About ISEF

The International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) began in 1950 as a means of encouraging pre-college students to conduct scientific research.  It has grown in size and prestige to become the crowning achievement in the U.S., and internationally, in high school science competitions.

The Intel ISEF 2008, to be held May 11-17 in Atlanta, GA, will bring together over 10,000 people, including 1,500 of the brightest young minds nationally and internationally as student science fair Finalists, as well as their teachers and science fair directors, and other interested parties. Through their independent research projects, student Finalists will compete for over $4 million in scholarships, internships and other awards offered in 18 different mathematic, sciences, and engineering judging categories as well as a Team category. Intel ISEF 08 student Finalists are expected from almost every U.S. state and over 45 countries and territories. 

The Intel ISEF 2008 is led in Atlanta, Georgia but the Atlanta Host Committee, an all volunteer group of educators, business and community leaders.  This group has been working diligently since 2004 to bring the ISEF to Atlanta.  Science Service, a nonprofit organization based in Washington, DC, has administered the ISEF since its inception in 1950.  

The ISEF, in its 59th year in 2008, is the only international science project competition for students in the 9th through 12th grades.  Through the ISEF experience, Science Service encourages students to apply their imaginations to excel in the sciences while exploring their unique and personal visions of the future.  

Student Finalists who compete at the ISEF have gone through a process to qualify and have won an all-expense paid trip to the ISEF.  Students first compete in their school or local science fairs.  The winners then go on to participate in regional and/or state fairs.  Thus, an individual might participate in a local fair, go on to a city fair, a regional and/or state fair, until ultimately being chosen to participate in the ISEF. 

More than 600 individual and team awards are annually presented at the Intel ISEF to selected student Finalists. Each Finalist’ project is judged at least four times, with category awards given in 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th place. Awards by place are $3,000, $1,500, $1,000 and $500 respectively in each judging category. Additional awards worth over $2.5 million include tuition scholarships, summer internships, scientific field trips, and laboratory equipment are provided by Intel, Science Service, Alcatel-Lucent and nearly 80 other academic, corporate, professional, and government sponsors. The top three winners of the Intel ISEF each receive a $50,000 scholarship.
 
Over 1,300 science, engineering, and industry professionals annually serve as judges for the Intel ISEF. All judges have a Ph.D. or equivalent degree and/or six years of relevant experience. Judges volunteer their time and pay their own travel and accommodation expenses.

Finalists, judges, parents, teachers and the general public will circulate through the exhibit hall and various event sites during the Intel ISEF week.  An estimated 4,000 local school children and their teachers are expected to visit the student displays during the public visiting periods. Additionally, an estimated 40-50 print, radio, and television media outlets will broadcast and cover the events in the exhibit hall.  The Intel ISEF 2006, held in Indianapolis, IN, generated over 150 articles in newspapers (nationally and internationally) and at least 64 television reports reaching a Neilson-measured 3.5 million people. The Intel ISEF is held in a different city each year, currently planned for Reno, NV in 2009, and San Jose, CA in 2010.

For more information on the Intel ISEF 2008 in Atlanta, please contact:
Bill Dodd at bill.dodd@purdigital.net or mwalser@uga.edu or Rick Bates from Science Service at rbates@sciserv.org.