The Mercer Science and Engineering Fair (MSEF) is an annual competition open to students of Mercer County, New Jersey in grades 4 through 12. It is run by the Mercer Science and Engineering Club and held at Rider University, one of the fair's major sponsors. The competition covers all aspects of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).
The competition is divided into three groups:
- Elementary: grades 4 and 5
- Junior: grades 6 through 8
- Senior: grades 9 through 12
The Grand Prize winner of the Senior Division receives a chaperoned all-expense paid trip to compete at the annual Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) held in May. The top 10% of the Junior Division (grades 6-8) move on to compete in the Broadcom Masters Competition.
Students in the elementary division can enter the general science category, while students in the junior division can enter in the general science category or robot design category. Senior division students can choose from animal science, behavioral and social science, biochemistry, biomedical and health sciences, translational medical science, chemistry, materials science, chemical energy, physical energy, earth and environmental sciences, environmental engineering, engineering mechanics, robotics and intelligent machines, mathematics, physics and astronomy, embedded systems, systems of software, plant science, and robot system design.
Location(s)
- Rider University, Lawrenceville, New Jersey
Schedule
- Held annually each March
Cost/Compensation
- Free
Eligibility Requirements
- Participants must be in grades 4-12 at a school in Mercer County, New Jersey
Deadline
- March
Application or Entry Requirements
- Register online and complete a fair application
- Submit a detailed research plan
- Complete project precertification (required for some topics)
- Complete all required ISEF forms
- Submit an abstract
- Create and upload presentation materials
Notifications of Decisions
Financial Aid Details
Other Dates to Keep in Mind
Have other questions?
The Mercer Science and Engineering Club is a non-profit organization that orchestrates the annual Mercer Science and Engineering Fair. The group, run entirely by volunteers, works with sponsors to provide the funds necessary to run the fair and provide student awards.
