Judge Recruitment
NCSAS: Connecting Professionals with Students
North Carolina Student Academy of Science goal is to bring STEM professionals and researchers together with students. As a judge, you'll read their research paper in advance, watch them present their research, ask questions, and complete a judging rubric. After presentations, judges get to eat dinner with the students.
Who can judge? We welcome those with a bachelors degree that work in a STEM field and/or are familiar or have past familiarity with academic or industry research in STEM. For example, graduate students, educators teaching advanced STEM topics, professionals that use and apply STEM, or anyone who had advanced training/education in a STEM topic. Part of the role of a judge is having dinner with students to share your pathways or current career in STEM.
These categories of research are judged at NCSAS: Behavioral Science || Biological Science || Biotechnology || Chemistry || Computer Science || Earth/Space Science || Environmental Science || Mathematics || Physical Science/Physics || Technology/Engineering
State Judging Process
At the State Event, students are divided by age category (middle and high school) and by topic. Ideally we will place you in a classroom overlapping with your expertise, but NCSAS judging focuses on science communication (and explaining their methodology clearly)---and we may need you to judge another category.
Judges will receive the student papers about 5 days ahead of the event; judges will need to read each paper (typically 5-15 pages double spaced, depending on student) before the event. On judging day, we will train judges on our scoring rubric and answer any questions.
Students are judged into 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place categories. High school first place winners do not receive a cash prize, but instead are invited to attend, with support of NCSSM, the NC Science, Math, and Technology Center, and Burroughs Wellcome Fund, to attend the National American Junior Academy of Science meeting held jointly with the AAAS professional conference.
If you have judged for a Science and Engineering Fair, this differs in students do not create a poster, and instead write a paper and present in a classroom or conference room. Students have more opportunity to interact with judges informally.
Note: NCSAS is separate from the North Carolina Science and Engineering Fair judging---their state competition is held the following day.
Regional Judging
Regional judging is similar but may not include informal time to meet presenters. If you want to judge regionally, look at our regional events and contact the region director.
State Judging Timeline
January-February 2023. Judge recruitment.
March 15, 2023. Judge update and tentative placement. Judges confirm via Wild Apricot registration system.
March 19, 2023. Judges receive papers by this date.
March 24, 2023. Event at NCSSM in Durham, NC. Judges arrive by 3 p.m. with judging until 8 p.m. We welcome judges to stay for the ceremony 8-9 PM to congratulate the winners.
Volunteer to Judge
Past judges can re-register. New judges click the button below THEN click registration and select the judge role.
NCSSM Campus Location
The state NC Student Academy of Science event is held at the NC School of Science and Math Durham campus near Duke University. The 2023 event is scheduled to be held in-person in Durham.