CWSF 2012 - Charlottetown: Guide

Within the National Science Fair Program, the Canada-Wide Science Fair constitutes the national championship round, where finalists from Regional Science Fairs across the country meet and compete.

In bringing Canada’s top young scientists together, the CWSF aims to accomplish two primary goals: to help participants benchmark their scientific and technological achievements against those of peers and to create a positive scientific and social experience for all the young people involved. A secondary goal is to expose other students in the CWSF’s geographic area to peer role models – the best young science and technology minds in the country.

The CWSF takes place in May in a different Canadian city each year. Youth Science Canada-affiliated Regional Science Fairs apply to host the CWSF up to four years in advance.

50 Years of CWSF

1960's

1970's

1980's

1990's

2000's

When Sir Isaac Newton wrote, “If I have seen farther than others, it is because I have stood on the shoulders of giants,” he was being generous, but he was also being truthful. Good science builds on the work of others and explicitly acknowledges their work.

Youth Science Canada affirms that the pursuit of truth is grounded in certain core values, including diligence, civility and honesty. One of the most important traditions in the scientific community goes hand in hand with honesty, and that is the tradition of academic integrity. Scientists build on others’ achievements. They must be able to trust the integrity of the published literature they build on.

Students want to work in communities where competition is fair, integrity is respected and cheating is not tolerated. Students have significant responsibility to help protect and promote the highest standards of academic integrity. They are expected to respect the best values of their teachers, mentors and parents, and these values include a full commitment to academic integrity. At all science fairs, but particularly at the Canada-Wide Science Fair, students are required to present work that is the result of their own efforts. All assistance received from others must be acknowledged, and all written material that draws on the work of others must be accompanied by appropriate references.

Failure to follow the rules of academic integrity almost always results in disqualification at the CWSF. Specific examples of violations include:

• Plagiarism – presenting the work of others as your own without acknowledging the source. In this case, “work” means scientific results, conceptual development of a topic and substantive formulation or reformulation of a problem. This includes work done by a family member or a mentor. Information on how to properly cite references can be found in CWSF Project Report (Policy 3.1.2.4).
• Fabricating or falsifying data
• Forging signatures
• Fabricating or falsifying registration information
• Entering a project that is either derived from a previous CWSF project or acontinuation or revision of a previous project by the student (or by another) without documentation of the previous work

Students rightly expect their academic work to be fairly and fully assessed. Youth Science Canada will ensure that judging at the CWSF is of the highest professional and ethical standards, without bias or conflict of interest.

Youth Science Canada also works with affiliated regions and other partners to achieve the highest possible standards of judging at all levels of science fairs.

CWSF participants must read the full Youth Science Canada policies: Academic Integrity (Policy1.5.5), Code of Conduct (Policy1.5.1) and Discipline (Policy1.5.2)– before signing the CWSF Permission and Release form or attending the CWSF.

University of Prince Edward Island

Prince Edward Island is world-renowned for its hospitality and service; the University of Prince Edward Island (UPEI) campus exemplifies this spirit. CWSF 2012 participants will quickly feel at home as they discover all that’s available on campus.

UPEI’s 54 hectare park-like setting features 11 academic buildings, three residences, a library, dining hall, student centre and sports complex – all within a five-minute walk of each other.

Accommodations:

UPEI features three separate residence buildings on campus: Bill & Denise Andrew Hall, Blanchard Hall and Bernardine Hall.Between the three residences, we can accommodate about 700 individuals.

All accommodations for finalists and delegates will be “shared” (i.e., there will be 2 persons per room).Finalists and delegates will be assigned to rooms based on gender. Roommates can be selected through the online registration system. Finalists who cannot be grouped with others from their own region will be matched with finalists from other regions in the same residence area as their own group.There are “no exceptions” and we thank you in advance for your understanding.

Residences are non-smoking and include bed linens, towels, laundry facilities, telephones and wireless Internet. Some rooms have kitchenettes, with a microwave and fridge.

All other registered adult participants will stay at a nearby hotel, with double occupancy (2 persons to a room). All meals and activities take place on campus, so a shuttle service will be provided to UPEI from the hotel.

Meals:

All food service (breakfast, lunch and dinner), except banquets and off-site meals, will be provided on the UPEI campus.

The Wanda Wyatt Dining Hall and the W.A. Murphy Student Centre will be the main CWSF dining facilities for all participants. The W.A. Murphy Student Centre is adjacent to the Exhibit Hall and the Wanda Wyatt Dining Hall is a 5-minute walk from the Exhibit Hall.

Participants will be assigned to one of the two dining locations for all meals.

Participants will enjoy nutritious, well-balanced meals in a comfortable atmosphere. Chartwells is the current food and beverage supplier on campus and they have a record of providing excellent food quality and service. We will work closely with Chartwells to ensure that individual dietary requirements are accommodated, including vegetarian, vegan, kosher, and halal, as well as allergies and other restrictions.

You will be able to provide details of any dietary needs during the online registration process.

Delegates’ Meetings, Workshops and Social Events:

Unless otherwise stated, all events and meetings take place on the UPEI campus.

Safety and Security:

All participants, including adult delegates and volunteers, are required to display their CWSF 2012 ID during the event. This allows security to identify participants and manage access to restricted venues, including the exhibit hall.

Lounges

Every evening a lounge area will be set up in McDougall Hall, using the "market area", large classrooms, small boardrooms, and 3 theatres. Activities will include ping pong tables, pool tables, Wii games, board games and problem solving activities and music.

McDougall Hall is a short stroll from each of the residences.

Access will also be given to sporting equipment to be used in the field adjacent to residences and to the track and soccer field on certain evenings.

On Wednesday evening the swimming pool on campus will be available for use by the participants so be sure to bring your bathing suit.

CWSF Judging 101

Saturday at 2pm, 3pm, 4pm, and 7pm (in English)
Sunday at 1pm, 2pm (in English) and 3pm (in French)

Science Shuffle(Monday afternoon)

Participants will take part in 3 hands-on workshops during the afternoon ranging from weird anatomy and lobster science at the Atlantic Vet College to working with "live" mannequins at the UPEI Nursing to forensic science with the RCMP. Come out for a fun science experience.

Charlottetown Challenge (Tuesday evening)

After being grouped in teams of 10 to 15, participants must decipher clues and use a map to determine what stations they will visit in order to obtain maximum points. At most stations participants will need to answer questions or take part in an activity to get their points. Stations are around campus or a short walk from campus as participants get a feel for some of the city of Charlottetown.

Remembering PEI (Friday evening)

Participants will be sent home after an evening of experiences highlighting various aspects of the Island such as dance workshops, sea glass jewelry making workshop, golf simulators, Anne dress-up and photo opportunity, seafood and other Island food sampling. Come out and experience life on our Island.

Mentors may be scientists, teachers, parents or, sometimes, other students. When a mentor works with a student in any setting, he or she should always keep in mind that the project is the student’s and not the mentor’s. The mentor’s job is threefold: to assist students in the gathering of background information, to teach students the techniques they will need to test their project’s purpose or hypothesis, and to ensure the safety of all concerned throughout the project.

Mentorship Guidelines

• The science fair project is the student’s work. The mentor’s role is to provide advice and guidance, not to take charge of the project.
• A mentor’s time is valuable. The student should be punctual and prepared to make valuable use of his or her time with the mentor.
• If a student is working in the mentor’s lab, then he or she must be given the safety rules and necessary safety training.
• For the protection of the mentor and the student, all meetings should be held in the presence of others during business hours, at the student’s school in the presence of a teacher or staff member, or at another location with a parent or guardian present.
• Students must take the initiative to contact the mentor and make all arrangements, such as transportation, meeting times, provision of supplies, etc.
• The student is responsible for doing all of his or her own work except where safety or regulations prohibit this.

*Adapted from the ethics statement of the Massachusetts State Science Fair, 2005

Following the Awards Ceremony, CWSF registered participants will enjoy a formal sit-down dinner; seating will be throughout the concourse and hall of the Confederation Centre of the Arts.

The celebration will continue on campus where participants will enjoy a dance and other fun activities. Transportation will be provided back to campus following dinner.

The Awards Ceremony will be held in the Homburg Theatre at the Confederation Centre of the Arts in Charlottetown on Thursday, May 17th. The Confederation Centre of the Arts is Canada’s only national memorial to the Fathers of Confederation.

Tickets for the Awards Ceremony will be available at no charge for parents and friends on a first-come, first-served basis as of May 1, 2012.

Youth Science Canada offers a limited number of backboards for rent at the CWSF ($30 for the week). Regions will be invoiced for backboard rentals after the fair.

The dimensions are:

• Middle: 81.3 x 101.6 cm (32 x 40 inches)
• Sides: 53.3 x 101.6 cm (21 x 40 inches)
• Title: 20.3 x 119.4 cm (47 x 8 inches)

Indicate that you prefer this option on the Project Info page in the CWSF online registration system. Finalists bring display materials and attach them to the backboard during setup.

Advantages: No transport of backboard required. Less expensive than shipping.

Disadvantages: Time-consuming and more difficult to produce a good looking display.

If you order a backboard it will be delivered directly to your table in the Exhibit Hall.

Backboard Rental Return

1. Remove all papers, tape and glue from the backboard, sideboards and header board.
2. Cut all plastic white ties holding the back to the sides (8 in total - 4 on each side).
3. Take off 2 clips that hold the header board in place.
4. Return all items to the backboard check-out area: 1 backboard, 2 sideboards, 1 header board, 2 metal clips.

Before you leave your materials, you must get the Backboard Rental Return Form signed by a Youth Science Canada representative.

ONLINE REGISTRATION AND GENERAL INQUIRIES
Youth Science Canada

• Toll-free: 866-341-0040 ext. 230
• Toll-free fax: 866-613-2542
• E-mail: info@youthscience.ca

CWSF 2012 HOST COMMITTEE
University of Prince Edward Island (UPEI)

• CWSF office: 902-620-5250
• Email: janmurphy@upei.ca
• Emergency UPEI - Residence Front Desk: 902-566-0442

TRAVEL INQUIRIES

• Check with your region’s CWSF Team coordinator regarding travel information. He/she receives regular updates from the Youth Science Canada Equalized Travel Plan Coordinator.

The purpose of the CWSF Awards is to reward outstanding scientific and technological achievement and excellence by Canada’s young scientists at the national level and to recognize those national finalists at the Canada-Wide Science Fair whose achievement places them above the rest.

Rigorous judging standards ensure all projects are assessed critically and fairly. All are judged on the following criteria (Judge's Marking Form):

• Scientific Thought
• Originality and Creativity
• Communication

Over 400 judges from University, the public and private sectors, sponsors and regional science fair partners across Ontario volunteer their time to judge the science on display at the CWSF.

Awards include the Special, Interdisciplinary, Challenge, Excellence (medals),and Grand Awards, with nearly $1 million presented as cash, scholarships, travel and other prizes!

Judging Policy

Youth Science Canada, with its National Judging Committee (NJC), establishes the criteria for awards, sets the judging standards, oversees selection of the CWSF Chief Judge, recruits award sponsors and organizes the presentation of the awards.

The CWSF Chief Judge recruits and trains judges, coordinates the judging process and selects the Special, Interdisciplinary, Challenge, and Excellence Award recipients. A special Youth Science Canada panel selects the Grand Award recipients from the gold medal winners.

Awards are assigned to the best eligible project on the basis of ranking projects relative to others at the current CWSF.

Award recipients are selected based on the quality of their projects and presentations. Neither formal nor informal selection criteria based on gender or ethnocultural heritage are permitted in the National Awards Program or at the Canada-Wide Science Fair.

Judging Process

Special Awards

Special Awards are only open to projects within specific scientific focus areas, selected during online registration and are judged as part of the Excellence Awards (medal) judging; they do not involve separate interviews.

These awards are for outstanding projects that meet specific criteria within a particular aspect of science and oftenreflect the special interests of the sponsoring foundations, companies and professional associations. All Special Awards are cash prizes: $500 for Junior,$750 for Intermediateand$1,000 for Senior.

Judging for these awards takes place as part of medal judging. Self-nomination is not required; the judges will consider all projects in the eligible scientific focus areas.

View Special Awards.

Interdisciplinary Awards

Interdisciplinary Awards are open to all projects in the appropriate grade category and include cash awards, trips, summer internships and other prizes for outstanding projects that meet specific criteria established by the sponsor(s).

Please note: Certain Interdisciplinary Awards involve travel and a commitment to be away from home for an extended period of time, to travel to another country and/or to live in unfamiliar surroundings. All travel involves an element of risk. Foreign Affairs Canada provides advice to international travellers through their website.

Interdisciplinary Awards judges spend approximately 10 minutes with each project. Judges expect to hear a brief (5 minute) summary of the project and why it deserves the award, followed by time for questions.

Self-nomination is required; judges will only consider projects that the finalists have nominated for these awards in the online registration system. The list includes all available Interdisciplinary Awards. A project may be nominated for up to three Interdisciplinary awards. Only those awards for which a project is eligible will appear in the Interdisciplinary Awards area of the CWSF online registration system.

Challenge Awards

Challenge Awards recognize the top project in each of the 7 Canada-Wide Youth Science Challenges in each grade category.The seven Canada-Wide Youth Science Challenges – Discovery, Energy, Environment, Health, Information, Innovation and Resources – focus on issues that are important to Canadian youth, the future of their country and their world. They are meant to inspire students to exercise their curiosity and creativity by answering a question or solving a problem by doing a science project.

At the CWSF, 3 prizes are awarded - junior ($500), intermediate ($750) and senior ($1,000) - for the best project that addresses each challenge.

Challenge Awards are judged as part of the Excellence Awards (medal) judging; they do not involve separate interviews.During registration, finalists identify the challenge best addressed by their project.

View Challenge Awards.

Excellence Awards

Excellence Awards (CWSF medals) recognize science and technology excellence. The judging is a relative process, with medals awarded based on the ranking of consensus scores for each project within a grade category. A total of 70 medals is available in each grade category - junior, intermediate, and senior:

• 10 Gold Medals - $1,500 cash award
• 20 Silver Medals - $700 cash award
• 40 Bronze Medals - $300 cash award

The judging is a relative process, with medals awarded based on the ranking of consensus scores for each project within a grade category. All medals are normally awarded as judged; however, the awarding of a gold medal requires that the following minimum standard be attained:

• The project demonstrates Level 3 or 4 of Scientific Thought (see Judge’s Marking Sheet).
• Analysis and conclusions are appropriate and based on the data;
• The project demonstrates some knowledge of the relevant background and theory; and
• The project contains no glaring or significant errors.

Each judging team is assigned a specific group of projects in the same grade category. Normally, five different judges evaluate each project. Judging is a three-step process:

First, judges read the Project Reports in advance and, on the evening before judging, view the projects without the finalists being present.

On judging day, each of the five judges meets with the finalist(s) for about 20-minutes. Judges expect to spend approximately 10 minutes hearing a presentation about the project, followed by 10 minutes for questions.

After the finalists have left the exhibit area for the day, each judging team meets to discuss each project and assign a consensus score based on the project level and relative merit of each project. After these scores are compiled, representatives of each judging team within a grade category meet to review the ranked scores and determine the Excellence (medal) and Challenge Award recipients. This step involves considerable discussion among the judges and may require additional viewing of projects without the finalists present. Sponsor representatives may work with the category teams at this time to select the recipients of Special Awards.

Scholarships

Several universities provide scholarships to medal winners at the Canada-Wide Science Fair.

View scholarships.

Grand Awards

The Grand Awards include the Platinum Awards, presented to the best junior, intermediate and senior projects, as well as the Best-in-Fair Award.

Each Platinum Award includes $5,000 cash and a distinctive presentation award. All gold medalists are automatically considered for the Grand Awards.

The Best Project Award recipient is selected from the three Platinum Award recipients. The Best Project Award includes an additional $10,000 cash and presentation award, for a total of $16,500, not including any Special or Interdisciplinary Awards, making it one of the most valuable and prestigious awards for youth in Canada.

All gold medalists are automatically considered for the Platinum awards.A special panel of Youth Science Canada appointed judges selects the Grand Award recipients.The Best-in-Fair Award recipient is selected from the three Platinum Award recipients.

What's new this year at CWSF 2012?

• Shared accommodations for all participants – 2 people to one room.
• Saturday May 12 is UPEI’s convocation, there will be lots happening on campus that isn’t part of the CWSF. If you see a group of students in black robes, wave and cheer to acknowledge 4 years of study at UPEI.
• Project set-up starts on Sunday morning at 9 a.m.
• No General Orientation – instead we will provide the following on Saturday:
  • welcome walking campus tour (small groups) – Optional activity
  • judging workshop – Optional activity (TBC)

What will the weather be like in Charlottetown in May?

Will there be vegetarian food?

Will there be security for the projects?

Are parents able to attend the Canada-Wide Science Fair events?

Will there be buses running between events during the week?

Is the site wheelchair-accessible?

Can I choose my roommates in residence?

Can I have my own room in residence?

Will I be able to call home?

Will there be Internet access during the CWSF?

Do I have to register online?

What if I need a computer for my project display?

Do regions have to send a delegate of each gender if the region has male & female finalists?

What do I need to bring?

• For air travellers 12 years of age or older:
  • One piece of valid government issued photo ID that shows name, date of birth and gender, or ;
  • Two pieces of valid government issued ID (without photo), one of whichshows name, date of birth and gender.
  • Canada - Identity Screen Regulations

• Money for personal expenses; a “calling card” or change for long distance calls at pay phones.
• Dress clothes for the Awards Banquet and Awards Ceremony; business attire for judging; casual clothes for other occasions; comfortable shoes for walking and active tours.
• One towel will be provided; however, an additional “beach” towel is recommended.
• Health card and personal identification (see above for air travellers).
• Light rain gear; waterproof footwear; a warm sweater/jacket; insect repellent (if required for tour).
• Swimwear and gym clothes for activities.
• Personal toiletries and required medications; Gravol for motion sickness on aircraft, trains, buses or boats.
• Musical instrument, dance equipment, and other performance items requiredfor “Canada’s Got Talent”.
• Reading material, games or other quiet activities for between judging interviews.
• Camera; alarm clock
• Regional fair and other pins for trading.

What does CWSF registration include?

• accommodation
• meals
• tours
• local transportation

Travel to Charelottetown is provided for regional participants (finalists, delegates, alternate delegates, and support adults) through the CWSF Equalized Travel Plan.

IB Exams

Youth Science Canada Policies

Youth Science Canada has policies governing the use of human participants, animals (vertebrate and invertebrate) and animal parts in research by young scientists (elementary and secondary school students). Ideally these policies are consulted prior to beginning work on the project; however, even if they have not been, they define what is acceptable at the Canada-Wide Science Fair.

Policy Directory.

Help us encourage Canada’s young scientists to conduct ethical and sound research.A detailed presentation of the rules for the use of animals and the participation of humans is available.

Ethics Presentation

Use of Human Subjects

Participation of Humans in Research - Low Risk

All human participants in scientific research must give Informed Consent, which comprises consent, confidentiality and the right to withdraw. Class surveys of attitudes, beliefs or skill tests, such as “Do my classmates remember better if they read while listening to jazz or hip hop?” may be termed Low Risk, as defined in the Participation of Humans in Research - Low Risk (Policy 4.1.1.1).

For Low Risk projects, completion of the simple Participation of Humans - Low Risk (Form 4.1A)Approvalby the student’s adult supervisor is usually sufficient to ensure that the appropriate ethical issues have been addressed. Be aware, however, that not all such surveys are low risk. For example, a survey to measure the Body Mass Index of class members could affect participants’ self-esteem and would therefore be classified as Significant Risk.

Low Risk - Form 4.1A

Participation of Humans in Research - High Risk

The Participation of Humans in Research - Significant Risk (Policy 4.1.1.2) establishes what constitutes a drug and specifies that drugs and invasive procedures may only be used in a science project experiment under the direction of a qualified Scientific Supervisor.

Effective October, 2010, sensory food projects (i.e., those designed only to assess the sensory characteristics of a food or drink), within certain restrictions (e.g., not involving "energy drinks"), are the only ingestion projects considered to be low risk. Significant risk ingestion projects are only allowed at the CWSF if carried out under professional supervision at a laboratorywith its own internal Ethics Review Committee, such asa university or hospital laboratory. Projects in which human participants, including the student researcher, are required to consume a substance or apply a substance to the skin must be carefully reviewed for compliance with the indicated Humans in Research policies before any testing begins.

All projects involving human participants in ways other than surveys and skill tests are considered Significant Risk. For Significant Risk projects, the more detailed Participation of Humans - Significant Risk Approval (Form 4.1B) must be completed, and the indicated approval procedures must be followed.

High Risk - Form 4.1B

Use of Animals (Vertebrate and Invertebrate)

All experimental care and use of animals in Canada is subject to the requirements of the Canadian Council on Animal Care (CCAC), a national, peer-review organization founded in Ottawa in 1968. CCAC documentation states: “Youth Science Canada, amongst its responsibilities, regulates animal experimentation in science fairs.”

Research using vertebrate animals for science fair projects may only be carried out in one of four ways:

• Observations
• Behavioural studies with positive rewards, without anystress involved
• Any project carried out in a university, medical orindustrial laboratory and approved by the appropriateScientific Review Board
• Experiments on embryos – These experiments aresubject to the same rules that apply to the animal producing the embryos. Studies of mammalian embryos are restricted to observation without intervention with drugs or other chemicals.
• Research involving cephalopods (cuttlefish, nautilus, octopus, squid, etc.) must follow the same rules as for vertebrates above. Research on all other invertebrate animals is presently unrestricted, except that the project must have some scientific or educational merit and be judged to be ethical.

The Use of Animals in Research (Policy 4.1.2) establishes what constitutes a drug and specifies that drugs may only be used in a science project experiment under the direction of a qualified Scientific Supervisor.

Form 4.1C Animals - Approvalis used to ensure that the appropriate review of projects involving animals has taken place.

Animals - Form 4.1C

A reminder

Each Youth Science Canada-affiliated region is expected to set up a Regional Science Fair Ethics Committee (Policy 3.1.1.3) – even if it’s a committee of only one person – who will undertake to become knowledgeable in the rules and ethical issues surrounding student research.

Regional Science Fair Ethics

The tri-gymnasium in the Chi-Wan Young Sports Centre, is close to the residence buildings and dining halls.

Important: UPEI Convocation will take place in this facility on Saturday, May 12. The exhibit hall opens for project setup at 9:00 a.m., Sunday, May 13. Your cooperation will be vital to ensure smooth and efficient setup. More details will be provided on site.

Wireless Internet will be available in the Exhibit Hall.

Access to the Exhibit Hall:

Access is restricted to those with a CWSF ID badge from Sunday, May 13 to Saturday, May 19. The only exceptions are during scheduled public/school viewing.

Put Shipping labels on All Project Packages:

• Be sure all project packages, regardless of how they are getting to the CWSF, have a CWSF shipping label clearly visible.
• Write the project number and your name in the space provided on the label to ensure that the package can be delivered to your table in the Exhibit Hall.
• Find the Project Number (six digits) by clicking “Project Info” in the To-Do List in the left menu of the online system.

Project Set-up - Sunday, May 13 (from 9:00 a.m.):

1. Go to your assigned booth number.
2. If you shipped your project ahead, it will be at your booth.
3. If you ordered a backboard, it will be at your booth.
4. If you need basic tools, equipment or supplies, go to the Tool Crib area.
5. If you need technical/computer assistance, go to the IT Support area.
6. Once your project is completely set-up, take your packing materials to one of the following areas (packing materials cannot be stored under your table):
   1. the designated storage area;
   2. trash area; or
   3. keep it with you and take it back to your room.
7. Follow the procedure for the Project Safety Check.

Project Take-down - Friday, May 18 (1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.):

1. If you rented a backboard, a Backboard Rental Form will be on your table. Please follow the instructions on that form.
2. Materials for return packing will be stored by province. Go to your province’s designated area to find your packing materials.
3. If you need basic tools, equipment or supplies, you can go to the Tool Crib area.
4. Pack your project and do one of the following:
   1. Take it with you - If your project is travelling with you by vehicle/plane, take your project/materials with you.
   2. Discard it (trash) - If your project is trash, please bring it to the marked trash area. No projects can be left behind in the Exhibit Hall or on campus.
   3. Prepare it for courier shipping (FedEx, UPS, Purolator, etc.) - Pack your materials properly, affix the return shipping address and appropriate waybills with billing instructions. Bring the packages to the designated Exhibit Hall courier pick up area before 3:00 p.m. Courier companies will pick up from the designated area by 4:00 p.m. on May 18th.
   4. Prepare it for shipping by special arrangement (i.e. driver/truck) - We recommend that you arrange for the driver to arrive at the Exhibit Hall on May 18th by 4:00 p.m., allowing you enough time to dismantle and pack your materials. The instructions are as follows:
      1. The region delegate should notify Stephen Gould (Exhibit Hall Coordinator) of your driver’s arrival.
      2. The driver should be instructed to park the truck and proceed to the Exhibit Hall, checking in with Stephen Gould and ensuring your group is ready to load.
      3. Please ensure your driver is aware ahead of time that he/she will have to load “by hand”.
      4. One delegate must stay with the projects until the shipping driver has arrived and loaded the truck.

Important: CWSF will NOT store projects for a later shipping date. All projects must be removed from the Exhibit Hall by 4:00 p.m. Friday, May 18. Be sure to have waybills and shipping labels from your shipping company on hand and ensure you make arrangements for pick-up on Friday afternoon before 4:00 p.m.

Backboard Rental Return:

1. Remove all papers, tape and glue from the backboard, sideboards and header board.
2. Cut all plastic white ties holding the back to the sides (8 in total - 4 on each side).
3. Take off 2 clips that hold the header board in place.
4. Return to backboard check-out area:
   1. 1 backboard
   2. 2 sideboards
   3. 1 header board
   4. 2 metal clips
5. Before leaving your rental backboard, you must get the Backboard Rental Return Form signed by a Youth Science Canada representative.

If you have won a place on your regional (or provincial) team to attend the Canada- Wide Science Fair (CWSF) - congratulations!

You will be joining 500 top young scientists from across Canada for a week that will be extremely busy, with activities including project set up and safety checks, judging, ceremonies, tours and social events. There is very little unstructured or “free” time.

Be sure to celebrate this achievement, but remember that this honour comes with certain expectations and responsibilities.

You (and a parent/guardian if you are under 18) are required to sign the CWSF Permission and Release Form acknowledging that you have read and agree to abide by the Youth Science Canada Code of Conduct (Policy 1.5.1) and policy on Academic Integrity (Policy 1.5.5), and to be governed by the Youth Science Canada policies on Discipline (Policy 1.5.2) and Appeals (Policy 1.5.3). Violation of these standards of conduct can result in a CWSF participant being disqualified and/or sent home at his or her own expense.

The CWSF is a great experience and adventure, and it’s fun, too. Thank you in advance for agreeing to meet the above expectations.

Youth Science Canada Code of Conduct

The Youth Science Canada Code of Conduct requires all CWSF participants to:

• Maintain and enhance the dignity and self-esteem of CWSF participants.
• Demonstrate respect for individuals regardless of gender, ethnic or racial origin, sexual orientation, age, marital status, religion, political belief, disability or economic status.
• Direct comments or criticism appropriately and avoid public criticism of finalists, judges, delegates, alternate delegates, host committee members, volunteers, guests, staff and members of Youth Science Canada, among others.
• Demonstrate ethical conduct and practices.
• Abstain from the non-medical use of drugs.
• Refrain from any behaviour that constitutes harassment, that is, comment or conduct, directed toward an individual or group, that is offensive, abusive, racist, sexist, degrading or malicious.
• Refrain from any behaviour that constitutes sexual harassment, that is, unwelcome sexual advances or unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature.
• Comply at all times with Youth Science Canada and CWSF policies, rules and regulations.

In addition, the Code specifically requires CWSF finalists to:

Support and cooperate with every member of their Regional team.

• Adhere to the expectations set out in writing for them by their delegate(s).
• Attend and participate in all activities, tours and events that are part of the CWSF.
• Be punctual at all CWSF activities and events.
• Attend their displays at all times during the period that the CWSF is open to the public.
• Ensure that their delegate knows at all times where they are and with whom.
• Obtain their delegate’s explicit permission before leaving the group.
• Respect all curfews explained to them by their delegate.
• Get sufficient sleep.
• Understand the consequences of serious misbehaviour as described in Youth Science Canada's Discipline (Policy 1.5.2).
• Respect academic integrity as described in Youth Science Canada's Academic Integrity (Policy 1.5.5).

The Code also specifies that CWSF finalists shall not:

• Visit any areas declared off limits.
• Engage in any activity that will bring the moral tone of the CWSF into disrepute.
• Buy, possess, consume or distribute alcohol or illegal substances and materials (including drugs).

Any finalist who experiences any incident that he or she feels is unwelcome, inappropriate or in violation of the Code of Conduct or Academic Integrity policies should report the matter immediately to their Regional Science Fair delegate or to a CWSF Host Committee member. You can be assured that any complaint will be investigated immediately.

Additional CWSF requirements

Registration

Finalists are required to complete the online CWSF registration process, including the uploading of a Project Report and the completion of a Project Abstract and Biography by midnight (local time) at the end of April 30.Finalists are required to complete the online CWSF registration process, including the uploading of a Project Report and the completion of a Project Abstract and Biography by midnight (local time) at the end of April 30.

Travel & Attendance

Finalists are required to travel to/from the CWSF, be present for the entire week and stay in residence with their regional/ provincial team. Late arrivals or early departures, regardless of the reason, may only be requested by the finalist’s Regional Coordinator and require the written permission of the chair of the Youth Science Canada National Science Fair Committee.

IB Diploma Exams

The International Baccalaureate (IB) Program World Office has ruled that all IB candidates must write their exams at their home school – without exception. This may mean that an IB candidate must choose between participating in the CWSF and writing his/ her IB exams. This situation is unfortunate; however, it is beyond the control of Youth Science Canada.

No accommodations or exceptions can be made.

Disqualification

Disqualification may occur prior to or at any time during and after the CWSF for violations of the Youth Science Canada Code of Conduct, Academic Integrity policy or the CWSF policies governing the safety and ethics of student research and project displays. Any finalist disqualified after the fair will forfeit all prizes and monies awarded to him or her. Appeals are governed by theYouth Science Canada Appeals (Policy 1.5.3).

• The science fair project is the student’s work. The mentor’s role is to provide advice and guidance, not to take charge of the project.
• A mentor’s time is valuable. The student should be punctual and prepared to make valuable use of his or her time with the mentor.
• If a student is working in the mentor’s lab, then he or she must be given the safety rules and necessary safety training.
• For the protection of the mentor and the student, all meetings should be held in the presence of others during business hours, at the student’s school in the presence of a teacher or staff member, or at another location with a parent or guardian present.
• Students must take the initiative to contact the mentor and make all arrangements, such as transportation, meeting times, provision of supplies, etc.
• The student is responsible for doing all of his or her own work except where safety or regulations prohibit this.
• All projects are required to declare whether the project involved a mentor and if yes, answer a few questions about the role of the mentor and his/her role in the project.

Responsibilities of Students

It is the student’s role, and not the mentor’s, to conceive the project’s specific topic. All data taking must be the student’s own, unless the student does not represent it as his or her own and credits the actual data taker properly. Similarly, analysis of the data, the write-up of the project, and any public presentation of thereof are also exclusively the student’s responsibility. A student undertaking a mentored project has the responsibility to disclose that her/his project was mentored and by whom. An accurate description of the level and nature of the mentorship, role of the mentor, the setting(s) in which work was done, and how the project topic was conceived is expected to be included in the Project Report.

Responsibilities of Mentors

Mentors may be academic or professional scientists or engineers, graduate students or postdoctoral fellows, teachers, parents or, sometimes, other students. When a mentor works with a student in any setting, he or she should always keep in mind that the project is the student’s, both in its selection and its undertaking, and not the mentor’s. The mentor’s job is multifold:

• to assist/guide students in identifying project topics that address meaningful scientific questions while avoiding those that “re-invent the wheel” or the testing of whose hypotheses would add nothing to scientific knowledge;
• when there is mutual agreement that student will carry out the project in an institutional setting with access to specialized equipment and highly qualified personnel, to provide the student with a suite of project themes or topics that would make wise use of the available resources and would not require resources that are unavailable to the supervisor;
• to assist students in the gathering of salient background information;
• to teach students the techniques and skills they will need to test their project’s purpose or hypothesis;
• to critique constructively the publication of the work (clarity and logic of the Project Report, display, and oral summary);
• to ensure the safety of all concerned throughout the project;
• to provide upon request and in a timely fashion: documentation describing their mentoring/supervisory role; a brief description of the project including how it was selected and how it fits into the research projects/topics under investigation as part of his/her ongoing research program; and any constraints that preclude the student from carrying out certain components of the lab work associated with the project (e.g., student is a minor, use of lab equipment or instrument requiring high-level of training or certification for operation, safety or insurance restrictions);
• to provide solid mentoring models for their students by upholding the ethical values and academic integrity that underpin mentoring, the scientific enterprise, and scientific competitions such as science fairs.

Responsibilities of Judges

Some in the science fair community feel that mentorship confers an unfair advantage on science fair projects. Judges must be sensitive to these concerns and ensure that judging focuses on students’ scientific thought, understanding and creativity. Some projects involving the use of sophisticated or expensive equipment and exotic materials are scientifically simple and less creative than projects using more common materials. Some judges can be unduly impressed by sophisticated equipment or materials, while others may be unduly impressed by the project carried out by a lone student in his/her garage using only household or commonly available materials. In all cases it is essential to look beyond the setting in which a project was carried out and to evaluate what science the student has actually done. Many, perhaps a majority, of science fair judges are involved in professional science and thus have an understanding of the nature of mentoring in the scientific enterprise and have some degree of experience in evaluating the scientific merit of work in this context. Judges with this background and experience have a responsibility to enlighten and assist judges who have no such context or experience. It is most often the case that a team of judges will be evaluating a group of projects, each of which has a different level of mentoring and one or more of which may be non-mentored. In this context judges have the following responsibilities:

• to avoid with diligence any biases for or against mentored versus non-mentored projects;
• to identify carefully, via documents provided by the student(s) and face-to-face discussion, the level and nature of any mentorship;
• to assess the degree and accuracy to which the student(s) disclosed and described any mentoring;
• to assess thoroughly the degree of independence in: topic selection; design of the study, experiment, or innovation; project undertaking; analysis of data; and project write-up;
• to assess the level of scientific understanding of the project and its scientific context displayed by the student(s);
• to assess and rank a project on the creativity of its concept; on scientific merit of its design and results, on the level of scientific understanding displayed by its author(s), the clarity of communications and dissemination; and, in the case of mentored projects, on the degree of independence from the mentor(s), all in relation to the age/grade-level of the student(s).

Data from the CWSF 2010

During Registration at the CWSF 2010, each finalist was asked to rank the level of mentoring received on a scale of 0 to 5:

1. I did not receive any mentoring.
2. I exchanged a few emails or phone calls, and/or met with my mentor once or twice to discuss my ideas.
3. I had occasional contact with my mentor by email or phone, and/or met occasionally with my mentor who provided some advice or materials.
4. I had regular contact with my mentor by email or phone, and/or met regularly with my mentor who provided advice, materials, assistance with design/testing, or data analysis.
5. I had regular face-to-face contact with my mentor and regular access to advice, materials, space, equipment, design/testing, or other personnel in a specialized facility.
6. I worked closely with my mentor over an extended period of time to develop the project idea, plan and conduct the research/development, and analyze the results or test the innovation.

The histogram below shows the level of mentoring received by each of the award groups.

One of the concerns often expressed regarding mentoring is that a highly mentored project has a better chance of winning an award than a project that is not mentored. The data below demonstrates that this was not the case at the CWSF 2010. In each of the award groups, one third or more of the winners indicated that they received no mentoring. With the exception of the Platinum Awards which comprise only three projects, each award group had all six mentoring levels represented.

It’s quite an honour for students to be selected to attend our country’s most prestigious science fair: the Canada-Wide Science Fair (CWSF). Your child certainly deserves recognition for this accomplishment, and that’s exactly what we intend to do this May when your young scientist joins us in Prince Edward Island.

The Host Committee members for CWSF 2012 are already hard at work to make sure that the experience all student finalists have in Charlottetown will be memorable for all the right reasons—new experiences, outstanding activities and friendships to last a lifetime. This will be the first time in 51 years that the CWSF takes place in our province, so it will be an event for us to remember too.

Our primary goal is to provide a secure and safe environment for all students at CWSF 2012 while allowing them to enjoy their experience to the utmost. To keep track of registered participants and manage access to the events, all participants, including adult chaperones (delegates) and volunteers, are required to display their CWSF 2012 photo identification badges during all activities from start to end of the fair (May 12 to 19).

Meals at the University of Prince Edward Island campus will be prepared by Chartwells. The Host Committee and Youth Science Canada have taken feedback from past fairs into account to ensure that menus will satisfy finalists and suit their dietary requirements. Please note special dietary needs during the online registration process and notify your delegate (the adult team leader from your region who accompanies the finalists) of any medical issues, allergies, disabilities, etc.

Please ensure that your child understands that the adults appointed by his/her regional science fair (known as the delegate and alternate delegates) are acting on your behalf, and that your child must have any activity approved by that adult before proceeding. It is vital to your child’s safety and well being that we have delegates and alternate delegates fulfill this parental role at CWSF 2012. It is equally important that your child recognize their authority as well as that of any authorised CWSF officials or appointed delegates, who are ensuring a safe environment for everyone’s sake.

As part of the arrival process, everyone (student finalists and delegates alike) will attend an orientation session to learn about emergency procedures, safety, and expectations for behaviour. An emergency contact list will also be provided to all participants.

Further CWSF 2012 details will be posted on this website in the months ahead, so simply review the content as May 2012 approaches. If you have any questions or require more information between now and then, please refer to the contact details on the CWSF 2012 website. During the week of the fair, this website will also feature daily blogs to help you to keep up with many of the activities your young scientist is experiencing.

We look forward to hosting your young scientist and plan to make this event a safe, enjoyable, and educational experience for everyone!

Bill Whelan and Andrew Trivett, co-chairs, 2012 CWSF Host Committee

The Opening Ceremonies and Banquet will be held on Sunday, May 13, 2012 at the Delta Prince Edward Hotel, located close to the picturesque Charlottetown waterfront. Transportation will be provided as it is approximately a 10 minute bus ride from campus.

In order to set the mood for the conference, this evening will be a traditional casual Island Kitchen Party featuring local foods, entertainment and décor. Guests will dine from various themed food stations featuring a wide selection of salads, lasagna, chicken, hamburgers, Island potatoes, corn-on-the-cob, and a vast selection of decadent desserts. No need to dress up for this event. Just bring your appetite and enjoy a fun-filled evening.

Our hosts for the evening will be Chuck & Albert, Canadian Comedy Award and East Coast Music Award nominees who are no strangers to the art of total entertainment. Multi-instrumentalists, great physical comics, and fluently bilingual, this Acadian duo has played to standing ovations both at home, across Canada and overseas. Their performances bring to life an energetic blend of visual humor and quick wit combined with the upbeat foot-stomping music and dance of their indigenous PEI Acadian roots.

Charlottetown is the capital city of PEI and is Canada’s "Birthplace of Confederation." From May 12-19, 2012, the University of Prince Edward Island will host the 51^st Canada-Wide Science Fair, the highest level of science fair competition in Canada.

This week-long national competition will bring together over 1,000 participants: 500 finalists (top students in grades 7-12/Cégep), 200 adult delegates and 400 highly qualified judges from local colleges, universities, and the public and private sector.

These top young scientists compete for medals, cash awards, scholarships and other prizes worth $1 million.

Once your Regional Science Fair has selected its projects for the Canada-Wide Science Fair, one of the most important tasks is to ensure that the displays comply with Youth Science Canada’s Project Displays policy. Before being approved for competition at the CWSF, each project must pass an inspection and safety check. Taking a little time at the regional level to ensure that the display is built correctly can save considerable time and grief at the CWSF, where projects must be modified (or in rare cases reconstructed) if they do not pass inspection.

In general, there are five aspects of the project display that must be checked:

• Display dimensions
• Backboard and display materials
• Presentation information and attachment
• Safety of display items and student-constructed devices
• Absence of restricted materials and biohazards

Complete details are contained in Policy 3.1.2.5 CWSF Project Displays. The following information provides a summary of the display safety requirements. CWSF finalists and delegates are reminded that they should familiarize themselves with the CWSF Project Displays policy prior to preparing for the CWSF.

Display Dimensions

Your project display, including the backboard, title board, presentation and prop material, and all display equipment, must fit entirely within these dimensions: 1.2 m wide, 0.8 m deep and 2.5 m high from the floor. Exhibits exceeding these dimensions must be modified before they will receive safety approval. No portion of the display shall project into any aisle; however, a limited number of separate display spaces may be provided for oversized innovations. These must be requested by a Regional Coordinator in advance.

Backboard and Display Materials

The CWSF fire safety regulations for project backboards and displays are much tougher than at most Regional Science Fairs. Be sure to follow these rules carefully. Your display will be inspected as part of the safety check, and backboards/displays not meeting these standards will have to be reconstructed from approved materials. Rebuilding a display at the CWSF is stressful and upsetting, but completely avoidable. Build it right the first time!

Backboards and title boards must be constructed of the following materials: wood products and dimensional lumber at least 6 mm (0.25 inch) thick, Sintra, InteFoam, Intecell, flame- rated corrugated products, metal, Plexiglas/acrylic or any other material that meets the UL-94 standard and bears a factory- attached UL-94 label.

Backboards and title boards constructed of the following materials are specifically prohibited:Coroplast, foam board (plastic foam sandwiched between sheets of paper product), paper products, plastic sheeting and foamed polystyrene (Styrofoam).

Backboard panels may be painted with any common paint. Other coating materials (e.g., fabric) must be UL-approved and proof of such approval is required.

CPVC pipe may be used in project displays as a backboard frame provided the pipe has the CSA code B137 on it or a UL- 94 equivalent rating. ABS pipe may be used in projects as a backboard frame provided the pipe has the CSA code B1811 on it or a UL-94 equivalent rating.

Presentation Information and Attachment

Presentation information, which includes text, graphics, photographs and other data on the backboard, must be printed on bond (laser, ink jet or standard copier) paper, photographic paper or laminated paper and must be attached so that all edges are securely fastened. Papers may not be layered on the backboard.

Construction paper, Bristol board and papers listed above may be used to outline or border presentation information or to add small decorative elements to the backboard.

Anything used to raise presentation information more than 2 mm above the surface of the backboard must be constructed of approved backboard material.

The use of lamination is discouraged for environmental reasons.

The use of toxic adhesives is prohibited inside any buildings at the CWSF, though their use is still permitted outdoors. This is particularly relevant for finalists who plan to assemble their display at the fair.

Adhesives and tools for assembly of project displays will be available at no charge from the tool crib located in the exhibit hall. Airlines prohibit the transportation of aerosol containers and flammable materials (including many adhesives) in baggage or hand luggage, plus most liquids, creams, gels and tools in hand luggage.

Papers presented on the exhibit table must be secured in a binder, Duo-tang, presentation folder, plastic sleeve or other appropriate enclosure.

Form 4.1A_Humans_Low_Risk-EN.pdf is required if your project involved the use of human subjects and the project meets the criteria for low risk, as defined in Youth Science Canada Policy 4.1.1.1 - [Participation of Humans in Research - Low Risk] (i.e., the project involves a survey of attitudes and beliefs, skill tests, or observations of behaviour withthe participants’ consent where there is minimal risk to the participant).

Form 4.1B_Humans_Significant_Risk-EN.pdf is required if your project involved the use of human subjects in an experiment involving significant risk, but the project does not meet the criteria for low risk as defined in Youth Science Canada Policy 4.1.1.2 - [Participation of Humans in Research - Significant Risk].

Form 4.1C_Animals-EN.pdf is required if your project involved any use of animals or animal parts. Refer to Youth Science Canada Policy 4.1.2 - [Use of Animals in Research] for details.

All required forms must be downloaded and completed using the free Adobe Reader software. After the form has been filled out on the computer, it should be saved and then uploaded to the online registration system.

To upload the saved form, go to the "Project Forms" area and then click the "Browse" button below the red “No file uploaded” message bar. Locate and select the saved form,and then click “Open” to confirm your selection. (If you have done this correctly, text showing the file location will appear in the box to the left of the "Browse" button.) Finally, click the "Save and Upload Forms" button to upload the file.

After any project form has been saved and uploaded, it must be printed and then signed as required. Bring the signed form(s) to the CWSF as they will be verified during the Safety Check. Unlike previous years, these project forms should not be faxed or mailed in advance of the CWSF.

Each project requires a Project Report of no more than five pages plus an appendix of no more than two extra pages for the references and bibliography. This report comprises a concise summary of the project using a scientific writing style, selecting only what is important and stating it in a concise way. Graphs, diagrams and charts may be included, but not the raw data or observations. The report is submitted online as a PDF document, as part of the registration process

Contents

A complete Project Report includes the following subtitles and sections:

1. Background: how the project came to be.
2. Purpose: why the project was conducted and what was hoped to be achieved.
3. Hypothesis: proposition to be tested, if applicable.
4. Procedure: a brief outline of the materials and methods used.
5. Results or Observations: a summary of the results of the experiment, innovationor study.
6. Conclusions: what can be concluded from the results and why it is important.
7. Earlier Work: If an earlier version of the project was submitted in a previous year, the finalist must highlight the changes and additional work done.
8. Acknowledgements: recognition of those individuals, institutions and businesses that provided significant assistance in the form of guidance, materials, financial support and/or facilities for this work.
9. References: Detailed references are mandatory for any specific literature referred to in the text of the report. Key sources used in the development of the project must be referred to in the text and listed in an appendix (“References”), using a format consistent with that accepted in the scientific peer-reviewed literature. Author, title, source publication, volume, date and page numbers must be given. Any use of quotations from references must be clearly identified.
10. Bibliography: Significant sources consulted but not specifically referred to in the report must be mentioned (volumes, articles, audio-visuals, documents, web sites with dates of access, interviews, etc.).

Some variation is permitted for innovation and study projects that do not follow an experimental protocol.

Format

The formatof the report will be a maximum of five letter-sized (8.5 x 11 inches) pages as a PDF file. An appendix of an additional two pages is allowed, containing the References and Bibliography. Any additional material will be discarded and will not be distributed to judges. Text shall be in 12-point Times, Arial or equivalent type, double-spaced with margins of 1 inch (2.5 cm) all around. Page 1 shall have the project title and finalist name(s) at the top. A footer in 8-point type is required on each page containing the date, finalist name(s) and project title as well as the page number.

Here is an example:

Composition

As is the case with manuscripts submitted for publication in the scientific literature, project reports must be written in good, grammatical English. Composition style, appropriate vocabulary, correct verb tense use, agreement of verbs and their subject nouns in number, and correct punctuation all contribute to the acceptability of the report. Indeed, lack of attention to these writing requirements for project reports may result in the downgrading of the project.

Units

Respectable scientific work for international consumption is recorded using Système international (SI) units, which must be used throughout. Correct abbreviations for units must be used.

Measurements anduncertainty

Most physical measurements have uncertainty. Students should be aware of the concepts of accuracy, precision and uncertainty in measurements, and the methods scientists use to represent them. Data are expected to have the correct number of significant figures, and graphs should have appropriate error bars.

Graphs, Charts and Maps

Captions, labels on axes and legends must be accurate and legible.

The ability to communicate scientific work clearly and succinctly is an important skill; therefore, the five-page limit is strictly adhered to, regardless of the type or complexity of the project.

It is strongly recommended that someone from your regional organization check each project report for length, clarity, completeness and compliance with the formatting requirements.

A copy of the Project Report is provided to each CWSF judge before he/she sees the project or interviews the finalist(s). Not only does the report account for 10 percent of the project evaluation, it is the first encounter a judge has with the project. A concise, well-written report that is free of spelling and grammatical errors makes a good first impression.

Complete details of the elements and requirements of the Project Report may be found in Youth Science Canada policy 3.1.2.4, CWSF Project Report.

Saving the report as a PDF

The Project Report is submitted electronically as part of the online CWSF registration process. It must first be saved as a Portable Document Format (PDF) file, which preserves the appearance of your document regardless of which computer it is viewed on.

Please note: PDF is the only acceptable format for Project Reports.

PDF documents can be made from any document created in Microsoft Word, Works, Publisher, WordPerfect, Pages or any other application you would use to write a report. There are many different ways to create a PDF file from your report document. Here are a few:

• Use Adobe Acrobat Professional, available for Windows and Macintosh.
• Open the document and select Print > Save as PDF on any Macintosh computer running Mac OS X.
• Download the free CutePDF Writer (Windows only) and use it to convert your file.
• Go to Adobeand click “Try it for Free” to sign up and create up to five Adobe PDF files for free.
• Enter “convert to PDF” into your favourite search engine. You’ll find several other free offers for online conversion services.
• Get the local computer expert to do it for you. Your region should be able to help you with this process.

Fire Safety

The Host Committee will ensure that fire extinguishers of proper size and rating are available in the exhibit area and will establish an exhibit hall layout that minimizes long rows to reduce the possibility of flame spread.

Operation of an open flame, candle, torch or any other heating device is not permitted. Smoking is not permitted in the exhibit area.

Packing material shall not be stored under tables.

Electrical Safety

All AC electrical equipment used in your display must have a functional three-wire plug with ground or be CSA approved. Extension cords, power bars and lighting must be CSA approved.

Electrical cords shall have a three-wire conductor with ground and must be CSA approved and in good repair.

Any modification to an electrical device negates the CSA approval, and that device must not be used. Dry cells (Alkaline, NiCad, NiMH, LiIon, etc.) and sealed lead-acid batteries (gel cells) may be used. Wet cell batteries are not permitted.

Electrical devices constructed by finalists must comply with the following requirements to be approved for display. As they cannot be CSA approved, these devices may only be connected and operated during judging.

• Electrical devices must be protected by a non-combustible enclosure.
• An insulating grommet is required at the point where electrical service enters an enclosure.
• Electrical devices shall use as low a voltage as possible.
• The electric current must be limited so as not to cause any danger or discomfort if the terminals are touched.
• A pilot light must be used to indicate when power is on.

Structural and Mechanical Safety

Exhibits must be sturdy, self-supporting and sufficiently stable to prevent accidental tipping.

Sharp edges or corners of prisms, mirrors, enclosures and glass or metal plates that may be contacted by the public must be removed or protected to prevent injury.

Dangerous moving parts such as belts, gears, pulleys and blades must be provided with a guard to prevent access to the moving parts.

An in-running nip hazard of any part of a motor, device or thing that may be a danger shall be guarded to prevent contact with the pinch point.

A certificate of safety inspection must be displayed if a project involves the construction or use of a boiler or pressure vessel with a capacity greater than 42.5 litres or operated at a pressure greater than 103 kilopascals. Evidence of inspection by an engineer with certification in boilers and pressure vessels should be displayed when the project involves any finalist- constructed pressure vessel, regardless of size or pressure. Such vessels may be displayed but must not be pressurized at any time.

Compressed gas cylinders shall not be displayed.

Moving exhibits (e.g., radio-controlled vehicles, robots) shall be restricted to the regulation display space. The Host Committee may, at its discretion, provide an area to safely demonstrate projects that require more than the regulation display space.

Chemical Safety

The following materials shall not be displayed:

• Flammable, toxic or dangerous chemicals
• Prescription drugs and over-the-counter medications

Photographs or empty packages of prohibited materials may be displayed.

The display of chemicals is discouraged; however, other substances can be used to simulate chemicals for display purposes:

• Table salt can be used to simulate many chemicals, such as ammonium nitrate.
• Water can represent alcohol, ether and many other liquids. Molasses can be used to simulate petroleum products.
• When chemicals are simulated, they should be identified with the name of the substance they represent, preceded by the word “simulated.” Any WHMIS labels (supplier or workplace) should be attached to show understanding of safe work practices.

The total quantity of liquids displayed at a project shall not exceed 1 litre. Photographs and/or video should be used to demonstrate processes requiring larger quantities of liquid.

Biohazards

The following materials shall not be displayed:

• Biological toxins
• Cell or tissue samples including blood and blood products, except on sealed microscope slides, which may be displayed
• Plants or plant tissue
• Soil containing organic material
• Cultures – Photographs or simulated cultures may be used.

1. Set up your project in the assigned space, including all items and materials that you plan to display during judging and public viewing. Store all packing materials in the assigned area for your region. Once your setup is complete, inform your delegate that you are ready for a safety check. Your delegate must be available if required.
2. Proceed to the safety check area and obtain the Safety Checklist for your project.
3. Wait in the designated area with your Safety Checklist until a safety inspector (red vest) greets you.
4. Introduce yourself, hand your form to the inspector, and bring him/her to your project.
5. The initial inspection should only involve the finalist(s) and the inspector. The inspector’s job is to ensure that your project passes the safety check. If all aspects of your project comply with the safety requirements, the inspection will proceed smoothly and the inspector will place a safety check sticker on your project’s table sign.
6. If a safety concern is identified, the inspector may suggest a minor change. Your delegate will be consulted before any change is made. If the change can be made quickly, your project will be approved and the inspector will place a safety check sticker on your project’s table sign.
7. For more serious or complex safety issues, a member of the National Science Fair Committee may be consulted. If extra time is required to make the necessary changes, your Safety Checklist will be returned to the safety check area by the inspector. After the required changes are made, return to the safety check area to obtain your checklist and wait for an inspector who will complete the safety check process and then place a safety check sticker on your project’s table sign.

Shipping in advance is preferred

• Due to airline baggage restrictions, excess baggage fees and small aircraft size/weight limitations; whenever possible, projects should be shipped well in advance to PEI.
• Project shipments will not be received before May 1, 2012
• Print a CWSF Shipping Label and attach to every shipped item

Put Shipping labels on All Project Packages

• You must have a CWSF shipping label clearly visible on all project packages, regardless of how they are getting to the CWSF.
• Write the project number in the space provided on the label to ensure that the package can be delivered to your table in the Exhibit Hall.
• Find the Project Number (six digits) by clicking “Project Info” in the To-Do List in the left menu of the online system.

Registration Process

Online registration is open from March 1 to April 30.

After your Regional Coordinator has entered basic information into the system about you and your project, you will receive an e-mail message with a link to the CWSF Online Registration System.

Registration for the Canada-Wide Science Fair is completely on-line, except for a declaration, permission and release form that must be signed by a parent/ guardian (if the finalist is under 18) and by the CWSF national finalist.

Additional forms are required for projects involving the use of human subjects, animals or animal parts and those conducted in a recognized research institution or supervised by a professional scientist. All forms are available in the "Documentation" area after logging in to the registration system.

CWSF Online Registration System

Role of the Regional Coordinator

Each region appoints a Regional Coordinator who is responsible for entering basic information about each CWSF participant (youth or adult), preferred roommates and basic information on each project. These entries create a record for each participant from the region, each with a separate ID and password.

Once participant records have been created, each participant logs in to complete the remainder of the process using any current browser. While current versions of MS Internet Explorer (Windows only), Netscape, Safari, Chrome, and Opera work fine, we strongly recommend Firefox – free for Windows, Macintosh and Linux from Mozilla.

Please note: The Regional Coordinator has access to all information entered byparticipants from his/her region.

Regional Science Fair Affiliation

The number of registered of finalists are determined by affiliated regional science fairs by December of the previous year. Registration fees for the Canada Wide Science Fair cover travel costs and participation. Regional coordinators may login to the registration system to access the complete details in the Youth Science Canada Regional Affiliation Guide.

Login

Online Registration

• A real e-mail address, used as your unique ID in the system. The email address must be unique; it cannot be the same as anyone else’s in the system.
• Your Project Report (five pages maximum), ready to upload in PDF format. Note: Only PDF files will be accepted.
• Your Project Abstract (65 words) as plain text to copyand paste.
• A digital photo of you for your CWSF photo ID. A head andshoulders photo is best, but the online tool will let you selectyour head and shoulders from any photo in which you appear.
• A brief personal biography (30 to 200 words). This willbe used to develop media materials on award recipients.
• Your personal information, including emergency contactinformation, health card number (optional), doctor’s name and phone number, and a list of any special health or diet needs.
• A careful check of your project and display to ensure that it meets the Youth Science Canada/Canada-Wide Science Fair project and display safety regulations.

Project Partner

Stepping Up is a guide for students who have completed a science fair project and competed at a regional or Canada-Wide Science Fair (CWSF). It is intended to help these students take their project to the next level - to compete for a CWSF medal or a place on Team Canada-ISEF.

The guide is written by alumni of the Canada Wide Science Fair and the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (Lia D'Abate, Lisa-Marie Assenza, Arif Ali Awan, Tahbit Chowdhury, Jean-Philippe Demers, Eden Full, Cherry Gao, Aaron Hakim, Taneille Johnson, Kartik Madiraju, Nadia Novikova, Mubdi Rahman, Natalie Raso, Nikhita Singh, and Kari Vierimaa) and is a project of Youth Science Canada through its SMARTS and Alumni initiatives. We graciously thank the Conseil de développement du loisir scientifique for their assistance with the translation of this guide into French.

To get started with the guide, choose any of the sections below, or click the "Getting Started with Stepping Up" for more detailed information!

Stepping Up Guide

No registration for tours is required. Every CWSF 2012 participant will spend the tour day (Wednesday) visiting the following attractions on a motorcoach with a tour guide. At 5:30 pm, participants will return to UPEI. Wednesday night is a free evening to explore Charlottetown. Each participant will be given $15 cash for dinner at a local restaurant.

Province House

Participants will visit the birthplace of Confederation and the home of the present provincial Legislature.

Anne of Green Gables House

A replica of the house that was the inspiration for Lucy Maud Montgomery’s famous story of the red haired orphan. Participants will be able to tour the house and the grounds and watch a film depicting the life of the famous author.

Cavendish Beach

Participants will get the chance to dip their fingers (and toes if you dare) into the waters of the north shore. Walk along the beach and collect shells and driftwood or search for the elusive sea glass.

Confederation Bridge

The parts for the bridge were constructed on site and moved into the Northumberland Strait. This bridge is the longest bridge over ice covered waters. It was opened in 1997 and spans 13 kilometers from New Brunswick to Prince Edward Island. Participants will visit the base of the bridge and see the remains of the railroad tracks on display.

Gateway Village - Cavendish Figurines

Participants will tour the factory where the figurines are made and then will have time to tour the shops in this quaint village. Check out the unique plaques listing the workers who worked in the construction of the Confederation Bridge.

Cow’s Factory Tour

After touring the facility where the Cow’s cheese and world famous ice cream are produced and where the t-shirts are screen-printed, participants will have a chance to have their picture taken beside the Cow’s mascot - a 10 foot fiberglass cow.

From the CWSF 2012 Host Committee...

Congratulations, you made the cut for this year’s Canada-Wide Science Fair (CWSF)!

That means that after all the local, regional and provincial science competitions, you are among Canada’s 500 top scientists from grades 7 to 12, so you get the honour of attending CWSF 2012.

We know you are in for an incredible experience. For the first time in its 51-year history, the CWSF will welcome finalists, delegates, judges and volunteers to Prince Edward Island.

Beyond showcasing your project and competing for top awards and prizes, you will:

• SHARE a week with 500 other Canadian students who are also interested in science and technology;
• MEET new friends from across Canada;
• INTERACT with working scientists and engineers, primarily from Atlantic Canada, but also from other regions of the country;
• DISCOVER the wonders and beauty of Prince Edward Island (PEI);
• EXPLORE all that the University of PEI campus in Charlottetown has to offer;
• ATTEND ceremonies, DANCE your heart out, EXPERIENCE cultural activities and TASTE Island treats;
• WELCOME visits in the Exhibit Hall from students and teachers from PEI schools as well as Islanders interested in science;
• ENCOURAGE everyone you meet to catch your enthusiasm for science and technology, and inspire others to pursue scientific and technological solutions to the challenges Canada faces.

As PEI’s Host Committee for the 2012 Canada-Wide Science Fair, we have been hard at work to make sure that when you arrive on the Island you can ENJOY a safe and memorable experience, not just of your school year, but of a lifetime.

Congratulations again and we look forward to seeing you when you come to Prince Edward Island.

Your CWSF 2012 Host Committee Co-Chairs,
Dr. William Whelan Ph.D. & Dr. Andrew Trivett P.Eng.

From Youth Science Canada...

Congratulations to each finalist competing at the 2012 Canada-Wide Science Fair! Enjoy the opportunity to discover the similarities and uniqueness of the many regions represented from coast to coast to coast. Relish the chance to absorb the ideas and enthusiasm of the exhibit hall. Enjoy the interactions with the judges, delegates, students and others as you are challenged to describe, explain, consider, predict and prove. Most importantly, get to know your fellow finalists through conversation and the many activities planned. Enjoy the week, create memories and build your network of contacts.

All the best to each delegate in your support and guidance as well as in the decisions you will make on behalf of the youth science community.

Congratulations and the best of luck to each member of the host committee, UPEI and the Province of Prince Edward Island. This is the first opportunity for the CWSF to come to PEI and everyone is looking forward to the experience!

Finalists, may your preparations go well, do your best and we trust you will have positive experiences to share with your family, friends and community when you return. We look forward to meeting each of you in beautiful Charlottetown!

On behalf of the Board of Directors of Youth Science Canada,

Len Reimer
Chair, Board of Directors