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Guide to Science Fair and Research

Free Course
Science fair — from first idea to ISEF
→
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Always, no cost
Regeneron ISEF
Thermo Fisher Junior Innovators Challenge
By the Numbers

Science fair opens real doors.

1,800+
ISEF finalists per year
60+
countries represented
$9M+
in prizes each year
ISEF 2025 finalists
ISEF 2026 — #1 Overall
Gordon E. Moore Award ISEF 2026
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Find Your Research Direction

Select your interests and experience level — our AI generates personalized ISEF research ideas built around what you actually care about.

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Curated List

Programs, Competitions & Scholarships

Browse the most impactful summer programs, competitions, and scholarships for high school students — ranked by prestige with direct links.

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Free Course

From First Idea to ISEF

A free, self-paced course built from my own competition experience. Everything I learned going from first-time competitor to Gordon E. Moore Award winner.

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ISEF Gordon E. Moore Award Medal
01
How to Get Started
Finding your question, picking a category, building your plan
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02
How to Format Your Findings
Writing your paper, abstract, and research log the right way
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03
How to Present
Talking to judges, building your board, owning the room
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Module 01

How to Get Started

Videos
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Coming Soon
1.1
Intro to Science Fairs
The full pipeline: regional → state → ISEF. What judges look for at each level and why most students don't advance.
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Coming Soon
1.2
What Makes a "Good" Project
Reading papers, identifying gaps, using Google Scholar. The "nobody has done this exact thing" test.
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Coming Soon
1.3
Finding Your Research Idea
A simple strategy to spot a real problem and turn it into a research goal.
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Coming Soon
1.4
Conducting your Research
How to run your experiment, collect real data, and document everything so your findings hold up under judge scrutiny.
📄
OPEN PDF
1.5
Cold Email Template
A plug-and-play cold email template for reaching out to researchers, professors, and labs to get mentorship or lab access.
📄
OPEN PDF
1.6
Guide to Science Fair Forms
A walkthrough of every ISEF form you'll need — what they are, when to submit them, and how to avoid the paperwork mistakes that get projects disqualified.
Resources & Links
ISEF Official Rules & Guidelines
The complete Society for Science rulebook. Read before you start — knowing the rules prevents disqualification.
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Science Buddies — Project Ideas
Thousands of project ideas sorted by topic and difficulty. Best starting point for choosing a subject area.
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Google Scholar — Find Research Gaps
Search your topic, read the latest papers, and spot what hasn't been studied yet. That gap is your project.
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Cold Email Playbook PDF ↓
The exact email framework for reaching professors and researchers. Templates, subject lines, and follow-up strategy that actually gets replies.
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ISEF Forms Survival Guide PDF ↓
Plain-English walkthrough of every required ISEF form — SRC, IRB, hazardous materials. Don't get disqualified over paperwork.
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Module 03

How to Present

Videos
▶
Coming Soon
3.1
Planning out your Interviews
How to structure your presentation before you walk in — knowing your talking points, anticipating questions, and organizing your board walkthrough.
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Coming Soon
3.2
Nailing the Interview
How to confidently answer judge questions, handle tough follow-ups, and leave every judge impressed — even when you don't know something.
Resources & Links
Chanyoung's ISEF Board Template
The exact layout I used at ISEF 2025. Structured for maximum judge impact — sections, hierarchy, and visual flow optimized.
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Canva — Science Fair Board Templates
Drag-and-drop trifold board templates. Customize colors, fonts, and sections — no design experience needed.
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How ISEF Judges Score Projects
Official judging criteria: creative ability, scientific thought, thoroughness, skill, clarity. Know the rubric before you present.
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Interested? Let's connect.

Chanyoung Kim
Chanyoung Kim
Free 30-Minute 1-on-1 Call
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Book a free 30-minute call with me directly. We can talk about your project idea, how science fair works, what ISEF is really like, or anything else on your mind.

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Express Your Interest

Quick and easy — takes about a minute.

Chanyoung Kim
Chanyoung Kim (김찬영)
Mentor · STEMiq
Record
Regeneron ISEF 2025 — Gordon E. Moore Award, $50,000
Regeneron ISEF 2025 — 1st Place Grand Award, Biomedical Engineering
TXSEF 2025 — Best of State Honorable Mention, Physical Sciences
TXSEF 2025 — 1st Place, Biomedical Engineering
TXSEF Finalist — 2×

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Opportunities

Programs, Competitions & Scholarships

A curated list of the most impactful summer programs, competitions, and scholarships for high school students ranked by prestige and selectivity into Tier 1, 2, and 3 (With Direct Links). Click the category below to explore.

Summer Programs
Research programs, internships, and academic camps ranked Tier 1 → 3 by selectivity.
→
Competitions
Science fairs, olympiads, academic bowls, and essay contests ranked Tier 1 → 3.
→
Scholarships
From full-ride elite programs to STEM portables and Texas-specific awards.
→

Find Your Research Direction

Select a category and experience level — we'll generate personalized ISEF research ideas tailored to you.

Select your interest / category
Experience level
Select a category above and click generate to discover research directions.