at my school to help me enter the EISEF, what can I do? There are certificates and such to get signed, who will review them?
Contact our Safety & Standards Committee (see the Contact Us page) for any review of paperwork.
How will I know if you’ve accepted my entry?
We contact adult sponsors in the weeks leading up to the fair to confirm entry information and identify last minute information for fair attendees.
Status of Student Entries page lists all the entries we’ve received so far and tells whether they’re Pending (no paperwork received yet) or Accepted (everything in order).
How much does it cost to enter an exhibit at EISEF?
There is no cost.
There is a conflicting event (band contest, speech contest, etc.) which I should attend on Fair Day. Is there a way I can do both?
Give us a call and we’ll see if the schedules can fit together.
I need to leave the Fair before the Awards Ceremony. Can I leave early and still win awards?
Give us a call and we’ll see what can be arranged.
Lindale Mall and Fair Day
How do I get to Lindale Mall in Cedar Rapids?
Lindale Mall’s web site has a map and directions from various places in eastern Iowa.
What is the overall schedule for March 17, 2012? What happens when?
You can find out on the Schedule for Fair Day page.
Is there an emergency number that we can call on Fair Day to contact someone at the Mall about EISEF?
Lindale Mall Customer Service: (319) 393–9393
What should I wear to the EISEF? Is there a dress code?
EISEF has no dress code as such. You should wear clothes that will let people know you are a serious student and you take the competition seriously.
What’s more, people will be taking pictures all during the Fair: during the Orientation session, at the exhibits, during the Awards Ceremony. We’ll post many of these pictures to our web site, and some may even appear in your hometown newspaper. (Read our Privacy Policy.) Take a look at the pictures we’ve posted for previous Fairs. Imagine searching the web years from now and finding a picture of yourself on our web site. What would you like to see?
Will there be time to do some shopping while we’re at the mall?
Yes. From until you should plan to spend every other half-hour at your exhibit so you can visit with potential judges. The rest of the time you can cruise the Mall.
Why do you make us stand all morning? Why not give us chairs first thing?
Two reasons, both related to safety.
First, if we put chairs out before you arrive on Fair Day morning, they would be in the way while everybody is bringing in exhibits and setting them up. What’s more, some students with tall exhibits would stand on the chairs to reach—and the chairs aren’t sturdy enough or stable enough for that.
Second, it gets crowded between the rows of exhibits, just with all the people. The crowding would be much worse if you students were sitting in chairs. We distribute chairs late in the morning, after most of the judging is done, when (we hope!) the crowding is less of a problem.
So, you’ll be standing most of the morning at EISEF. You should wear shoes that are made for standing.
Other Science Fairs
We don’t have a local science fair. How do we start one?
and ask for help. We can provide insight into what it takes to hold a fair.
The Greater Kansas City Science and Engineering Fair Website has a 12-page pamphlet Organizing a Preliminary Science Fair, which outlines the process.
EISEF’s territory doesn’t include my school. Is there a fair that does?
The Western Iowa Science and Engineering Fair in Sheldon is the ISEF-affiliated regional fair that covers the schools and students in Iowa west of EISEF’s territory. This year’s WISEF is scheduled for March 10, 2012. For more information, read the 2010 WISEF Fair Guidebook (on the SSTFI website) or visit the ISEF Affiliated Fairs page.
Do I have to attend and win at a regional fair (like EISEF) to enter my exhibit in the State Science and Technology Fair of Iowa (SSTFI) in Ames?
No. The SSTFI has its own entry requirements which you must meet. Visit its web site for more information.
When and where will the 2012 ISEF take place?
May 13–18, 2012, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Visit the ISEF Website and the ISEF 2012 web page for more information.
Helping EISEF
My organization is interested in helping the EISEF. How can we help?
Our Volunteers page has more information.
My organization wants to sponsor an award at EISEF. How can we do this?
Award Signup has more information.
How can I make a contribution to EISEF’s finances?
Visit our Contributors page for more information.