Quick Reminder: Rice Eccles stadium will be a nut free zone during the fair. The caterers have also been notified and there will not be any nuts or nut products in the student or judge lunches.

Good morning USEF students, parents and teachers-

We are excited to kick off the 2019 University of Utah Science and Engineering Fair! Here are a few last minute reminders!

In an effort to improve security and safety for our students, we are asking everyone to print or have the attached entry pass available for you or your group to show security when you enter the lobby at Gate C.

Elementary division (5^thand 6^thgrade) set up is TODAY from 4:00-6:30 pm. The public open house is Wednesday, March 13^thfrom 10:00-11:00 am. Judging runs from 11:00-2:30.

Secondary division (7^th-12^thgrade)set up is TOMORROW from 4:00-7:00 pm. The public open house is Thursday, March 14^thfrom 9:00-10:00. Judging runs from 10:00-3:00.

Parking is FREE for everyone due to the University of Utah Spring Break. Park where ever you like in the Rice Eccles parking lot and enter at Gate C.

Please bring EVERYTHING you will have at your project for the Display and Safety check. If you bring a laptop or other valuable item, you can take it home with you and then bring it back on Wednesday for judging.

Students: Please remember that you are guests at Rice Eccles Stadium and Tower. We had some complaints last year about students doodling on tables. Keep in mind that if you doodle on your table, we can track who is at each table based on your project and table number and students will need to pay for the damage.

Elementary division students will receive an email on Friday to notify them if they have won an award. Secondary division students (7^th-12^thgrade)will NOT be notified of awards won but a list of awards will be posted on the USEF website on Saturday by noon. Information about picking up awards will be sent out next week.

We have a fairly mathematically complex judge program and we use Z-Scores to reduce judge bias. With that in mind, we cannot share individual projects scores with students or parent as the scores would not make any sense unless you views the scores for every project each judge submitted.

Please communicate with your student about WHERE you will meet them if you are picking them up from Rice Eccles. We have had frustrated parents and students looking for each other at pick time for the elementary division. Students should be instructed to either stay at their project board where you will meet them, or wait in the lobby (which is quite small!) for parents/busses to pick them up after judging.

Remember that students can get FREE admission on Tuesday through Thursday at the Natural History Museum of Utah if they show their USEF name badge.

I will not be in the office this week so if you leave a voice mail, I won’t respond until next week. Feel free to email me and I will respond to urgent emails when I can.

Good luck!!

Project Numbers & Table Numbers: USEF Secondary Division

Dear Students, Parents and Teachers-

We’re almost ready for 2019 University of Utah Science and Engineering Fair! Are you ready?

Please look at the attached list that includes your last name, project number and most important,the table number where you will set up your project. I have also included a map so you’ll know where your project will be set up. You can also find the maps and project keys at https://usef.utah.edu/ by the end of day today. Table numbers from 1-201 will be located on the 4^thfloor. Table numbers from 202-284 will be located on the 5^thfloor. When you arrive at the stadium on Wednesday between 4:00 and 7:00 p.m., you will proceed to the 4^thor 5^th floor via the elevators at Gate C to set up your project. You will find your registration packet (which includes your name tag, games, pen and instructions on what to do all in a back pack that you can keep) at your table. After you set up your project, find a Display and Safety judge to sign off on your project and then you are free to go to the 4^thfloor lobby on the south side of the building and pick up your USEF t-shirt. If you forgot what size t-shirt you ordered when you registered, you can find that information on the Display and Safety check off sheet located at your table.

Students can wear their USEF t-shirt for judging on Thursday or they may wear what they choose. Some students get quite dressed up for judging. Just remember that you will not be judged on what you wear but on the research you have done on your project so be comfortable!

Be sure to check the University of Utah Science and Engineering Fair Facebook page for live shots throughout set up and judging. A photographer will take professional photos on Thursday and these will be posted on the USEF website in a few weeks. You will be able to print photos at no charge.

The Awards Ceremony will take place at Juan Diego High School on Friday, March 15^that 6:30 p.m.

Good luck at the fair! We are all very excited to see your amazing projects!

SENT ON THURSDAY MARCH 7, 2019

Hello Students, Parents and Teachers!

Here is the final schedule for the 2019 University of Utah Science and Engineering Fair.

PLEASE NOTE: I will not be in the office to answer phones from March 12-15 and will only be checking email when time allows. If you have any questions, please be sure to contact me by Monday. An email will be sent on Monday with project numbers (this is the number assigned when you registered your project) and tables numbers (this the location of your table on the 4^thor 5^th floor at Rice Eccles Stadium and Tower) so you will know where to set up.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 13

4:00-7:00 p.m.:Check in and set up for junior and senior division students: Enter at Gate C, which is on the south end of Rice Eccles Stadium. There should be plenty of parking available in the Rice Eccles lot.You will not need a pass and parking is free. ALL students must havetheir project board signed off by a Display and Safety Judge before they leave! Students are not required to attend set up if they have other obligations. Projects can be set up by a parent, teacher or friend, if needed. Please do not come before 4:00! If you have participated before, please note the door to enter the building is now on the south side of the foyer and not the north side. There will be a sign letting you know where to enter.

7:30-10:00 p.m.: Judge Registration and project preview (withoutstudents)

THURSDAY, MARCH 14

7:00-9:00 a.m.: Judge Registration and preview (withoutstudents) Students will not be allowed on the judging floor until 9:00 am. Please do not arrive early!

9:00-10:00 a.m.: Students arrive for public event and judging. Public Display of Projects and Discussions with Students. Parents are welcome to join their students on the 4^thor 5^thfloor but will be asked to leave at 10:00 when judging begins.

10:00-3:00 p.m.: Project Judging and Evaluation for students. (Students must remain with their projects during the judging period.) Pre-ordered lunch boxes will be delivered to students at their project booth between 11:00 and 11:30. Please be sure to pack a water bottle as drinks are not provided.

3:00-3:30 p.m.: Removal of Exhibits. ALL projects must be removed by 3:30 p.m.

FRIDAY, MARCH 15

6:30-9:00 p.m.: Awards Ceremony@ JUAN DIEGO HIGH SCHOOLAuditorium, 300 East 11800 South, Draper. Free parking is available on the west or south side of the building.

ALL USEF Finalists will be given FREE admission to the Natural History Museum of Utah on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday with their USEF Name Badge!Be sure to take advantage of this great opportunity while on the U of U campus. For hours and directions, visit https://nhmu.utah.edu/

There will be limited seating and tables set up on the 6^thfloor of Rice Eccles where parents and teachers can wait while students are judged on the 4^thand 5^thfloor, however, parents and teachers are NOT REQUIRED to stay at Rice Eccles during judging.Everyone must have a name tag to be on the judging floors. Parents and teachers who are found on the floor during judging without a name tag put their students in jeopardy of disqualification. Please speak to a volunteer near the elevators on the 4^thfloor if you need to get a message to your student. Lunch will NOT be provided for parents and teachers- sorry!

Good luck at the fair!!!

SENT ON FRIDAY FEBRUARY 22, 2019

Dear USEF Participant,

The University of Utah Science and Engineering Fair is just over two weeks away! This email contains a LOT of information, so please read it carefully.

An email sent out earlier this week included the incorrect link to the USEF flyer and schedule. You can find the current schedule and flyer at https://usef.utah.edu/the-event

Display and Safety

All students must have their project approved by a Display and Safety judge. We have attached a printable PDF of what is not allowed at projects. Let me know if you have any questions.

Set-Up

Remember, all secondary division (this includes both junior, 7th and 8th grade, and senior division, 9th-12th grade) projects need to be set up on Wednesday, March 13th at Rice Eccles Stadium (the football stadium located at 451 South 1400 East) at the University of Utah between 4:00 and 7:00 p.m. When you arrive, please enter the building at the south entrance, which is GATE C. Parking will be free in the Rice Eccles Stadium parking lot so park wherever you find a spot. You will not need a parking pass.

In an effort to streamline the set-up process, you will receive an email on Monday, March 11th with information on where you will set up your project. That email will include the student's last name, project number and table number. Please watch for that email and come to Rice Eccles with your table number to make set-up easier.

Judging

Secondary division judging will take place on Thursday, March 14th between 10:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. Students will be served lunch at their project booth between 11:30 and 12:00 and can eat whenever they like. Please bring a water bottle or something to drink as beverages will not be provided. The public event will take place BEFORE judging, from 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. Parents can walk their students to their project booth for the public event and view other projects, but must leave the floor by 10:00. Parents can join their student after judging at 3:00 to help with project tear down. Please be sure to communicate with your students about where you will meet them. All projects must be taken home on Thursday between 3:00 and 4:00. Due to budget constraints, lunch is only available for participating students and judges.

Projects may be judged by both Category Judges and Special Award Judges, and different projects may have different numbers of judges, so it is important that students stay close to their project the entire time. (They may leave for quick trips to the restroom, of course! Please tell the student at the project next to theirs that they’ll be right back.) Category Judges will have a red ribbon on their nametag and Special Award judges will have a grey ribbon.

There will be a few puzzles and games for students in the student packet provided at Set-Up, but students may want to bring some other things to do while they wait for their project to be judged. iPods, phones and other electronic devices are all OK to bring, but students must put them away immediately when a judge comes to interview them! Judges have been told that they may dock points from a student's score if they do not immediately put away electronic devices. Students can bring a small snack as well (without nuts - see below).

Nut Allergies

We have several students registered for USEF who have indicated they have a severe nut allergy. All food served to students and judges will be nut free. We would like to ask all students, parents, teachers and judges to leave snacks with nuts in them at home.

Awards Ceremony

The Awards Ceremony will be held on Friday, March 15th at 6:30 p.m. at Juan Diego High School, located at 300 East 11800 South in Sandy. 720 students registered for the fair this year, seating is limited so please keep this in mind when inviting guests to attend. Junior and senior division students will NOT be notified if they have won an award. If a student wins an award but is not able to attend the Awards Ceremony, awards can be picked up at my office (directions will be sent later) in April. A specific schedule will be sent out later. Category Award winners will be awarded a prize money voucher in addition to a trophy. The money voucher must be turned in and exchanged for the cash prize. All students who win a cash prize must sign to receive the cash. A parent or guardian may sign for the cash prize; however, cash prizes cannot be picked up by a friend. Sorry!

Feel free to email if you have additional questions.

Congratulations once again on advancing to the University of Utah Science and Engineering Fair.

Good Luck!

SENT ON TUESDAY FEBRUARY 19, 2019

Dear USEF Participant,

Congratulations! You have made it to the 2019 University of Utah Science and Engineering Fair (USEF)!

You are receiving this email as a student, parent or teacher whose email was provided during online registration. Several emails will be sent out with information about the fair between now and March 11th. If you have a team project, please make sure that all members of the team receive this information.

If your question is not answered in this email, chances are it will be answered in an email to come so please be patient. You can check out the FAQ page on the USEF site for more information at https://usef.utah.edu/faq or view the full schedule at https://usef.s3.amazonaws.com/2018_USEF_Flyer.pdf With 712 students registered to compete this year, we are also going to add emails sent out to the USEF website on the home page so if you don’t check email frequently, feel free to check the USEF site.

Project Set-Up

All secondary division (7th through 12th grade) projects must be set up at Rice Eccles Stadium Tower (451 South 1400 East, SLC) on Wednesday, March 13th between 4:00 and 7:00 pm. (PLEASE do not come early!) Students are encouraged to set up their project, however, if this is not possible a parent, a parent, friend or teacher may set up the project. Set up should only take about 20-30 minutes unless the student has additional visual aides to set up. (See list below of items that are NOT allowed at USEF) ALL projects must be set up and approved by a member of the Safety and Display Committee by 7:00 pm on Wednesday in order to compete on Thursday, March 14th. Students must be present for judge interviews on Thursday.

Items NOT Allowed

Since we are required to follow some pretty strict display and safety rules, I would like to give you some tips for your project display to avoid disappointment at the fair if you have to take some of your display items home. I have listed the top 8 items that students bring to the fair that are not allowed. If you have a question about an item that you are not sure about, please check with me before the fair so you are not taking items back home.

• ANYTHING LIVING: This includes plants (living or dead), seeds, animals and live bacteria. If your seeds or plants are attached to your display board, they will need to be removed. You can replace the items with photos of the seeds or plants.
• FOOD: This includes food that you have used for your experiment or food that is attached to your display board. (for example, popcorn) Please take photos of the food and bring them instead. Animal food is also not allowed. Empty food boxes are allowed to bring as props, if desired, however, the containers must be completely empty.
• LIQUID: This means no water, no chemicals, and no ice involved with your project. Students are encouraged to bring a water bottle to the fair to drink, but water may not be used a part of the display.
• GLASS: If you are bringing an approved sample of something, please do not bring it in a glass jar. Plastic containers are acceptable, but the item inside the container must be approved.
• PHOTOS: All photos on the display board must either be a picture of the student or come with a signed consent form from the person in the photo allowing use of their photo. If students don’t have consent forms for photos on their board other than themselves, the Display and Safety judges will protect the identity of the person with a lovely smiley face sticker.
• POISONS, DRUGS, and CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES: This includes weapons of any kind, any type of medication glued to your display board and poisonous substances of any kind.
• SHARP ITEMS: This includes syringes, needles and knives. These items cannot be on display OR attached to your display board.
• ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS: We understand (and expect) that most students have received help with their project from parents, teachers, lab technicians, professors etc. To keep the playing field even at USEF and to avoid judge bias (think about how a judge could be influenced if Company X was involved in a project when the judge loves or hates Company X) we do not allow junior or senior division projects to include acknowledgements of any kind on the project board. You can include this information in your journal or lab book, but NOT on the project board. This includes acknowledgements to mom, dad, Professor X, Company XXX and teachers.

Display Board

Please make sure that your entire project board and any items you are bringing to display with your project board fit within the maximum project guidelines. Your project should not be more than 30 inches deep, 48 inches wide or 9 feet tall from the floor to the top of the project. USEF will provide tables for all display boards and power cords if you requested power when you registered online. If you did not request power, but have a laptop or other device that needs power, please let me know right away. Some items that require power are not allowed at the fair. (for example, hovercrafts, power tools and small electrical appliances.)

Judging

Judging will take place on Thursday, March 14th. Students should plan to arrive at Rice Eccles between 9:00 and 10:00 am for the public event. Parents, grandparents and friends will be allowed to accompany students to their project but must leave at 10:00 am when judging begins. All students must be at their project board, ready for judging, at 10:00.

Parents are not allowed on the floor during judging, however, parents and teachers may wait on the 6th floor from 10:00-3:00 while judging takes place and can join their student at 3:00 to help pack up the projects. Lunch will not be provided for parents or teachers, sorry. A security guard will be assigned to the door in the lobby and another will be walking around the 4th and 5th floors to ensure safety for all students. Students will not be allowed to leave without a parent or teacher.

Congratulations once again and good luck at the fair!!!