General Information

Individual and team projects:

• Students may conduct a science project individually or in teams (max 3 students/team.) Students participating on a team must compete at their appropriate division, either senior (9-12) or junior (6-8).
• Team members must all compete within the same division and shall not be separated to compete in different divisions.
• Students from different school districts may not join to form teams.

Display & Safety

Please review the full text of the Display & Safety rules in the International Rules & Guidelines to ensure
compliance with the display regulations including:

• Maximum size of the project
• Forms required to be displayed
• Photograph/Image Display Requirements and
• Items/materials not allowed on display or at your project booth.

1. Acknowledgments on the project display are no longer prohibited; in alignment with the ISEF ethics statement, students may recognize those that have supported their work in a section on the display.
2. Student-created logos are to be properly credited within the photograph/image display requirements but are no longer restricted to one instance on the display.

Guidelines for your Physical Display

• Important information should be readable from about 10 feet away. The suggested smallest font on your physical poster is 18 pt.
• Title is short and draws interest.
• Word count of about 300 to 800 words.
• Text is clear and to the point.
• Use of bullets, numbering, and headlines make it easy to read.
• Effective use of graphics, color, and fonts.

ISEF Rules Quick Reference: Forms Check

1. Hazardous Materials, Activities, Devices: Risk Assessment Form (3)
   1. Chemicals, poison, acid, petroleum products, paint, glue, fertilizer, etc.
   2. Power tools, knives, sharp or dangerous objects, machinery
   3. Fire, heat, oven, burner, radiation, electricity, flammable materials/substances
   4. Any other potentially dangerous situation or activity
   5. Exempt Micro-Biology, E-coli k12, algae, bio-fuel, bio-fuel cells, etc.
   6. Projects that involve human participant testing of any project involving student-designed inventions, prototypes, or consumer products
2. Human Participant Study: Human Participant Form (4) (IRB Pre-Approval)
   1. Surveys, tests, opinion studies, etc.
   2. Tasting, smelling, exercise, etc.
   3. Medical procedures, blood sugar, blood pressure, DNA kit, etc.
   4. Using other people to test a product you created or purchased
   5. Any research involving humans (including yourself) as test subjects
3. Vertebrate Animal Study: Vertebrate Form (5A) or (5B) (SRC Pre-Approval)
   1. Involves any vertebrate animal (dog, cat, fish, chicken, birds, reptiles, etc.)
4. Biological Agents (microbiology): Hazardous Biological Agents Form (6A) (SRC Pre-Approval)
   1. Culturing bacteria, mold, or other microorganisms (can’t be done at home)
   2. E-Coli K-12 does NOT NEED this form, but must be done in a lab
5. Vertebrate Tissue: Biological Agents Form (6A) & Tissue Form (6B) (SRC Pre-Approval)
   1. Blood, blood products (from vertebrate animals or humans)
   2. Saliva/other bodily fluids (from vertebrate animals or humans)
   3. Cell or Tissue (from vertebrate animals or humans)
6. Research Done outside home, school, or field or with significant contribution from a mentor
   other than the teacher (including virtual assistance by a mentor): Regulated Research/Industrial
   Form (1C)
   1. Place of business or commercial/private property (stores, churches, offices, facilities,
      gyms, hair salons, etc.)
   2. Industrial Location (welding shops, machine shops, mechanic shops, etc.)
   3. School or University other than the one you attend
7. Continuation Project: Continuation Form (7)
   1. Project related to the previous year’s research

Dates and Schedule for 2023:

Directions and Parking for 2023:

COVID-19 Policies and Recommendations: 

SEFH 2023 is currently planned as an in-person event scheduled for Saturday, February 11, 2023.

Following guidance from the CDC regarding K12 learning and local health official recommendations for large events in Harris County, SEFH has adopted the following policies and recommendations for all participants:

1. SEFH recommends all participants who are eligible and able to be safely vaccinated do so. Information about COVID-19 vaccination in Texas is available at: https://www.dshs.texas.gov/covidvaccine/
2. SEFH leadership will continue to monitor local health conditions and will make additional modifications to fair plan as required. We will keep all participants informed of COVID-19 policies and recommendations.

For additional information about these policies, please contact info@SEFHouston.org