Frequently Asked Questions (EISEF)

Frequently Asked Questions

This page contains answers to Frequently Asked Questions handled by our judges and officials, along with some tips that we have found useful and presented here as questions.

You can follow these links to groups of questions:

EISEF Information
Student Entries
Lindale Mall and Fair Day
Other Science Fairs
Helping EISEF

EISEF Information

What is the EISEF?

The Eastern Iowa Science and Engineering Fair is a regional science fair affiliated with the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF). Its ISEF ID is 250101.

When and where is the EISEF?

The fair will be held on Saturday, March 20, 2010 at Lindale Mall in Cedar Rapids Iowa.

Who are the people who put on EISEF? How often do they meet?

Visit the Board of Directors page to see EISEF's personnel.

During the Fair "season", September through March, we meet on the second Tuesday of every month. Visit the Calendar of Events to see the meeting dates for this season.

Who call tell me about ... ? Who can help me with ... ?

Check the Contact Us page—it should direct you to an EISEF board member who can help you.

You use a lot of abbreviations and special words. What do they mean?

The Glossary of Terms page has the definitions you're looking for.

How do you pronounce "EISEF"? What about "ISEF"?

We say them "EE-sef" and "EYE-sef".

What awards are available at the EISEF?

Trophies, plaques, medallions, $$$, scholarships, and a trip to the International Science and Engineering Fair in San Jose, California. See the Last Year's Awards page for more information.

What are the different EISEF awards?

In each division, we present the following awards:

Class I, to the best 15-20% of the exhibits
Class II, to the next 15-20%
Honorable Mention, to the next 15-20%

We select the best Junior exhibits as Junior Champions.
We select the best Senior exhibits as Senior Champions, who will represent us at the ISEF in San Jose, California.

Can a student win more than one award?

Oh, yes. On the 2010 Exhibits & Awards you can see the awards that each student won at the 2010 Fair.

Student Entries

How do I enter my Junior (6th through 8th grade) project in the Fair?: Visit the Student Entry Form, fill out the form, and click the Submit button at the bottom. Then print the Signature page with your information, sign it, and mail a copy of it to EISEF. When you sign the Rules Certification section, you will satisfy the need for all other paperwork. There is no abstract needed.
How do I enter my Senior (9th through 12th grade) project in the Fair and compete for a trip to the International Fair?: Visit the Student Entry Form, fill out the form, and click the Submit button at the bottom. Then print the Signature page with your information, sign it, and mail a copy of it to EISEF along with copies of the ISEF paperwork required for your experiment. You must include an abstract, but it need not be on the ISEF form.
What if I can't determine which category (biological or physical) my experiment/exhibit belongs in?: Contact our Safety & Standards Committee (see the Contact Us page). We'll also contact your adult sponsor if we have questions about your entry.
Where do I find the paperwork required by ISEF that senior entries must submit?: On the Forms Guide page.
I have blank forms left over from previous years. Is it okay to use them?: No.; We last used the paper EISEF entry forms in 2005. Now you need to use the on-line Student Entry Form.; As for the ISEF forms, they change every year. If you use obsolete forms for this year's project, you risk being disqualified. EISEF's Forms Guide lists all of the ISEF forms, tells how to fill them out, and has a link to the latest edition of every form.
When are entries to EISEF due?: The deadline for mailing entries is approximately three weeks before the Fair. For the 2010 Fair, entries should be postmarked no later than February 28, 2010.
What can I do if I'm late making my entry to EISEF? Will it still be permitted?: The Students & Teachers page describes how to enter the Fair, including how to deal with late entries.
What can I do if I my school Science Fair isn't held until after the deadline for entries and we want to send our winners to EISEF?: Phone the Safety & Standards Committee at the number listed on the Contact Us page and tell us how many students will be coming. When your fair is complete, call us with the names and exhibit information, then quickly complete and mail the entries for those students.
Do I have to be in a qualifying Science Fair to be eligible to exhibit at EISEF?: No. We may be the first fair you attend. However, the more fairs that you attend, the better your presentation will become.
There is no one at my school to help me enter the EISEF, what can I do? There are certificates and such to get signed, who will review them?: Contact our Safety & Standards Committee (see the Contact Us page) for any review of paperwork.
How will I know if you've accepted my entry?: We contact adult sponsors in the weeks leading up to the fair to confirm entry information and identify last minute information for fair attendees.; The Status of Student Entries page lists all the entries we've received so far and tells whether they're Pending (no paperwork received yet) or Accepted (everything in order).
How much does it cost to enter an exhibit at EISEF?: There is no cost.
There is a conflicting event (band contest, speech contest, etc.) which I should attend on Fair Day. Is there a way to do both?: Give us a call and we'll see if the schedules can fit together.
I need to leave the Fair before the Awards Ceremony. Can I leave early and still win awards?: Give us a call and we'll see what can be arranged.

Lindale Mall and Fair Day

How do I get to Lindale Mall in Cedar Rapids?

Lindale Mall's web site has a map and directions from various places in eastern Iowa.

What is the overall schedule for March 20, 2010?What happens when?

You can find out on the Schedule for Fair Day page.

Is there an emergency number that we can call on Fair Day to contact someone at the Mall about EISEF?

Lindale Mall Customer Service: (319) 393-9393

What should I wear to the EISEF? Is there a dress code?

EISEF has no dress code as such. You should wear clothes that will let people know you are a serious student and you take the competition seriously.

What's more, people will be taking pictures all during the Fair: during the Orientation session, at the exhibits, during the Awards Ceremony. We'll post many of these pictures to our web site, and some may even appear in your hometown newspaper. (Read our Privacy Policy.) Take a look at the pictures we've posted for previous Fairs. Imagine searching the web years from now and finding a picture of yourself on our web site. What would you like to see?

Will there be time to do some shopping while we're at the mall?

Yes. From Noon until 5:00 PM you should plan to spend every other half-hour at your exhibit so you can visit with potential judges; you need to be at your exhibit during your division's photo session. The rest of the time you can cruise the Mall.

Why do you make us stand all morning? Why not give us chairs first thing?

Two reasons, both related to safety.

First, if we put chairs out before you arrive on Fair Day morning, they would be in the way while everybody is bringing in exhibits and setting them up. What's more, some students with tall exhibits would stand on the chairs to reach—and the chairs aren't sturdy enough or stable enough for that.

Second, it gets crowded between the rows of exhibits, just with all the people. The crowding would be much worse if you students were sitting in chairs. We distribute chairs late in the morning, after most of the judging is done, when (we hope!) the crowding is less of a problem.

So, you'll be standing most of the morning at EISEF. You should wear shoes that are made for standing.

Other Science Fairs

We don't have a local science fair. How do we start one?: and ask for help. We can provide insight into what is needed to hold a fair.; The Greater Kansas City Science and Engineering Fair Website has a 12-page pamphlet Organizing a Preliminary Science Fair, which outlines the process.
EISEF's territory doesn't include my school. Is there a fair that does?
Do I have to attend and win at a regional fair (like EISEF) to enter my exhibit in the State Science and Technology Fair of Iowa (SSTFI) in Ames?: No. The SSTFI has its own entry requirements which you must meet. Visit its web site for more information.
When and where will the 2010 ISEF take place?: May 9–14, 2010, in San Jose, California. Visit the ISEF Website and the Official Host City Website for more information.

Helping EISEF

My organization is interested in helping the EISEF. How can we help?: Visit our Volunteers page for more information.
My organization wants to sponsor an award at EISEF. How can we do this?: Visit our Award Signup page for more information.
How can I make a contribution to EISEF's finances?: Visit our Contributors page for more information.

FAQ