PRSEF/PJAS

Resources/Links:

About the contests...

PJAS and PRSEF are both contests that might be called "Science Fairs", but one primary difference is that these contests ask students to conduct an experiment. While science fairs in earlier years of school might allow a student to research a topic and present what they've learned, these contests ask students to follow the scientific method as they develop a question to answer, research their topic, formulate a hypothesis, design and carry out an experiment, and analyze their results and the impact of those results.

There are some exceptions:
Computer Science, Engineering, and Mathematics projects will ask students to identify a problem that can be solved through those fields. They will design a procedure to outline their plans, but it will look different than an experiment. Each of these categories has a unique scoring rubric, while all other science categories use the same rubric.

Pittsburgh Regional Science & Engineering Fair (PRSEF)

Exhibition of your work on poster board
- Judges will look at your poster board, allow you to explain your project, and ask questions
Regional Competition only
- Typically held on Weekday(s) in March
- Typically held at Carnegie Science Center

Pennsylvania Junior Academy of Science (PJAS)

Presentation (slides) of your experiment
- 8-10 minutes in length
- Panel of judges scores your work and presentation
Regional Competition
- Typically held on the first Saturday in February
- Typically at Duquesne University
State Competition
- If you earn a 1st Award, you qualify for states
- Held Mid-May
- Typically held at Penn State University

Students may present the same experiment/project at both contests. The bulk of the work is the experiment, so with some minimal effort, a student can convert PJAS slides to a PRSEF poster board or vice versa.

There are many phases or steps to the PRSEF/PJAS process: