The Colorado State Science Fair, Inc. honors excellence in science, technology, engineering and mathematics; providing opportunities for students from all regions of the state to create and present their research in environments that nurture interests in science and technology; promoting professional skills, high ethical standards, diversity, and continuing intellectual development.

The Board of Directors for the Colorado State Science Fair, Inc. is comprised of individuals recruited from the organizations that sponsor the CSEF. Learn more about the Board of Directors and the policies that govern how the organization and event are run.

The past Directors of the Colorado Science and Engineering Fair include:

• Charles Bragaw*: 1956 - 1967
• Calvin Fisher*: 1968 - 1974
• Sam Shushan*: 1975 - 1977
• Gordan Moore: 1978 - 1979
• Russell Stoner*: 1979 - 1981
• Virgil Sandborn: 1982 - 1983
• James Sites: 1984 - 1985
• Lloyd Walker: 1986 - 1988
• Connie Vade-Lindholm: 1989 - 1990
• Lynn Butler: 1991 - 1992
• Kate Taylor: 1993 - 1994
• Christal McDougall: 1995 - 1996
• Kate Taylor: 1997 - 1998
• Lucy Adams: 1999
• Courtney Butler: 2000 - present

*Director Emeritus for outstanding contribution to the CSEF and more than two years of service as CSEF Director.

The Colorado State Science Fair, Inc. is an organization that:

• Organizes the infrastructure of the Colorado Science and Engineering Fair for students from all regions of the state of Colorado to present science projects to judges, representatives of scientific organizations, the public and their peers;
• Honors winners from Colorado regional science fairs at the annual Colorado Science and Engineering Fair;
• Sends finalists from the state of Colorado to the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF);
• Provides experiences for Colorado students to interact with their peers, with Colorado science teachers and Colorado scientists and engineers in professional and social settings;
• Promotes science, engineering, and technology as careers, inspiring excellence, high ethical standards and emphasizing the immense satisfaction that comes from confronting and solving intellectual problems and serving societal needs;
• Reinforcing in students the wonder nature instills, wherever and however possible empowering them to follow their questions and dreams; and
• Encourages a culture that values and nurtures diversity.

We support regional science fairs by:

• Acting as an alternative to the affiliating with the Society for Science as a means of attending the Regeneron ISEF;
• Providing a forum where regional science fairs can influence policies, rules and by-laws for the state science fair;
• Providing rules and requirements for participation in the Colorado Science and Engineering Fair;
• Facilitating communication, where practical, between regional science fairs and their participants;
• Providing information and resources to the regional fair directors, teachers and students which will promote interest in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics as well as excellence in scientific research; and
• Increasing public awareness and appreciation of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics in the schools.

The Colorado State Science Fair, Inc. was established in 1977 as a private, non-profit organization to run the Colorado Science and Engineering Fair (CSEF). The CSEF has actually been held since 1955 and is the state-level event in a year-long process of local and regional science fairs. The history of the CSSF can be found in this annotated history (pdf) of the organization that shows how it has progressed and changed over the years as well as in this table of basic information (pdf) of each year's CSEF. More detailed information about each year's event can be found in the Annual Report (pdf).

More than five thousand students participate in science fair programs state-wide. The purpose of the CSEF is to stimulate student interest and encourage students in science and engineering through recognition of their research knowledge, ability and achievement. Each year, a number of experiences are made available to the students and their families to see research in action. Additionally, the judges' interviews allow the CSEF finalists a chance to interact with professional scientists and engineers. Over the years, many students have said that having the chance to meet and speak with various people about their science projects is the most beneficial aspect of the CSEF.

In addition to getting the opportunity to interact with working scientists, CSEF Finalists compete for awards in 12 different categories (pdf) either as an individual or as a team project. Recognition for outstanding research in each of these categories as well as various special awards are presented each year at the the CSEF Awards Ceremony. The top Senior Division projects are awarded trips to compete at the Regeneron ISEF and the top Junior Division projects are nominated for the Broadcom MASTERS competition.