Display and Safety

This page describes Project Display and Safety for CSRSEF. Much of the same regulations as a in-person fair year still hold true for Virtual Fairs. Make sure your project and display is not breaking any regulations, or your project may be at risk for disqualification.

There are two components for Display and Safety for the fair. This page describes #2.

1. Materials you provide for the fair

2. Rules for the materials you provide in the fair (D&S Rules)

Virtual Fair: D&S Rules for CSRSEF

Even in a Virtual Fair, the International Rules and Guidelines are still in place. CSRSEF follows the D&S Rules that ISEF provides. If we suspect a display and safety violation through your project materials and/or your camera display during CSRSEF, you may be subject to further scrutiny and possible disqualification. Be informed about the display and safety regulations!

While CSRSEF adheres to ISEF display and safety regulations, we understand that in many cases, CSRSEF will serve as a student’s first competitive science fair. With this in mind, we encourage students to follow the ISEF display and safety rules, but CSRSEF will not disqualify a project unless unsafe for the participants and any other people that may physically be exposed to your project (i.e. use of fire or explosives, large quantities of water, etc). Judges will alert fair staff if any project seems to violate D&S rules.

These regulations are detailed on ISEF’s website.

The regulations are also summarized below.

Photograph/Image Display Requirements

Display of photographs other than that of the finalist must have a photo release signed by the subject, and if under 18 years of age, also by the guardian of the subject. Sample consent text: “I consent to the use of visual images (photos, videos, etc.) involving my participation/my child’s participation in this research.” (These forms must be available upon request by staff, but does not need to be displayed.)

Finalists using audio-visual or multi-media presentations (for example, 35mm slides; videotapes; images, graphics, animations, etc., displayed on computer monitors; or other non-print presentation methods) must be prepared to show the entire presentation to the Display and Safety Inspectors before the project is approved.

Any photograph/visual image/chart/table and/or graph is allowed if:

• It is not deemed offensive or inappropriate (which includes images/photographs showing invertebrate or vertebrate animals/humans in surgical, necrotizing or dissection situations) by the Scientific Review Committee, the Display and Safety Committee, or Society for Science & the Public. The decision made by any one of the groups mentioned above is final.

• It has a credit line of origin (“Photograph taken by…”or “Image taken from…” or “Graph/Chart/Table taken from…”). (If all images, etc. being displayed were taken or created by the finalist or are from the same source, one credit line prominently and vertically displayed on the poster is sufficient.)

• It is from the Internet, magazine, newspaper, journal, etc., and a credit line is attached. (If all photographs, etc. are from the same source, one credit prominently displayed is sufficient.)

• It is a photograph or visual depiction of the finalist.

• It is a photograph or visual depiction for which a signed consent form is available upon request.

Items/Materials Not Allowed at Project

The following is a list of what cannot be displayed at the project:

• Any items that are acknowledgements, self-promotions or external endorsements (such as naming the research institution, mentor or patent pending statements) and/or are intended for distribution including:

• Any disks, CDs, business cards, printed materials, etc. (including unofficial abstracts) designed to be distributed to judges or the public

• Flash drives, brochures, booklets, endorsements, and additional give-away items including, but not limited to, pins, key chains, food etc.

• Any awards or medals, except for past or present Intel ISEF medals that may be worn by the Finalist.

• Postal addresses, World Wide Web, email and/or social media addresses, QR codes, telephone and/or fax numbers of a project or finalist.

• Active Internet or email connections as part of displaying or operating the project at the INTEL ISEF.

• Prior year’s written material or visual depictions on the display board. (Exception: The project title displayed in the finalist’s booth may mention duration of the project.) For example, Year 2 of an Ongoing Study. Please note continuation projects must have provided Continuation Project Form 7 in STEMWizard.

Other Display Regulations

No changes, modifications, or additions to projects may be made after approval the Scientific Review Committee. Finalists who do not adhere to this signed agreement on the SRC/DS2 Form regarding this regulation will fail to qualify for competition.

If a project fails to qualify the project will be removed from the competition.

Not Allowed at Project or Booth

• Living organisms, including plants

• Soil, sand, rock, cement and/or waste samples, even if permanently encased in a slab of acrylic

• Taxidermy specimens or parts

• Preserved vertebrate or invertebrate animals

• Human or animal food as part of the exhibitor demonstration of the project.

• Human/animal parts or body fluids (for example, blood, urine)

• Plant materials (living, dead, or preserved) that are in their raw, unprocessed, or non-manufactured state (Exception: manufactured construction materials used in building the project or display)

• All chemicals including water (Projects may not use water in any form in a demonstration)

• All hazardous substances or devices (Example: poisons, drugs, firearms, weapons, ammunition, reloading devices, and lasers)

• Items that may have contained or been in contact with hazardous chemicals (Exception: Item may be permitted if professionally cleaned and document for such cleaning is available)

• 3-D Printers

• Dry ice or other sublimating solids

• Sharp items (for example, syringes, needles, pipettes, knives)

• Flames or highly flammable materials (including magnified light sources). A Fresnel Lens cannot be used in confunction with a light source – it becomes an open flame.

• Batteries with open-top cells or wet cells

• Glass or glass objects unless deemed by the Display and Safety Committee to be an integral and necessary part of the project (for example, glass that is an integral part of a commercial product such as a computer screen)

• Any apparatus deemed unsafe by the Scientific Review Committee, the Display and Safety Committee, or Society for Science & the Public (Example: large vacuum tubes or dangerous ray-generating devices, empty tanks that previously contained combustible liquids or gases, pressurized tanks, etc.)