Welcome!

Introduction

* IMPORTANT NOTE *

As in previous years, the organizers of the Tri-County Science & Technology Fair have chosen once again to replace a "live " in-person event with an online "virtual" fair. This allows us to recruit from a wider pool of more diverse and experienced prospective judges outside the New York Metropolitan area who would not ordinarily be present at an in-person fair.

As a judge, you will be evaluating pre-recorded video presentations and written documentation from your assigned exhibits based on your area of expertise online remotely. Judging is scheduled to take place over the course of a week between April 8 and April 15, 2024 at your own pace.

Evaluate Exhibits Online at Your Own Pace and from Your Own Space!

This website is designed for individuals who volunteer to judge the "virtual" Tri-County Science & Technology Fair to be held online from April 8-15, 2024. You were directed to this site most probably because you received an email recruiting you to register as a judge.

If you receive the recruiting email more than once, please accept our apology. We send the email on repeated attempts to recruit judges, and our system does not always filter out those who may have already received the email.

A challenge for us has always been to recruit enough qualified judges each year, and that is why you are at this site!

We are looking for judges who have a strong background in the sciences & technology and have experience in teaching, research, and/or industry. Judges should have a deep understanding of the subject matter, be able to evaluate student exhibits objectively and provide constructive feedback. We want judges who are passionate about STEM subjects and excited to help students learn and grow.

This site will provide useful information for judges, including the online project selection and evaluation processes, judging guidelines and criteria, and will update with a list of exhibits.

This site also contains links to other aspects of the fair and a directory of judges who have consented to include their contact information for networking purposes. Use the top menu to navigate to the desired webpage. If you have any questions regarding judging at the fair, PLEASE contact the Judges' Committee at Judges@DiscoveryCtr.org or 845-621-1260 x-402.

What's Involved?

During the week of April 1, about one week before the "virtual" fair begins, confirmed judges can examine a list of exhibits with their categories, levels, and project titles. Because few Elementary School exhibits have registered, judges who indicated a preference for this level will judge all exhibits. Other judges have the option online to select up to 7 exhibits either at Middle School OR at High School to judge on a first-come, first served basis, depending on which exhibits still remain unassigned to the maximum allowed number of judges per exhibit. You may select exhibits in solely one or across more than one category

By April 5, judges will need to make their selections online.

By April 8, Judges receive an email with a list of assigned exhibits, links to online video presentations, and documentation from those exhibits

From April 8 - 15, judges evaluate the presentations and documentation from each of their assigned exhibits at their own pace remotely over the course of the week. Unlike an in-person fair, you will not be able to interact with the students to gauge their understanding of their exhibit.

By April 15 at 6:00 PM EDT, judges must complete all evaluations of their assigned exhibits and submit their scores using the Exhibit Evaluation Form.

Results announced April 27 on this website!

Here is an easy way for you to make a difference! Please volunteer & support local students interested in science, technology, engineering, & math!

Background (click to expand)

Since 1994, the Putnam Children’s Discovery Center has been sparking scientific curiosity with the annual Tri-County Science & Technology Fair. This event is a celebration of innovation, rewarding young minds who dedicate their time to creating well-researched and inventive STEM projects.

Open to all budding scientists from public, private, and home schools in Westchester, Rockland, and Putnam Counties in New York State, our fair has also extended a warm welcome to Middle Schools in Nassau county during certain years for a “virtual” competition in science and technology.

What sets the Tri-County Science & Technology Fair apart? It’s the only New York State regional fair that caters to three grade levels: Elementary, Middle, and High School. While most fairs limit their showcase to one or two levels, we provide a continuous journey for students to fuel their passion for science and technology throughout their academic careers.

To join this exciting event, students must first claim victory at a local fair at their Elementary or Middle School. Winners from our Middle School category even have the chance to advance to the prestigious Thermo Fisher Scientific Junior Innovators Challenge.

Many High School participants, handpicked by their principal or science department chair, get the opportunity to present original research or demonstrate a scientific, mathematical, or technological principle. The crème de la crème, who choose to enter original research in the fair, can aim for the stars and advance to the New York State level competition – the NYS Science Congress.

In 2024, we’re going virtual again, expecting more than 200 students to participate! Our previous virtual fairs from 2020 to 2023 were a resounding success, with judges, teachers, parents, and students all giving a thumbs-up to their online experience.

Judging a virtual science fair isn’t just about scoring - it’s a chance to give back to the community, help students hone their scientific skills, and stay updated with the latest research and technologies. Plus, it’s a fantastic networking opportunity, allowing judges to connect with other professionals and expand their circles in the field.

Prizes are given to winners at each level in the categories of:

Frequently Asked Questions (click to expand)

What is my time commitment for judging exhibits?
We estimate that it will take about 15-20 minutes to evaluate each assigned exhibit, and you may have as many as ten exhibits to judge. You may choose to evaluate all your assigned exhibits at once or stagger them at your own pace between Monday, April 8, 8:00 AM to Monday, April 15, 6:00 PM EDT.
How can I be a more effective judge?
Please refer to the section on Tips for Judging Effectively for more details.
Can I judge across multiple grade levels?
You can select or be assigned exhibits within one grade level (Elementary, Middle, or High School) only. This restriction is made to ensure that scoring is based on the same pool of student exhibits within a grade level, keeping the competition unbiased and free from influence by different grade levels or student experiences.
Can I judge multiple categories?
You can select or be assigned exhibits within one or across multiple STEM categories based on your expertise and interest.
What are the minimum and maximum number of exhibits that I can judge?
For statistical reasons and to ensure a fair and comprehensive evaluation, we aim for each judge to assess a minimum of three exhibits and up to a maximum of ten. This range may vary by grade level, depending on the number of exhibits and judges. But what happens if a judge selects fewer than or is unable to be assigned at least three exhibits? In such cases, we will reassign those exhibits to other judges who have fewer than ten assigned exhibits based on the preferred categories and level from their registration.
How long do I have to evaluate exhibits?
Judges have from Monday, April 8, 8:00 AM to Monday, April 15, 6:00 PM EDT to evaluate and submit scores for their assigned exhibits.
How many exhibits can I select to judge?
Judges can select up to 10 exhibits on a first-come, first served basis, depending on which exhibits still remain unassigned to the maximum allowed number of judges per exhibit. You may select exhibits in solely one or across more than one category, but the maximum number of selections may vary by grade level based on the number of exhibits and judges.
What if there are fewer or no exhibits available in the category and level that I selected?
Anticipate Alternatives: If fewer exhibits are available than expected, it’s possible other judges have already chosen your original picks. Plan alternate choices, especially in categories with available exhibits. Level Flexibility: While you can’t select across levels, feel free to switch levels if there aren’t enough remaining exhibits after your initial choice. Just avoid clicking “Submit” until you’re sure. Remember: Early Access Matters—the sooner you use the Exhibit Selection Form, the better chance you have to judge your preferred exhibits!
Will I get to judge all the exhibits that I selected?
There is no guarantee that all your original selections from the Exhibit Selection Form will still be available to evaluate by April 8 because some exhibits may drop out if they cannot develop their video presentation and supporting materials in time. We try to assign you as many available exhibits that you selected as possible.
What if I do not select any exhibits to judge?
We may still assign you up to 10 exhibits that were not chosen by at least three other judges or that joined the fair after the Exhibit Selection process started. We try to match exhibits with your preferred categories and level from your registration.
Why do I have some exhibits assigned to me that I did not select?
You may be assigned exhibits that were not chosen by at least three other judges or that joined the fair after the Exhibit Selection process started. We try to match exhibits with your preferred categories and level from your registration.
Can I save my exhibits scores and comments along the way or do I need to start over?
Yes. Please refer Exhibit Evaluation Form Guidelines for more details.
What is the deadline to select exhibits?
You have until Friday, April 5 at 6:00 PM EDT to select exhibits. If you do not select exhibits by the deadline, you may still be assigned with any remaining exhibits to evaluate that have not been selected by other judges.
What is the deadline to submit scores?
All scores from judges must be submitted no later than Monday, April 15 at 6:00 PM EDT.
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, then you should assign the lowest score (0) for Thoroughness to the exhibit; thereby, disqualifying it from any award consideration.
What if the links to an exhibit's video or documentation are not working?
Please contact the Judges' Committee at Judges@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's video or audio is unclear or inaudible?
Please contact the Judges' Committee at Judges@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.
How can I interact with the student(s) to ask questions about their exhibit?
Our virtual format provides you with an online video presentation and documentation to allow you to effectively evaluate an exhibit based on our Judging Rubric. 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 can no longer continue judging?
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 out that I have a potential conflict-of-interest while evaluating an exhibit?
Please submit scores of "0" and discontinue evaluating the exhibit. 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.
Who do I contact if I have further questions?
If you have any further questions or comments about the fair, please contact the Judges' Committee at Judges@DiscoveryCtr.org or 845-621-1260 x-402.

Comments from Judges of Previous Fairs (click to expand)

All good! So glad to be a part of it! Thank you!
As a former school psychologist and current trainer of school psychologists it was great to have contact with such a bright and motivated group of students. I enjoyed the experience thoroughly.
Compared to WESEF, it's nice to have the Elementary and Middle schools present. Also, it's good to have explicit reassurance that judges' ratings will be compensated for strict vs lenient judges.
Excellent or you can say Outstanding organization.
I think you all did an amazing job considering all the things you had to coordinate! Thank you so much!
I thought the organizers did a wonderful job. It was a great experience - exciting to see our future.
It was a lot of fun and great to see how young minds work and process scientific and mathematical information.
Keep up the good work, and thanks for the opportunity to participate
Really enjoyed it, a great first experience, looking forward to next year
Thank you for the opportunity to participate as a judge.
The ability to view videos at one's own pace is a nice feature of the virtual format. I think organization was good.

What's Next?

Did you register to be a judge before March 17? If not, click on Registration or the Volunteer! and Registration links in the top menu.
If you register as a judge. you will receive an acknowledgment email (#2) of your registration, followed by a series of subsequent emails until shortly before the fair as depicted in the workflow to the right.
Please review the Judging Guidelines, which includes links to the Judging Rubric, your potential for Conflict-of-Interest as a judge, a preliminary list of exhibits, and what is involved in Selecting Exhibits and Evaluating Exhibits.

If you are already registered as a judge, did you receive an email (#3) before March 25 requesting confirmation of your participation and declaration of Conflict-of-Interest? If not, PLEASE contact the Judges' Committee at Judges@DiscoveryCtr.org or 845-621-1260 x-402.

If you have already registered and confirmed, you should have received an orientation email (#5) by April 1 with your judge's ID and password to allow you to select online the exhibits you prefer to judge. If so, click visit the Selecting Exhibits page for further instructions. If not, PLEASE contact the Judges' Committee at Judges@DiscoveryCtr.org or 845-621-1260 x-402.

If you received your orientation email by April 1, did you select your exhibits through our online form by April 5? If so, you should have received an acknowledgment email (#6) of your selections. If you did not receive the acknowledgment email after selecting your exhibits online, PLEASE contact the Judges' Committee at Judges@DiscoveryCtr.org or 845-621-1260 x-402.
Did you receive the Final Reminder email (#7) with the evaluation packet by April 8? If so, visit the Evaluating Exhibits page for further instructions. If not, PLEASE contact the Judges' Committee at Judges@DiscoveryCtr.org or 845-621-1260 x-402.
Did you submit your scores no later than April 15 at 6:00 PM EDT for the exhibits that you evaluated?
Learn more about the fair by visiting Useful Links

Timeline for 2024 Tri-County Science & Technology Fair (click to expand)

Thank You!!

On behalf of the many volunteers, teachers, parents, and students who are involved with our Tri-County Science & Technology Fair, we wish to extend our gratitude and appreciation to YOU for:

taking time out from your busy schedule to help judge, evaluate, and offer constructive feedback to our students
helping to advance an interest in STEM topics among the youth in our area
allowing us to continue operating our fair in a "virtual" setting; thereby, expanding the scope of judges that can participate

Questions?

PLEASE contact the Judges' Committee at Judges@DiscoveryCtr.org or 845-621-1260 x-402.