February 22 – 25, 2012
Palmer Events Center
Exploring Genius www.sciencefest.austinenergy.com

AERSF 2011 Statistics
• Projects:
• Students:
• Schools:
• School Districts:
2558 +115
3907
237
17
• Judges &Volunteers: over 400
+353
+19
+3

What is new for AERSF 2012?
New:
• Middle & High Schools are limited to 60 projects
Not new but worth mentioning:
• Parking will be free of charge to all participants at the Palmer Parking
Garage.
• We will be able to send up to 5 projects to INTEL ISEF.
• Team Projects are no longer judged separately from individual projects, they are judged in their respective categories.
• No project in which the student has used potato guns, compressed air canister, explosive projectile devices or firearms will be allowed in the
Jr. Division.

What’s New for 2012 from Intel ISEF?
ISEF CHANGES
– Human Participants:
– The term, human subjects, has been changed to human participants.
– Vertebrate Animals:
– Zebrafish embryos are not considered vertebrate animals until 7 days (168 hours) post fertilization
– Potentially Hazardous Biological Agents:
– Laboratory studies culturing KPC (Klebsiella pneumonia) must be conducted in a BSL-2 laboratory in Registered Research Institution with documented IBC review and approval
– Self-sampling of capillary blood for analysis can be conducted in a home setting (e.g. glucometer reading)

Other News!
• Texas Science and Engineering Festival
– November 5-6, 2011 at the Austin Convention Center
– This is a Science Exposition not a competition. We will have a booth setup to celebrate the promotion of science and engineering in the community.
– http://texassciencefestival.org/

• SRC Voluntary Document Review Day
Saturday, January 28, 2012, 8:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
• Deadline to submit School Registration packet
Thursday , February 2, 2012, 5:00 p.m.
• Deadline to submit packet corrections
(if required)
Tuesday, February 14, 2012, 5:00 p.m.
• Science Festival – Palmer Events Center
Wednesday-Thursday, February 22-23, 2012

Deadline to Submit Registration Packets:
Thursday February 2, 2012 at 5:00 p.m.
ON TIME LATE (after 5pm, Feb. 3)
Student Project Fee $15
School Registration Fee $35
$25
$75
No late entry for Scientist Training Students

• Teachers organize their SRC/IRB
• Students choose a project
• Students write a research plan (written in future tense)
• Use Rules Wizard & Download the required forms
• Teacher reviews research plan and submits paperwork to SRC/IRB (if required)
• Student Research is conducted
• Abstract Form is filled out
• School & students register online and sends us all paperwork including Media Release and Registration
Confirmation by February 2, 2012

 Print the Student Checklist for each student.
 Form an Institutional Review Board (IRB) at your school. (More on this later!)
 Have students use the Rules Wizard at http://apps.societyforscience.org/isef/students/wizard
/index.asp

 Copy Intel ISEF paperwork for each student.
Students must keep original Intel ISEF paperwork.
 Print a Media Release Form for each student.
 On Saturday Jan. 28, bring students’ paperwork to be reviewed BEFORE the registration deadline.

• Research Plan not written in Future tense
• Incomplete dates, signatures, address and phone numbers on Intel ISEF Forms
• Student’s online registration confirmation is not submitted
• Original student Media Release Form signed by the parent/guardian is missing
• Incomplete or missing Bibliography

Approves projects that involve Human subjects prior to start of experimentation
Membership:
• Educator
• School Administrator
• Someone knowledgeable about evaluating risk
(MD, PA, RN, psychiatrist, psychologist, licensed social worker)

Reviews some projects before experimentation
• Vertebrate animals
• Hazardous biological agents
• Drug Enforcement Agency controlled substances
• Required SRC Members (at least 1 of each)
– biomedical scientist (Ph.D., M.D., D.V.M., D.D.S., D.O.)
– educator
– one other member

• Required Members for a Combined Committee
– biomedical scientist (Ph.D., M.D., D.V.M., D.D.S., D.O.)
– someone knowledgeable about evaluating risk (MD, RN, licensed social worker, psychiatrist, psychologist)
– educator
– school administrator

• Has solid background in science
• Maintains close contact with student during the course of the project
• Oversees that project is within rules and guidelines
• Responsible for health and safety of student and test subjects
• Completes Form 1 – Checklist for Adult Sponsor

• Required only for projects involving human subjects, vertebrate animals, hazardous biological agents, or
DEA-controlled substances
• Must have advanced degree or expertise related to student’s area of research and be familiar with rules governing that area of research
• May reside in another state (in that case, a Designated
Supervisor must oversee student’s experimentation)
• May be the same person as the Adult Sponsor
• Completes Form 2 – QS Form

• Supervises project experimentation when
Qualified Scientist cannot directly supervise
• Need not have advanced degree, but must be thoroughly familiar with student’s project and trained in the area of research
• “Animal Care Supervisor” for animal projects
• Supervises projects using Hazardous Chemicals,
Activities or Devices

Forms that ALL students must complete:
• Form 1 – Checklist for Adult Sponsor
• Form 1A – Student Checklist
• Form 1B – Approval Form
• A Research Plan
• An Abstract
• Austin Energy Media Release
Rules Wizard! http://apps.societyforscience.org/isef/students/wizard/index.a
sp

Abstracts
• Can be Obtained from our website or the Intel
ISEF website--print and complete by hand
• Must be written on the Official Abstract and
Certification Form www.societyforscience.org/isef

Involve living individuals with:
– Intervention or interaction with subjects or manipulation of their environment including surveys and/or
– Collection of identifiable private information
Not Human Subjects studies
– Student Product testing
– Review of publicly available data
– Observations at unrestricted public settings

• Require IRB review and approval of research plan before experimentation begins
• IRB evaluates and determines
– Risk level
– Requirement for informed consent
– Requirement for Qualified Scientist

(Risk level to be determined by the school’s IRB)
• Exercise
• Ingestion, Smelling, or Tasting
• Emotional stress – survey, stimuli
• Invasion of privacy
• Breech of confidentiality

Restrictions - propulsion, hazardous materials or activities
Jr. Division students may NOT conduct a project that includes:
• the students use of a firearm, air pressure canister device, or potato gun;
• chemicals hazardous to student health, or radioactive materials;
• any other activity or substances that present a danger to the student.
Sr. Division students who design experiments that include:
• discharging a firearm or air pressure canister devices;
• chemicals hazardous to student health, or radioactive materials;
• any other activity or substance that presents a danger to the student
…must have PRE-approval by the IRB/SRC and they must carefully follow the Intel ISEF Rules and Guidelines.

• We highly recommend you view the presentation made available by the ISEF SRC.
• Share with your IRB and SRC members, teachers, parents, and others interested in finding out more about ISEF Rules. www.societyforscience.org/isef

• For special populations of students
• Available in all divisions for individual or team projects
• The basic rules and guidelines are the same, but the paperwork requirements may differ
• Notify us if student has specific requirements
• Students may not proceed to the state fair

• Each school may select up to 19 individual or team projects
• Note the number of participating Scientist Training projects
(with the reduced fee of $5) at the bottom of the School
Registration Form
• There is only one school fee for registration of all students at your school (ST and regular entry students included)
• May not register late

• Austin Energy Best of Fair
• Austin Energy Best Use of Electricity
• Austin Energy Best Use of Renewable Energy
• Austin Energy Best in Climate Protection
• Austin Energy Science, Math & Engineering Scholarship
• Austin Energy Sweepstakes Award and Scholarship
• Discovery Channel Award

• American Meteorological Society
• American Psychological Assn.
• Association for Women Geoscientists
• Herbert Hoover Presidential Library Association
• Intel Excellence in Computer Science Service
• MU Alpha Theta
• National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
• National Society of Professional Engineers
• Society of Women Engineers
• Synopsys Intel ISEF Travel Award
• U. S. Army, Air Force and Marine Corps
• U. S. Department of Health and Human Services
• Yale Science and Engineering Association

• February 22-25, 2012
– Austin Energy Regional Science Festival
– Austin Texas
• March 29-April 1, 2012
– Exxon Mobil Texas Science and Engineering Fair
– San Antonio Texas
• May 2-7, 2012
– ISWEEEP
– Houston Texas
• May 13-18, 2012
– Intel International Science and Engineering Fair
– Pittsburgh PA

Austin Energy Regional Science Festival www.sciencefest.austinenergy.com
Intel ISEF – rules, forms, wizard, etc.
www.societyforscience.org/isef
Science Fair support – ideas and “how to” for projects www.sciencebuddies.com

sciencefest@austinenergy.com
Russell Cowen, Regional Fair Director russell.cowen@austinenergy.com
(512) 972-9532
Advisory Committee Members:
Barbara tenBrink, Chair
Michele Mann
SueAnn Decuir
Lisa Rogers
Pierrette Tyson