Who do I contact with further questions?
If you have any questions or comments about the fair, please contact the Judges' Committee at Judges@DiscoveryCtr.org or 845-621-1260 x-402.

When and how can I register to judge?
The Registration Form is open February 2 - April 2.

How can I be a more effective judge?
Review the Judges Rubric , Judging Overview video, or the YouTube video course

How many exhibits can I judge?
Judges typically review 4–8 exhibits. If you cannot select or cannot be assigned at least four exhibits, any remaining exhibits will be reassigned to other judges with fewer than eight.

Can I judge more than one category?
Yes. You may judge exhibits in one or more STEM categories based on your expertise, interests, and the preferred categories selected when you registered.

When do I confirm my registration to judge?
We send you a personalized Confirmation Form, starting March 29. Please check your inbox, spam, or junk folder for the link to your Confirmation Form. Didn’t get the link? Contact the Judges Committee ASAP! If you confirm that you still plan to judge, please disclose any potential conflicts of interest with students, schools, or topics.  You can also opt in/out of our Networking Directory.

When and how do I get to select exhibits?
We will send your personalized Exhibit Selection Form after you complete your personalized Confirmation Form, starting April 5.  Please check your inbox, spam, or junk folder for the link to your Exhibit Selection Form. Didn’t get the link? Contact the Judges Committee ASAP!

How does the exhibit selection process work?
Choose 4–8 exhibits on the Exhibit Selection Form (first-come, first-served) from the categories you picked at registration. Each exhibit shows remaining judge slots; items with no slots are crossed-out and marked "Unavailable." You may submit the form only once—choices are final. After submitting, you can review the Judging Rubric and access your Judge’s Portal (we’ll also email the link).

What is the deadline to select exhibits for the virtual fair?
There is no formal deadline to select exhibits, which starts on Monday,  April 5.  Selecting early gives you more time to evaluate your assignments before the deadline of Monday, April 19 at 6 PM EDT. 

What if there are few or no exhibits available in the category that I selected?
If few or no exhibits are available in your chosen category, choose backup options—other judges may have picked your first choices. Selecting early gives you a better chance of getting the exhibits you want.

Will I get to judge all the exhibits that I selected?
We try to assign as many of your choices as possible, but some may be reassigned to balance workloads.

Why do I have some exhibits assigned to me that I did not select?
You may be assigned exhibits that were not chosen by other judges or that registered after the Exhibit Selection process started. We try to match exhibits with your preferred categories from your registration.

What if I do not select any exhibits to judge?
You may not be eligible to judge the remainder of the fair.

When and how do I get to evaluate exhibits?
We email your personalized Judge's Portal link after we get your exhibit selections, starting April 5. The Portal has everything for your assigned exhibits—videos, documents, student responses, and the scoring/comment form. Check your inbox, spam, or junk folder for the email. If you don't get it, contact the Judges Committee right away. Bookmark the Portal URL for quick access.

What is the deadline to submit scores for the virtual fair?
All scores from judges must be submitted no later than Monday, April 19 at 6:00 PM EDT.

How long do I have to complete my evaluations?
You may work at your own pace online from when you first select exhibits, starting Monday, April 5, until Monday, April 19 at 6:00 PM EDT.

How much time should I set aside per exhibit?
Plan 30–60 minutes per exhibit: about 15 minutes for the video and  at least 15 minutes for documents, questionnaire responses, and notes.

Can I save my exhibits scores and comments along the way or do I need to start over?
Yes. The Judges Portal lets you save your work and return later to finalize it.

How can I interact with the student(s) to ask questions about their exhibit?
For privacy concerns, we cannot allow online interactions between adults and minors.  Please direct any questions regarding an exhibit's content or links to the Judges' Committee  at Judges@DiscoveryCtr.org or 845-621-1260 x-402.  We'll try to reach the student for you, but we can't promise they'll reply before your deadline.

What if I were assigned exhibits to judge but change my mind?
Notify the Judges' Committee as soon as possible at Judges@DiscoveryCtr.org or 845-621-1260 x-402 so that we can reassign your exhibits to another judge.

What if I find a potential conflict-of-interest while evaluating an exhibit?
If you have a conflict of interest with a student, school, or topic, please submit scores of "0" for all criteria to remove it from your assignments, add "CONFLICT" and your reason to the exhibit's comments box, and recuse yourself from evaluating the exhibit.  Please notify the Judges' Committee as soon as possible at Judges@DiscoveryCtr.org or 845-621-1260 x-402 so that we can reassign the exhibit to another judge.

What if an exhibit's video, audio, or documentation is unclear or inaudible?
Please contact Janice Newman at JNewman@DiscoveryCtr.org or 845-621-1260 x-402.  If we cannot resolve the issue in time before you are scheduled to complete your evaluations, then please enter a score of "1" for Clarity for the exhibit.

What if an exhibit involving living creatures or humans did not comply with an IACUC or IRB protocol?
If the exhibit does not demonstrate or indicate compliance with IACUC or IRB protocol, you should notify the Judges Committee immediately , and you should assign the lowest score (0) for Thoroughness to the exhibit; thereby, disqualifying it from any award consideration. Please consult the Judges Rubric and/or the Judging Overview video for more details. 

What about the possible use or misuse of Artificial Intelligence in an exhibit?
The Tri-County Science & Technology Fair permits the responsible use of AI as a research aid, provided students fully disclose how AI was used, verify AI outputs, and retain clear ownership of their work. If you discover misuse of artificial intelligence, you should notify the Judges Committee immediately and assign the lowest score (0) for Skill to the exhibit; thereby, removing it from any award consideration. Please consult the Judges Rubric and/or the Judging Overview video for more details.  

How can I contribute to the fair?
The Putnam Children's Discovery Center, Inc. has run the Tri-County Science & Technology Fair since 1994 and is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Donations are tax-deductible. Any contribution helps. Many local employers offer matching gifts—please share the link with your company if available. Thank you for your support!