Helpful Hints from the SRC

We review projects for the following:

1)      evidence of literature search

2)      evidence of proper supervision

3)      use of accepted and appropriate research techniques

4)      completed forms, signatures and dates showing maximum of one year duration of research and appropriate preapproval dates

5)      evidence of search for alternatives to animal use

6)      humane treatment of animals

7)      compliance with rules and laws governing human and animal research

8)      compliance with rules regarding potentially hazardous biological agents

9)      documentation of substantial expansion for continuation projects

10)    compliance with the ISEF ethics statement

Research in the following areas must be reviewed and approved by the MTSEF Scientific Review Committee (SRC) and/or MTSEF Institutional Review Board (IRB) BEFORE experimentation begins:

1)      projects involving potentially hazardous biological agents

2)      projects involving vertebrate animals

3)      projects involving humans

ALL projects will be reviewed by the SRC after experimentation and must be approved before display at MTSEF

Projects that fall in a category requiring pre-approval (see above) and were conducted at a regulated research institution with prior review and approval of the proper institutional review boards of that institution may be entered in the science fair. The MTSEF SRC will review these projects at the time all projects are reviewed prior to display at MTSEF.

The MTSEF SRC highly recommends that students and their adult sponsors use the ISEF Rules Wizard at: http://www.sciserv.org/isef/primer/wizard/index.asp

If students or adult sponsors have additional questions about rules, forms, or requirements of pre-approvals they may contact me directly at: schillers@apsu.edu

Sarah Lundin-Schiller, Ph.D.

Department of Biology

Austin Peay State University

Clarksville TN

931.221.6335

schillers@apsu.edu