What to Expect at MSSF
The Maine State Science Fair is a one-day event. The day is broken into four stages:
1. Arrival and Setup
Begins in the morning when you first arrive between 7:30 and 8:30am. You will check in and get your name tag and program. You will then be directed into the exhibit area. You will be given a specific table to set up and your poster must stand on its own (see Lesson 2 for more details). You will also attend the student orientation which will give you specific details for the day.
2. Judging
Judging will be from 9:00am to noon. Judges will approach you to hear about your project and ask questions. They will have read your abstract ahead of time and have a basic understanding of your project. You will have up to 10 minutes with each judge. Plan to have a 3-minute “elevator pitch” and then answer the judge’s questions (see Lesson 3 on what to expect and how to be successful during your interview). Judging will be broken into two 75-minute rounds; half of the projects will be judged in round 1 and the other half in round 2. You need to stay at your project during your judging round, but you can walk around and look at other projects when it is not your turn to talk to judges.
3. STEM Showcase
After lunch you will have the opportunity to explore the college campus. You will have the chance to talk with researchers and see state-of-the-art facilities in different science and engineering fields of study.
4. Awards Ceremony
The ceremony lasts about one hour and will be live-streamed so that family members can watch online. Awards include:
- Category Awards
- Special Awards
- Scholarship Awards
- Top Winners of MSSF
What to Bring
- Your poster (yes, we’ve seen students come to MSSF without their posters!)
- A lab notebook that shows the data you collected (for science projects) or your designs/ideas (for engineering projects). If your data is in spreadsheets on your computer, you can bring a tablet or laptop to display it. Just be aware that there will not be an outlet to plug it in, and MSSF is not responsible for lost or damaged devices.
- Any visuals or props that can be freestanding by your poster. Please note, you are NOT allowed to display hazardous materials or devices, or potentially hazardous biological agents. You can review a list of items not allowed at MSSF in our Display Rules. Please email MSSF fair directors if you have any questions about what is allowed at your poster.
The following lessons will give you more details on how to design and display your poster and interviewing tips and tricks.
Next lesson: Poster Design