The Utah Science & Engineering Fair (USEF) is a premier STEM competition and science fair held annually in Utah. It showcases student research in science and engineering, giving young innovators a chance to present projects to expert judges. USEF is hosted by the University of Utah and serves as the state-level fair for Salt Lake area students.

Each spring (typically in early March), hundreds of middle and high school students (grades 5–12) gather at the U’s Crocker Science Center to exhibit their projects. The goal of USEF is to stimulate students’ interest in science and technology and develop critical thinking, problem-solving, and communication skills.

What is a Science and Engineering Fair?

A science and engineering fair is an event where students conduct original research or experiments and display their findings to the public and judges. Participants typically follow the scientific method: posing a question, forming a hypothesis, conducting experiments or engineering designs, and drawing conclusions. Science fairs encourage creativity, scientific literacy, and hands-on learning.

In Utah, USEF is the Salt Lake Valley fair that revives the old Salt Lake Valley Science & Engineering Fair, giving students across local districts a chance to compete at a high level. In contrast, state fairs like the Utah State Fair are large public festivals held in late summer/early fall – usually 11 days in early September – focused on agriculture, entertainment, and exhibits. The Utah State Fair takes place at the Fairpark in Salt Lake City each year. Admission to the State Fair is typically around $10–$15 for adults, but USEF itself is free for participants and not a public spectator event.

The Utah Science and Engineering Fair (USEF)

USEF is organized by the University of Utah’s College of Science and is ISEF-affiliated, meaning it follows international rules and standards. In recent years, USEF has attracted on the order of 500–600 students and nearly as many projects (elementary, junior, and senior divisions combined). For example, the 2024 USEF featured 592 students with 470 projects. The fair spans four days, with judging sessions in the mornings and an awards ceremony at the end. In general, USEF is held around the month of March each year. Students must first qualify at local or district science fairs. School and district fairs usually occur in late winter, and top projects from each qualifying fair earn invitations to compete at USEF. The final registration deadline for USEF is typically a few weeks before the fair (often in mid-February). The fair is hosted in Salt Lake City; recently it has been staged at the University’s Crocker Science Center. During USEF, judges who are volunteer scientists and engineers interview students one-on-one about their projects.

Who Can Compete: Eligibility and Grades

USEF is open to Utah students in grades 5 through 12. In order to be eligible to participate at USEF, you must have participated and won at your school / district fair & received an invitation to participate. This includes public, charter, private, and home-schooled students from participating school districts. In particular, USEF serves students from the Canyons, Granite, Murray, Park City, Salt Lake, Tooele, and South Summit School Districts, as well as the Salt Lake Catholic Diocese and any private or charter schools within those boundaries.

In other words, if your school district is listed above and you are in grades 5–12, you may enter your project in your local science fair. If you place in that fair, you advance to USEF. Each project at USEF must follow the state and ISEF rules (for example, safety and ethics guidelines). In general, teams of up to three students can compete, and a faculty advisor or teacher typically assists with the project.

District and Regional Feeder Fairs

Before reaching USEF, students typically progress through feeder fairs: school fairs, then district-level fairs, and finally one of Utah’s ISEF-affiliated regional fairs. Utah has several affiliated regional science fairs that funnel projects toward USEF (and ultimately ISEF).

Each of these fairs sends its top winners to the Utah State Fair (USEF). In short, most Utah students enter their school or district science fair, and successful projects move up to a regional fair; winners of regional fairs earn spots at USEF and winners from USEF get to participate at ISEF. Here’s a list of regional fairs that feed into USEF:

Regional Science and Engineering Fairs Feeding into USEF

Level One Qualification	Level Two Qualification	Feeder Fair	Schools Included
School Science Fair	District Science Fair	Canyons School District Science Fair	All public elementary, junior high, and high schools within district boundaries
		Granite School District Science Fair	All public elementary, junior high, and high schools within district boundaries
		Murray School District Science Fair	All public elementary, junior high, and high schools within district boundaries
		Park City School District Science Fair	All public elementary, junior high, and high schools within district boundaries
		Salt Lake School District Science Fair	All public elementary, junior high, and high schools within district boundaries
		South Summit School District Science Fair	All public elementary, junior high, and high schools within district boundaries
		Tooele School District Science Fair	All public elementary, junior high, and high schools within district boundaries
		Charter Schools Science Fair	AMES, APA, BSTA, Channing Hall, City Academy, Dual Immersion Academy, Entheos Academy, Endeavor Hall, Excelsior, Esperanza Academy, Monticello Academy, Utah Virtual Academy, Weilenmann Academy — all charter schools within USEF district boundaries
		Diocesan Fair (Parochial Schools)	Catholic schools within the Salt Lake Catholic Diocese
		Private School Fair	Challenger Schools, McGillis School, Reid School, Rowland Hall, Salt Lake Jr. Academy, The Waterford School — all private schools within USEF district boundaries
		Home School Students	Must compete at one of the qualifying fairs above; contact Jody Oostema (University of Utah) by January 30 for participation details
	Final Level	University of Utah Science and Engineering Fair (USEF)	All qualifying students from the fairs listed above

Project Categories and Examples

Students at USEF present a wide variety of STEM projects. There are generally five main types of projects in science fairs:

• Demonstration projects: These illustrate a scientific principle (e.g. building a volcano model) but may not involve original research. (They typically do not compete for top research awards.)
• Research (experimental) projects: These use the scientific method to answer a specific question through experiments. For example, testing which material insulates best, or measuring plant growth under different conditions.
• Engineering/design projects: These involve creating or improving a device or system using engineering principles. Examples include building the strongest bridge from balsa wood, designing a prototype robot, or developing a water filtration system.
• Computer science projects: These focus on programming, algorithms, or computer applications. A student might write new software, analyze data with code, or improve an existing program’s efficiency.
• Mathematics projects: These explore a novel or advanced mathematical problem or model not usually covered in class (for example, a new way to generate fractal patterns).

At the fair, students set up a display board to explain their project. The board should clearly state the question, hypothesis, procedures, results, and conclusion, often with charts and photos. Common high school projects include constructing a wind-powered car (exploring aerodynamics and renewable energy), or building an innovative bridge out of household materials and testing its strength. Other finalists have presented robotics and coding projects (e.g. programming a robot or simple AI). Whatever the topic, a winning project is usually one that is well-designed, scientifically sound, and engaging.

Preparing Your Project and Tips to Excel

Success at USEF requires careful preparation. First, choose an engaging topic that genuinely interests you. Passion for your subject will carry you through the process and make your presentation more compelling. Look for questions that address real-world issues or gaps in current knowledge. Always follow the scientific method: do background research, write a clear hypothesis, control variables carefully in your experiment or design, collect data, and form evidence-backed conclusions. Keep a detailed project notebook documenting every step.

Presentation matters: your tri-fold board should be neat, well-labeled, and logical. Include charts, graphs, photos, and reference key data.

Practice explaining your project succinctly. Judges will ask many questions, so be ready to answer common science fair questions like: “What was your research question or problem? What was your hypothesis? How did you test it? What variables did you control? What were your results and conclusion?” Practice with family or teachers can help. Dress neatly and arrive early on fair day (bring any equipment you need, extra photos or handouts).

One other tip: time management. Start your project well before the deadline – ideally months in advance. Rushing leads to mistakes. Also remember that USEF is not just a competition but a learning experience. Even if you don’t win an award, you’ll gain valuable research experience and get feedback from mentors.

Awards, Prizes, and National/International Competition

USEF gives out medals and special awards in each division (elementary, junior, senior). In the senior division, the top projects earn gold, silver, etc. The very best senior projects become ISEF qualifiers. USEF is officially affiliated with the Regeneron International Science & Engineering Fair (ISEF), the world’s largest pre-college science fair held each May for ~1,800 students worldwide.

Typically, USEF will send five projects to ISEF. Thus, winning at USEF can propel a student to compete on the international stage. In addition to advancing to ISEF, USEF winners often earn scholarships or internships from sponsors.

FAQs: Science Fair Questions

What are the top 10 science fairs? In the U.S., the most prestigious fairs include the Regeneron ISEF (international high school fair), the Regeneron Science Talent Search (STS) which is a very competitive pre-college science research competition, the Thermo Fisher Junior Innovators Challenge, the Junior Science & Humanities Symposium, and others. These fairs are considered among the “top” science competitions. USEF itself is one of Utah’s top science fairs and feeds into ISEF.

What are common science fair questions? Judges typically ask about your question, hypothesis, methods, results, and conclusion. For example, expect questions like “What was your hypothesis?”, “How did you test it?”, and “What did you find?”. Be prepared to explain your controls and variables, show your data charts, and discuss what you learned. Practice helps.

How can I win a science fair? Winning requires an original and well-executed project plus a clear presentation. Choose a project that genuinely interests you. Plan carefully and conduct the experiment thoroughly. Keep detailed notes and present data clearly on your board. Practice explaining your project and answering questions confidently. Judges reward projects that show deep understanding, creativity, and real-world relevance.

What are some easy science fair projects? Simple projects often involve well-known experiments: for example, creating a baking soda volcano, testing germination of seeds in light vs. dark, or exploring buoyancy with different objects. Engineering projects can be easy too, like building a bridge from popsicle sticks or a windmill from cardboard. The easiest project is one you can do at home with minimal materials and a question you can answer through straightforward experimentation.

What is the purpose of a science fair? Science fairs aim to encourage STEM education by engaging students in real research. They provide a platform for young scientists to apply the scientific method, solve problems, and communicate results. In short, science fairs develop practical research experience and problem-solving skills that benefit students long after the competition.

Engineering and Education in Utah

For students inspired by USEF, Utah offers strong engineering education. The University of Utah is generally ranked as having the top engineering program in the state. Brigham Young University (Provo) and Utah State University also have excellent engineering colleges. Utah Valley University was recently recognized for high alumni earnings, but in terms of academic engineering ranks the University of Utah often leads. (By comparison, out-of-state Texas schools like UT Austin and Texas A&M are also highly ranked nationally; between those two, UT Austin’s Cockrell School is often slightly higher in some rankings, but both are excellent.)

“Big 4” of engineering: A common term in engineering is the “Big 4” disciplines: mechanical, civil, electrical, and chemical engineering. These core fields cover the foundational areas of engineering. Students interested in science fairs might explore projects related to these fields (e.g. a mechanical project building a bridge, an electrical project making a simple circuit, etc.).

Colleges in Utah: Beyond engineering, the University of Utah is often considered Utah’s flagship public research university. Brigham Young University is highly regarded privately. Utah Valley University (UVU) has been ranked #1 in Utah for graduate earnings in one study. The “#1 college” can vary by criteria: BYU often ranks top in academics, while UVU ranks high for post-college salaries.

In a nutshell, the Utah Science & Engineering Fair is a major STEM event for Utah students (grades 5–12) held each March in Salt Lake City. Eligible students who place in district or regional science fairs may advance to USEF. The fair culminates in awards and provides a pipeline to national competitions like Regeneron ISEF. Whether you’re a student preparing a project or a parent/teacher supporting one, USEF offers a one-stop platform to celebrate science and engineering achievement in Utah.