Important Information about the 2020 Science Fair
- Junior Division is canceled
- Senior Division will be held virtually
- ISU Cancellations and Closures
Dear State Science and Technology Fair of Iowa Community,
The State Science and Technology Fair of Iowa’s primary focus is the safety and wellbeing of all students, faculty, staff, and visitors who participate and attend. The 2020 State Science and Technology Fair of Iowa (SSTFI), scheduled for March 26-27, 2020 at Hilton Coliseum in Ames, hosts over 800 youth and adults from across Iowa. As you can imagine, the SSTFI Committee along with Iowa 4-H Youth Development Program leadership has been carefully monitoring the Coronavirus information daily.
Based on the current situation and with input from Iowa State University, The State Science and Technology Fair of Iowa will be making arrangements to conduct portions of the fair online, while other portions will be cancelled.
While this was an extremely difficult decision, it appears to be the most prudent. Given this, the planning team has been working to put the following tentative plans in place:
- The senior division (grades 9-12) will be offered the opportunity to participate in a virtual science fair. Participants of this fair are eligible to qualify for grand awards including the International Science and Engineering Fair currently slated to be held in May 2020.
- A formal awards ceremony for the senior division, to be held a later date, is being explored.
- The junior division (grades 6-8) will be cancelled. However, here are two potential opportunities for students to showcase their research.
- Save the research project and expand on it for the 2021 State Science and Technology Fair of Iowa.
- Present the research project at a county 4-H or FFA fair. This provides an opportunity to gain additional presentation experience and the chance to advance to the Iowa State Fair.
- Information on seminars will be provided in a follow-up email to those who registered.
Please remember, if lodging accommodations have been booked, to cancel you reservations as soon as possible.
Thank you for the support as we navigate through trying times. We are so proud of the work and accomplishments of student researchers across the state of Iowa. More information regarding next steps for the virtual Senior Division of the State Science and Technology Fair of Iowa will be shared in the coming days.
The Iowa 4-H Program’s State Science + Technology Fair of Iowa (SSTFI) serves as a platform for student researchers (grades 6 – 12) to meet with professional researchers and communicate their findings and understanding of the research process. The SSTFI is an affiliate of the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair.
The State Science + Technology Fair of Iowa is OPEN to ANY student (grades 6-12) residing in or attending school (public, private, parochial and home school) in the state of Iowa. At this time there is NO qualifier fair (local, conference, district or regional) required for participation!
2020 Dates
March 26-27, 2020, Hilton Coliseum on ISU Campus, Ames, IA
March 26 Senior High
March 27 Junior High
Paperwork Deadline is March 3, 2020.
Registration will open February 1, 2020.
Future Dates
March 25-26, 2021
Paperwork Deadline: March 2, 2021
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Last year (2019):
Check out pictures from SSTFI 2019!
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