The 43rd Annual Central Arkansas Regional Science and Engineering Fair
CARSEF 2025
Sponsored by:
The state’s largest pre-college STEM research competition, CARSEF 2025 will be held on Friday, February 28, 2025 at the Donaghey Student Center on the UA Little Rock campus starting with check-in at 8:00 a.m.
Getting Started
Rules
- CARSEF follows the International Science & Engineering Fair (ISEF) rules.
- Schools should have a SRC/IRB established PRIOR to students’ starting their experimentation. SRC is Scientific Review Committee. IRB is Institutional Review Board.
- Each school’s SRC/IRB should review projects PRIOR to experimentation. These groups ensure the rules are followed and ethical research is being conducted.
- Here are list of Common Scientific Research Committee (SRC) Problems
Forms
- ISEF Rules require the use of specific forms.
- Video tutorials about completing these forms can be found here.
Training/Tutorials
Training videos/webinars to assist with completing forms can be viewed here.
Student Registration
- Registration website: https://ar-carsef.zfairs.com
- Registration will open by January 15, 2025.
- Registration deadline is February 15, 2025 at 11:59 p.m.
- Registration fee is $30 per student and can be paid through registration link above.
- Students can register and upload their required forms, documents, and videos, and submit payment here (accessible January 2025).
Judges’ Registration
- Registration opens in January 2025
Judging
February 28, 2025: All students (4th – 12th grade)
Volunteering
Volunteers are vital to the success of CARSEF. Your assistance is greatly appreciated. Volunteer registration opens in January 2025.
Volunteers are required to register prior to the event for the following roles:
- Student registration
- Student forms review
- School/Teacher packets
- Computer work
- Student and school check-in
- Event set-up (February 27, 2025)
Volunteers are required the day of the event for:
- Student check-in
- Directing students to their set-up location
- Display and Safety
- Awards committee
- Awards ceremony
- Closing event
Schedule
Schedule for Students
8:00 – 9:00am Student Registration and Project Set-up
Students will check in at the Fitness Center inside the Donaghey Student Center.
9:00am Judges Meeting – Donaghey Athletic Center
9:30-11:30am Judging of Projects – All students are expected to be at their display table by 9:30am and are to remain there until their entire category has been dismissed by a CARSEF supervising volunteer.
10:30-11:30am Parent and Teacher meeting
Admissions Presentation
11:30am-1:00pm Lunch – Students, parents, and teachers are welcome to get lunch in the Student Center or the nearby restaurants in the University District.
Immediately follow conclusion of all judging, students will need to remove their project boards from the tables in order to facilitate breakdown and cleanup of the Fitness Center.
1:30pm – Programs (To be announced)
4:00 – 4:45 Awards Ceremony – Junior Division – Location TBD
Student, parents, and teachers are to report by 3:45 for the Junior Division Awards Ceremony. Only Junior division participants, parents/family and teachers permitted.
4:45 Thermo Fisher Scientific Junior Innovators Challenge Finalists Meeting
5:00 – 5:45 Awards Ceremony – Senior Division – Location TBD
6:00 ISEF Finalists Meeting
Schedule for Judges
8:30 Judges Registration
9:00 Judges Meeting
9:30 Judging of Projects until competed
4:00 Junior Division Awards Ceremony
5:00 Senior Division Awards Ceremony
