62nd ANNUAL TIDEWATER SCIENCE & ENGINEERING FAIR
Fair Date – Saturday, March 16, 2013
Old Dominion University, Webb Center
http://www.cs.odu.edu/~scifair/RegionalFair/
John Wittmann, Co-Director 757-635-5195
Dell Young, Co-Director 757-460-2863 2505 Indian Hill Road, Va. Beach, Va. 23455-1515
Greetings, Designated Contact People, Nov., 2012
Hope this finds you and your plans for your science fairs going strong.
Please review the attached introductory email if you did not get a chance to read it.
Question about which forms to use? Use the WIZARD tool from ISEF. http://apps.societyforscience.org/isef/students/wizard/index.asp
STILL CONFUSED? Contact us ASAP.
Remember that most forms are started (signed) BEFORE the experimentation begins.
Below is a repeat about the two forms that we received the most questions.
· Risk Assessment Form (3) page 37 from ISEF
1. The major change to the TSEF application is the requirement for all projects to have this form.
2. Please review the procedure carefully, especially if heat or glass is used.
3. By requiring this last year, we were able to accept applications in a more timely fashion.
4. If you have a project that does not seem to need this form (ex. a survey), write NA in the 5 required areas and have the Adult Sponsor complete and sign the boxed area.
5. EVERY project must include this completed form.
· Human Participants Form (page 37) with example of Informed Consent Form (page 38) from ISEF
1. As usual, you may develop your own consent form.
2. The set of signed forms are to remain in a secure place within your school.
3. Requests for these might occur at a later time.
4. Only send in one blank form.
We will NOT have time this year to contact you if your forms are not correct after you hand in the applications on Wed., Jan. 23. SO PLEASE check dates and signatures on all forms.
· Most dates are when the project is approved (not completed).
· Incomplete or incorrect forms will lead to a project not being accepted.
Important Dates for the Designated Contact Person for 2013:
§ Monday, Jan. 21 – Student Database entered on the TSEF’s website -
1. You will (by Dec. 10) receive an email with instructions and a the updated student database template.
2. You will be able to login at the TSEF’s website and enter the student data at that time.
3. Please use this year’s updated student database template. (Will be at the TSEF website by Dec. 10.)
WARNING:
If your database is not compatible with our master one, you may have to hand enter each
student’s information.
Since this will be time consuming for you, please use the correct one.
§ Wed., Jan. 23 – completed student applications should be dropped off in person
at New Horizons (Hampton) from 8 to noon
OR at the Advanced Technology Center (Va. Beach) from 2:30 to 5
a. Hard (printed) copy of the Tidewater Science and Engineering Fair Student Database
Please use this as a cover sheet for the set of applications.
b. Student Applications (2 copies) NEW: Please PAPERCLIP each application and DO NOT STAPLE.
PLEASE CHECK dates and signatures carefully.
c. List of the Scientific Review Committee (SRC) and, if you needed one, the Institutional Review Board (IRB) members
NOTE: The TSC, Inc. will not be responsible for any part(s) of the required submission materials not received by the deadlines.
§ Saturday, March 16 - the Tidewater Science Fair (TSEF) will be held at Old Dominion University
§ Friday and Saturday, April5-6– Va. State Science and Engineering Fair at VMI in Lexington, VA
Since the established dates are tight, you need to get started quickly with your interested students.
Just a few observations from last year’s event
1. Please help your students choose the correct category.
a. Several judges felt that projects were misplaced.
b. If something is made, think ENGINEERING.
c. Some categories are more popular than others. Look at the TSEF’s website for a list of last year’s projects.
d. We will enter the student in the category listed on your datasheet, not on the application. There have been some unhappy students and parents in the past, but we are relying on your expert judgment.
2. Please type the student data correctly.
a. The titles, categories, students’ names, etc. will be printed in the program and on all certificates the way the data appears on the Student Database (due Monday, Jan. 21, 2013) that the designated contacts send to us.
b. We do not have time to send you information, asking for clarification.
c. Most of the complaints we receive are from parents and teachers about misspellings.
d. We print what you send us. There is not any proofreading on our end.
We have updated TSEF website (ODU – science fair). At this time, you will find:
Results from 2012
List of Winning Students and Projects from 2012
Student Application for 2013
Contact emails (under the side menu for CONTACTS)
Links to the websites for TSEF and ISEF
Solicitation letter
and other resources
Please take any opportunities to hand out copies of our solicitation letter since we are totally dependent upon donations from the community. Any suggestions are welcomed.
Thank you for your continued support of the Tidewater Science Fair.
If you are not serving as your school’s designated contact, please pass this to the current contact.
John Wittmann, Co-Director 757-635-5195
Dell Young, Co-Director 757-460-2863 2505 Indian Hill Road, Va. Beach, Va. 23455-1515
Tidewater Science and Engineering website: http://www.cs.odu.edu/~scifair/RegionalFair/
International Science and Engineering Fair website: www.societyforscience.org/isef
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