CARSEF is the largest pre-college STEM research competition in the state.

Central Arkansas Regional

Science & Engineering Fair

Purpose

The objectives and purposes for which the Central Arkansas Science and Engineering Fair is organized and the nature of the business to be carried on by it are exclusively scientific, literary, and educational, and are stated and declared to be as follows:

To establish and maintain an association of persons who are interested in promoting, sponsoring, improving, stimulating, and contributing to the educational and scientific development and need of students in the State of Arkansas;
To assist in developing and furthering the education of elementary and secondary students in the State of Arkansas;
To make possible at least once a year a Central Arkansas Regional Science and Engineering Fair (CARSEF), where students may exhibit projects exemplifying the creative ability, scientific thought, and work of such students within the area of the broad concepts of science in order to stress the understanding of fundamental principles in science and to aid, encourage, and stimulate the schools and their students in their science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) study programs.

CARSEF 2025

is scheduled to be an in-person event on Friday, February 28, 2025.

TENTATIVE SCHEDULE

8:00am - 9:00am Student Check-In & Project Set-up

8:30am - 9:00am Judges Check-in

9:00am Judges' Meeting

9:30am - 11:30am Judging of Projects - Judging continues until finished

10:30am -11:30am Parent and Teacher meeting

Admissions Presentation

11:30am -1:00pm Lunch - Students, parents, and teachers are welcome to get lunch in the Student Center or the nearby restaurants in the University District.

Immediately following the conclusion of all judging, students will need to remove their project boards

from the tables in order to facilitate breakdown and cleanup of the concourse area.

1:30pm Campus Tours - Led by Admissions

4:00pm – 4:45pm Awards Ceremony - Junior Division – Donaghey Student Center – Ledbetter Rooms Student, parents, and teachers are to report by 3:45 for the Junior Division Awards Ceremony.

4:45pm Broadcom MASTERS Finalists Meeting

5:00pm – 5:45pm Awards Ceremony - Senior Division – Donaghey Student Center – Ledbetter Rooms 6:00pm ISEF Finalists Meeting

CARSEF is open to students in 4th through 12th grades attending school in the following 13 counties:

Cleburne
Conway
Faulkner
Lonoke
Monroe

Perry
Pope
Prairie
Pulaski
Van Buren

White
Woodruff
Yell

registration

Registration will open in January 2024.

The deadline to register will be Febraury 15, 2025 at 11:59pm.

A link to the registration form will be provided here and on the UALR CARSEF website.

RULES & GUIDELINES

All projects must adhere to the rules and guidelines of the International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF), which can be found and downloaded here.

FORMS

ISEF Forms for 2024 can be found and downloaded here.

Training Videos

for

RULES & FORMS

CARSEF Training 1 ISEF Rules Wizard.mp4

Training #1 - ISEF Rules & Forms Wizard

CARSEF Training 2 Overview of Forms and Dates.mp4

Training #2 - Overview of Forms & Dates

CARSEF Training 3 Adult Sponsor Form 1.mp4

Training #3 - Form 1

Checklist for Adult Sponsor

CARSEF Training 4 Student Checklist Form 1A and Research Plan.mp4

Training #4 - Form 1A

Student Checklist

CARSEF Training 5 Research Plan.mp4

Training #5 - Form 1A

Research Plan

CARSEF Training 6 Abstract Form.mp4

Training #6 - Abstract Form

2019 CARSEF ISEF Finalists

What we've done

CARSEF has been held annually since 1983.

Over 10,000 students have participated in CARSEF since its inception.

Each year, CARSEF nominates dozens of projects to compete at the Arkansas Science and Engineering Fair,

and sends up to 5 projects to compete in the

International Science & Engineering Fair.

Meghana Bollimpalli

2018 ISEF

Young Scientist Awardee

History of CARSEF Students

at the

International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF)

1998 - 2022

CARSEF History at ISEF

2021 Central Arkansas Regional Science & Engineering Fair

Senior Division Awards

includes Category, Special, and ISEF Finalist Awards

updated March 17, 2021