Science-Fair Insights
Notes on science-fair research, admissions trends, and learning in the age of AI.
Which Science Fair for Medical and Health Research? (And the Trap That Disqualifies Students Every Year)
Two students do equally good disease research. One advances; the other is disqualified before judging even starts. The difference is usually one form — signed at the wrong time.
Read more →You Be the Judge: Same Idea, Student A vs Student B — What Would You Give Them?
Don't skip to the answer. Two students' versions are sitting right there — what would you score each one? Take a guess, then open it up and see how a judge reads them.
Read more →What's Actually on a Judge's Scoring Sheet? A Line-by-Line Look at a Real Science-Fair Rubric
Judges don't score on gut feeling — they have a rubric in front of them. Once you can read it, you know how the paper should be written. Here's a public official rubric, taken apart one row at a time.
Read more →A Science-Fair Judge's Honest Take: What Actually Makes a Project Stand Out?
I've sat at the judging table and reviewed journal papers. Parents' biggest misread is mistaking 'did a lot' for 'did it well.' The real dividing line hides in a three-minute Q&A.
Read more →One Summer, He Used AI to Sift 1.5 Million Stars for NASA — What Is a Teenager's Summer Really Worth?
An ordinary high-schooler turned six weeks of summer into his first real job. The part worth paying attention to isn't how gifted he is — it's how he chose to spend those weeks.
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