Top Science CompetitionsIntel Science Talent Search

Siemens Competition in Math, Science, and TechnologyDavidson Fellows

Junior Science and Humanities Symposium&

A Few “Others”…

Thanks to Amber Hess, Benjamin Pollack, Yihe Dong, Janelle Schlossberger, and Mary Masterman

2011-2012

“Other” Science Fairs• Middle school

• Discovery Education 3M Young Scientist Challenge• 3E Sustainable Future Challenge• Broadcom MASTERS

• Middle and High School• Young Naturalist Awards

• High School• Google• ISWEEEP• BioGENEius Challenge

The Top Competitions• Intel Science Talent Search

• Individual 12th graders• Deadline: Nov 1st for transcripts and recommendations; Nov

16th for online application

• Siemens Competition in Math, Science, and Technology• 9-12 teams, individual 12th graders• Deadline: Oct. 3rd

• Davidson Fellows• Any age• Preliminary form due Jan 16th

• Junior Science and Humanities Symposium• 9-12 individuals• Check website Check competition rules!

Siemens Logistics• STS and Siemens don’t have time limits, like ISEF

• Double dip – use the same paper for STS and Siemens

• It might be too late to apply this year, but if you want to try, start now

• Application much shorter than STS; not much more than paper

• Team and individuals compete separately

• 300 semi-finalists -> 60 regional finalists -> 12 national finalists

• Regional finals at 6 universities: 12 min PowerPoint, poster, private Q&A with judges

• Nationals: similar format to regional

Siemens Finalist Experiences

“After dinner, the Siemens Foundation had a ‘HUGE’ surprise. They had arranged for the Jumbotron (the large television screens) in Times Square to feature all of the finalists' faces and names for 15 minutes. It was truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience.” – Ben

“We had a 10-minute question-and-answer session with the [national] judges. While they asked more difficult, or rather, more-specific questions than the regional competition, they had the same pleasant and appreciative attitude towards our research. The judges again wanted to see the depth of our knowledge on the subject area, so they asked questions specific to our research. For example: What are micro satellites? What are isofemale lines?” - Ben

STS Logistics• Online application, snail mail transcript, online

recommendations, online test scores, and research report

• ~1600 applicants -> 300 semifinalists -> 40 finalists

• Evaluators are scientists from across the country who consider all its aspects before rating it, with most weight to the paper

• Finalists go to Washington, D.C. for the Science Talent Institute• Judging interviews• Project interviews• Meet and greet the public• Meet the President• Gala banquet

“STS . . . it's knowledge-based and not just project-based.” - Mary

STS Finalist Experiences“This application is bigger than most college applications, not even counting the research paper.” - Amber

“The judges' questions are carefully selected and span across many scientific and mathematical disciplines . . . It's this characteristic . . . that makes [judging] so difficult; the questions can be about anything, and there is no way to prepare for them except by accumulating vast amounts of knowledge and getting into the habit of thinking critically and creatively. Stay confident though, and don't freak out. Just listen to what they've asked and take a moment to think of your answer . . . It's better to take a moment to collect your thoughts than to just blurt out an answer that might not make sense.” – Yihe

Some of Amber’s judging questions:

“What is the latitude of California? If you don't know, how could you figure it out?“

“Why is it that this hotel delivers hot water almost immediately, but my house puts out cold water first, and then the hot water?”

One of Yihe’s judging questions:

"If you were the sustainable development advisor for the President, what energy source would you advise the president to promote?“

More Finalist Experiences ”I found that the questions posed to me were tougher than the ones I received in other competitions. STS judges seem to have a sharper eye; they can detect the most insignificant deficiencies (but no deficiency is insignificant in research, really) and ask you to explain them squarely.” – Yihe

“The judges ask very tough questions, almost to the point of picking on the finalist, so interviewees need solid evidence to back up every statement.” – Yihe

“I quickly learned that it is all right to use the famous phrase, "I don't know." Nobody knows everything, so it's ok to admit that there is an area you should learn more about. However, you should say everything you know that is related to the topic before admitting defeat. Do not give up easily. Maybe you will strike gold somewhere along the way.” – Yihe

“I think that the judges intentionally encourage us to think creatively from different perspectives.” – Yihe

General Tips• Read all of the directions—twice

• If you have questions, ask

• Start the applications and paper ASAP

• Meet all deadlines (postmarked vs. received by)

• Send in applications early

• Use certified mail with tracking and delivery confirmation

• Don’t ask for exceptions

• Give teachers, mentors, and school officials plenty of time to do their part (at least 2 weeks)

General Tips II• Draft, draft, draft; revise, revise, revise

• Ask everyone for feedback• English teacher• Parent• Science teacher• Mentor• AAE

• Concision and coherence

• Present last year’s project

• Stop, review, prepare, dominate

“Be yourself . . . It's also important to show that you have a life outside of research, so be creative and talk about your other hobbies and passions, too.” - Amber

“Prepare, prepare, prepare...but don't stress.” - Mary

Students Need Mentors• "The generic combination (among Intel STS winners) is

that they're smart, they typically have parents who are very involved, and they have a mentor of some type.“ – Craig Barrett

• Mentors role often subtle; guide on side• Sources: AAE, universities, industry, teachers,

parents• Help organize research• Analyzing data• Presenting data“Without a doubt, the success of any of the finalists would not be possible

without the support of their families, friends, teachers, and mentors.” - Amber

“Since I had only completed my sophomore year of high school, I found it rather difficult to find a mentor. However, after countless emails, much persistence, and boundless dedication, I succeeded in my objective.”- Janelle

“It is never bad to ask for advice.” - Ben

Lab Notebooks• Arguably the most important part of your project

• If it’s not in the lab book, you have no proof that you did it

• Everything you think, plan, or do goes in the book

• Multiple lab books, binders, folders are OK

• Lab book important even though you might not be judged in person until the end

“Keep a detailed and up-to-date lab notebook with you at all times . . . the lab notebook should show detailed thought processes, notes, procedures, etc. Your lab notebook should go everywhere with you so you can jot down ideas on a whim.” - Amber

Join the Dialogue• Scientists in different fields collect data differently,

analyze data differently, present results differently, and write differently

• Format your research after what you see in the peer-reviewed literature

• Ask your mentor’s advice• Experimental design • Data analysis• Presentation

• Shows maturity in scientific communication and understanding“Find a few published articles in your topic area and see how professionals

present their results. Portraying your results in a recognized format will make it easier for the judges to understand (and appreciate) your project.” - Amber

Getting Started• It takes a lot of work (400-1600 hours for STS finalists)

• Follow the method right for your project

• Find a mentor

• Follow your passion, not a hot topic

• Ask “why” and “how”

“Don't be afraid to go after what you're most interested in. Don't be afraid to dive into totally uncharted waters” - Mary

“Not having access to professional lab facilities does not ruin your chance of winning in the slightest . . . For the 2005 Intel Science Talent Search, about two-thirds of the participants did work with the advantage of a research lab; about one-third of the projects were either in the area of math or they were kitchen tabletop experiments, like mine.” - Amber

Background Research• Can make or break a project

• A student with a simple project who "knows their stuff" will often win over a student with a complicated project who doesn’t

• Helps you narrow in on a question -> identify gaps

• Sources: college textbooks, professional encyclopedias, review articles, journal articles, monographs

• How to find them?• Google Scholar• College/University libraries• ADS and arXiv; PubMed; PNAS; NAP• Web of Science, Compendex, SciFinder

Background Research II

“Spend a lot of time . . . I cannot emphasize how important understanding the correct background information is. Look for important concepts, definitions, and equations that will explain how and why your experimental results turn out the way they do . . The more thorough the research, the better. Understanding advanced concepts/equations is a huge plus. Also research why your topic is important in today's society.” – Amber

“Even though the information that I acquired often did not directly pertain to the research that I was pursuing, I found it beneficial to have all of these puzzle pieces in the palm of my hand . . . I underlined information that I considered important, and I often took notes and wrote questions in the margins. These . . . serve as stepping stones for further inquiry.” – Janelle

“Start with the basics, and work upward . . . Push yourself to the limit of your understanding, and do not be afraid to tackle concepts you have never seen before (it is normal for most of your background research to look alien to you).” - Amber

Methods• Your mentor is indispensible here

• Follow standard procedures for your field

• Look at how peer-reviewed articles are doing their work

• Do enough replicates to be able to meaningfully analyze your data (30 is a good ballpark number)

• Design your experiments with data analysis in mind

• Understand everything that you do, or that you have someone else do

Presenting Data• Pay attention to how workers in your area present their

data

“Put your data in the formats used by other scientists within your field. The competition judges will be science professionals with an expectation about how data in a particular field is communicated. In general, you should emulate the types of graphs, figures, and data tables you see in top journals within the area of science in which you're working. Your mentor will also be a good source of constructive criticism on this subject.” - Amber

Analysis• Data analysis often separates the winners from the

losers

• Figure out what happened and explain why it happened

• Apply your background research (equations, etc.)

• Error analysis (std. deviation, reproducibility, error prorogation)

• Analyze your data they way they analyze their data• Types of trends and how they look for them• Statistical tests• P-values and confidence levels

“Do not be afraid to create your own hypothesis to explain your results. As long as you have some evidence for your thoughts, judges will be impressed that you tried to figure out what was happening during your experiment.” - Amber

Writing the Paper

“Before writing the paper, make sure you read published research papers in your area. How do those papers analyze their results and what was the format for the results/discussion/conclusion? Try to match it as closely as possible while still using the application's rules. Your final paper should be so good that you could send it in for publication. The other reason to read published papers is because the judges are used to that format. If you copy it, they will more easily understand your research. But, the paper should flow nicely and be well-written. Too many published papers are so formal, awkward, and technical that they are barely readable; avoid those!” - Amber

“The paper itself needs to describe why your research matters. Who cares? What do the results mean? Can it help people in some way? What practical applications does it have? While the paper should be technical, it needs to be easy to read, and the applications for the research should be obvious once someone has read it.” - Amber

Display Board Advice

“The display board wasn't something I'd spent a small fortune on. For the fancier fairs I would print them out in color on a huge piece of paper and mount it, which is a great way to go. But it wasn't like the local-fair kids who spent hundreds of dollars (maybe thousands) on huge display boards, LCD panels, huge glass stands, huge binders with every page laminated, etc.etc...this is way overkill and makes you look desperate and a bit like you have no idea what the scientific method actually is. (If you start to feel like you're trying to bribe the judges by spending as much money as humanly possible on your display, that's a bad sign.)” - Mary

Judging Advice“Thinking about what questions people may ask you and preparing answers for them is a great way to prepare yourself. ” – Amber

“Regardless of how many judges or how intimidating the audience is, always remain calm and collected when presenting. A few pointers I have picked up over the past few years is to be wary of such words as "like" or "ummmmmmmmm......." Also, unless you are a mathematician, never say you proved your research. A better way of saying that is that your findings suggest something.” – Ben

“Don't be afraid to fail. Many times. And most importantly, ADMIT IT to the judges. They will see through a lie in a second, and the very act of misrepresenting any information shows that you've missed the entire point of science and should maybe choose another field, because there are already enough people out there who are lying about results. Emphasize what you changed, how the hypothesis changed, what you learned, why you moved on to some other project, etc.” – Mary

Judging Advice II“Size up your judges. Research them before hand if at all possible. If it's a particle physicist from MIT, keep on your toes, think carefully before you open your mouth (I'm convinced this cost me a lot of money at ISEF), put your thinking cap on, and don't be afraid to delve into the nitty gritty. If it's Joe from the auto-repair shop who's donating his time, size him up to make sure he's understanding what you're saying and focus on the big picture, being careful not to lose him. Because the minute you lose a judge, and he/she doesn't understand, they turn off, and that can be very bad for you.” – Mary

“Don't ignore the public during the public viewing sessions. The judges sometimes notice, and besides, it's ethical—a great way to give back to your community by inspiring them and teaching them something and great practice for future science fairs.” – Mary

“Don't be afraid to fail. Many times. And most importantly, ADMIT IT to the judges. They will see through a lie in a second, and the very act of misrepresenting any information shows that you've missed the entire point of science and should maybe choose another field, because there are already enough people out there who are lying about results. Emphasize what you changed, how the hypothesis changed, what you learned, why you moved on to some other project, etc.” - Mary

More Advice from Mary

“Always keep the scientific method in mind, and always think about things as mathematically/analytically as possible. At the same time, keep thinking about the big picture. What are the overall benefits of your project to mankind? It sounds cheesy, but if you start thinking about this early on, it can help motivate you . . . and it will really, really help you win science fairs. No matter how much people like to pretend they're in science for science alone, ultimately they want to see humans benefitting.” – Mary

“I was going up against a lot of people (at least higher up in the science fairs) that had done amazing projects with brilliant science professors as mentors, and that had done many projects on things that were very theoretical and out there and, as such, were truly original research. My research was actually not original except in terms of engineering—it was an interesting way of doing things, but it would have been hard to get it published in a paper. But it didn't matter, because I'd obviously done it myself. I had a lot of help, but I had the idea. It wasn't like I'd gone up to a scientist and found some iron-deficient hemoglobin or some other long-winded project that it took me months to try to understand; it was something I'd really researched and come up with myself.” – Mary

Last Thoughts

“Interestingly, of the six previous finalists who have won the Nobel Prize, only two of them were selected in the top 10 during the year in which they participated, and neither of them was the overall winner. So, when they tell us that we are all winners, it's really true!” - Amber

“Science competitions . . . are competitions, not contests. What's the difference? Well, competitions require hard work and determination. The end product of competitions is a sense of satisfaction and accomplishment. However, a contest for the most part requires ‘luck.’” - Ben

“Different people win at different competitions. The top winner at one competition doesn’t usually place first in others.” - Terik

“There are some exclusive summer programs at MIT, Caltech, and others that a number of participants attend. I didn't…” - Amber

“I also didn't think I would even get semifinalist, much less finalist, much less top prize. I was definitely certain I wouldn't get top 10 at STS. ;) so tell them that even if they fill discouraged, or time-crunched, or like they won't win, they should try anyway no matter what. even if they don't place, it's an amazing experience even just submitting the paper.” - Mary

Top Science CompetitionsIntel Science Talent Search

Siemens Competition in Math, Science, and TechnologyDavidson Fellows

Junior Science and Humanities Symposium&

A Few “Others”…

Thanks to Amber Hess, Benjamin Pollack, Yihe Dong, Janelle Schlossberger, and Mary Masterman

2011-2012