Science Fair Project Categories

These are the official science project categories for the Greater San Diego Science & Engineering Fair:

1. Behavioral and Social Sciences – Human and animal behavior, social and community relationships – psychology, sociology, anthropology, archaeology, ethnology, linguistics, learning, perception, urban problems, reading problems, educational testing, etc.
2. Biochemistry – Chemistry of life processes – molecular biology, molecular genetics, enzymes, photosynthesis, protein chemistry, food chemistry, hormones, etc.
3. Botany – Study of plant life – agriculture, agronomy, horticulture, forestry, plant taxonomy, plant physiology, plant pathology, plant genetics, hydroponics, algae, etc.
4. Chemistry – Study of nature and composition of matter and laws governing it – physical chemistry, organic chemistry {other than biochemistry}, inorganic chemistry, materials, plastics, fuels, pesticides, metallurgy, soil chemistry, etc.
5. Computer Science – Study and development of computer hardware, software engineering, internet networking and communications, graphics {including human interface}, simulations/virtual reality or computations science (including data structures, encryption, coding and information theory).
6. Earth Sciences – Geology, mineralogy, physiography, oceanography, meteorology, climatology, speleology, seismology, geography, etc.
7. Engineering – Technology; projects that directly apply scientific principles to manufacturing and practical uses – civil, mechanical, aeronautical, chemical, electrical, photographic, sound, automotive, marine, heating and refrigerating, transportation, environmental engineering, etc.
8. Environmental Sciences – Study of pollution (air, water and land) sources and their control; ecology
9. Mathematics – Development of formal logical systems or various numerical and algebraic computations and the application of these principles – calculus, geometry, abstract algebra, number theory, statistics, complex analysis, probability.
10. Medicine and Health – Study of diseases and health of humans and animals – dentistry, pharmacology, pathology, ophthalmology, nutrition, sanitation, pediatrics, dermatology, allergies, speech and hearing, etc. Note: Gerontology – the study of the aging process in living organisms – is a separate Intel ISEF category. Such projects would probably be placed in Medicine and Health at the GSDSEF.
11. Microbiology – Biology of microorganisms – bacteriology, virology, protozoology, molds, fungi, bacterial genetics, yeast, etc.
12. Physics – Theories, principles and laws governing energy and the effect of energy on matter – solid state, optics, acoustics, particle, nuclear, atomic, plasma, superconductivity, fluid and gas dynamics, thermodynamics, semiconductors, magnetism, quantum mechanics, biophysics, etc.
13. Space Science – Astronomy, planetary science, etc.
14. Zoology – Study of animals – animal genetics, ornithology, ichthyology, herpetology, entomology, animal ecology, paleontology, cellular physiology, circadian rhythms, animal husbandry, cytology, histology, animal physiology, invertebrate neurophysiology, studies of invertebrates, etc.
15. Product Testing/Consumer Science (JUNIOR DIVISION ONLY) – quality control, comparison studies of product designs—using accepted engineering tests to obtain quantifiable results, etc.

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Need more ideas? Try:

Physical Science Project Questions and Ideas

Project samples from the GSDSEF, 2005

Science Project Links

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