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Each year, students from nearly 100 schools participate in the Pittsburgh Regional Science & Engineering Fair (PRSEF), spending up to 12 months developing projects using the scientific method. The fair is supported by foundations, universities, industries, corporations, and professional societies.
Do you work with 6th–8th grade students?
The Lucchino Science Inspiration Fund is your chance to guide them to success at the 2026 Pittsburgh Regional Science & Engineering Fair – with full support from the Science Center.
Apply by Sept. 28 to join a cohort of passionate educators and receive:
Your scholars will benefit from in-school support, hands-on guidance, and recognition for their achievements.
Priority given to schools with ≥40% free/reduced lunch.
Educators must attend four workshops (Oct. 2025–March 2026) and bring at least 10 scholars to the Fair on March 25, 2026.
Questions? Contact Apryl at PeroneyA@KaminScienceCenter.org
Apply here: Lucchino Science Scholars Application 
Please contact Christie Orlosky at OrloskyC@KaminScienceCenter.org with questions. Funding requests must be on school letterhead, contain details on financial need, including free/reduced lunch percentage, and must be received by Dec. 1, 2025, to be considered.
The 2026 early bird registration fee to participate in PRSEF is $25 per project if paid by December 1, 2025. After this date, the registration fee is $50 per project (individual and teams). Schools where 40%+ of their student population qualifies for or receives FRL/Title 1 funds will have their registration fee waived. If you qualify for the waived fee, please submit proof of FRL % on official school/district letterhead to Christie Orlosky, STEM Competitions Coordinator, at OrloskyC@KaminScienceCenter.org.
Email questions or comments to PRSEF@KaminScienceCenter.org or call the Science Fair office at 412.237.1534.
Pittsburgh Regional Science & Engineering Fair (PRSEF) is one of the largest ISEF-affiliated science fairs in the country. An event this size requires the efforts of many individuals. We couldn’t provide this opportunity for our students without the help of our many judges and volunteers.
The 88th Annual Pittsburgh Regional Science & Engineering Fair will take place Tues.–Wed., March 24-25, 2026, at Kamin Science Center. Registration opens on Dec. 1, 2025.
The Science Fair is looking for judges to award a variety of prizes on Competition Days, Tues.–Wed., March 24-25, 2026. You only need to be present for one of the two days to judge.
Read more about the different judge types below.
Judges must have a bachelor’s degree in the field in which they are judging or related experience. In the junior or intermediate levels (Grade 6–8), a non-science degree may be acceptable. Active K–12 educators are not eligible to judge.
Intermediate Division also includes Consumer Science.
Judges need a bachelor’s degree in the field they judge or relevant experience.
For Junior or Intermediate levels, a non-science degree may be acceptable.
Note: Active K–12 educators are not eligible to serve as judges.
Affiliated Sponsor awards are awarded at Pittsburgh Regional Science & Engineering Fair because of its affiliation with Regeneron ISEF.
Organizations such as:
Affiliate judges will review student projects, interview students and decide upon the recipients of each award.
Affiliate judges will review student projects, interview students, and decide upon the recipients of each award.
Affiliate sponsor awards (certificates and medallions as determined by sponsors) are awarded at the Pittsburgh Regional Science & Engineering Fair because of its affiliation with Regeneron ISEF.
Senior Division PRSEF participants (9th-12th grade) are eligible to be judged and receive scholarships. Scholarship judges will evaluate projects for the schools providing those awards. Please contact PRSEF@KaminScienceCenter.org if you represent a school which would like to offer a scholarship to PRSEF students.
Sponsor Judges represent a PRSEF sponsor and choose exhibits that address the particular field of interest of that sponsoring organization. If your organization is interested in sponsoring an award at PRSEF, please contact: PRSEF@KaminScienceCenter.org.
As an affiliate fair of the Regeneron International Science & Engineering Fair (ISEF), Pittsburgh Regional Science & Engineering Fair can advance up to seven Senior Division projects to ISEF.
The ISEF Judges, experts from local universities and organizations, read the papers submitted by the student researchers and select and interview the ISEF candidates. These judges may or may not be part of the category award selection committee.
ISEF judges are experts from local universities and organizations.
They will review papers submitted by student researchers.
They select and interview candidates for ISEF.
ISEF judges may or may not participate in the category award selection committee.
Volunteer registration will open Dec. 1, 2025. Volunteers help students find their way through the museum, provide support for students on the exhibit floor, inspect project displays for safety, and direct students during lunch break.
If you would like to be added to our volunteer email list, please email the PRSEF office at PRSEF@KaminScienceCenter.org
Guide students through the museum.
Provide support on the exhibit floor.
Inspect project displays for safety.
Direct students during lunch breaks.
Volunteer registration opens on [date].
Awards are distributed based on the number of entries in each category. Only one first place will be awarded in each category. Multiple second and third place awards may be awarded. Fourth place awards will receive a certificate.
More than $1 million in cash, scholarships, and trips are awarded each year. Those awards fall into several different categories.
Awards are distributed based on the number of entries in each category. Multiple second and third place awards may be awarded. Only one first place will be awarded in each category.
Note: Teams will split the award money equally among team members.
Each student researcher entering an exhibit may apply for participation in the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF). Senior division student researchers will be chosen from the applicants and will win a chance to compete in the Regeneron ISEF event.
Category Award winners (top 10%) are nominated to advance to the Thermo Fisher Scientific Junior Innovators Challenge, a program of Society for Science.
Category Judges select the students that exhibit excellence in Creativity, Literature Review, Presentation, or Scientific Method. Students will receive a certificate of excellence that signifies their outstanding performance in one of these areas.
PRSEF Scholarships Vary by University/College
Companies that sponsor the Pittsburgh Regional Science & Engineering Fair may award a prize and/or certificate to a student of their choosing.
These are awarded at Pittsburgh Regional Science & Engineering Fair because of its affiliation with ISEF.
Category Judges select the students that exhibit excellence in Creativity, Literature Review, Presentation, or Scientific Method. Students will receive a certificate of excellence that signifies their outstanding performance in one of these areas.
PRSEF 2025 Scholarships Vary by University/College
