Frequently+Asked+Questions

=Frequently Asked Questions= //These are excerpted from the ISEF Rules, which of course you've already read.//

Team Projects
2) Teams may have up to three members. Teams may not have more than three members at a local fair and then eliminate members to qualify for the Intel ISEF.

4) Each team should appoint a team leader to coordinate the work and act as spokesperson. However, each member of the team should be able to serve as spokesperson, be fully involved with the project, and be familiar with all aspects of the project. The final work should reflect the coordinated efforts of all team members and will be evaluated using similar rules and judging criteria as individual projects.

5) Each team member must submit an Approval Form (1B). However, team members must jointly submit the Checklist for Adult Sponsor (1), one abstract, a Student Checklist (1A), a Research Plan and other required forms.

6) Full names of all team members must appear on the abstract and forms.

Roles and Responsibilities of Students and Adults
__1) The Student Researcher(s)__ The student researcher is responsible for all aspects of the research project including enlisting the aid of any needed supervisory adults (Adult Sponsor, Qualified Scientist, etc.), obtaining necessary approvals (SRC, IRB, etc.), following the Rules & Guidelines of the ISEF, and doing the experimentation, engineering, data analysis, etc. involved in the project.

__2) The Adult Sponsor__ An Adult Sponsor may be a teacher, parent, university professor, or scientist in whose lab the student is working. This individual must have a solid background in science and should have close contact with the student during the course of the project.

The Adult Sponsor is responsible for working with the student to evaluate any possible risks involved in order to ensure the health and safety of the student conducting the research and the humans or animals involved in the study. The Adult Sponsor must review the student’s Student Checklist (1A) and Research Plan to make sure that: a) experimentation is done within local, state, and federal laws and these International Rules; b) that forms are completed by other adults involved in approving or supervising any part of the experiment; and c) that criteria for the Qualified Scientist adhere to those set forth below. //International Rules: Guidelines for Science and Engineering Fairs 2011-2012, www.societyforscience.org/isef// Page 5

The Adult Sponsor must be familiar with the regulations that govern potentially dangerous research as they apply to a specific student project. These may include chemical and equipment usage, experimental techniques, research involving human or vertebrate animals, and cell cultures, microorganisms, or animal tissues. The issues must be discussed with the student when completing the Research Plan. Some experiments involve procedures or materials that are regulated by state and federal laws. If not thoroughly familiar with the regulations, the Adult Sponsor should help the student enlist the aid of a Qualified Scientist.

The Adult Sponsor is responsible for ensuring the student’s research is eligible for entry in the Intel ISEF.