Rules and Judging Policies for Junior Academy

Rules for Junior Academy Research Competitions
  • High school and middle school student researchers are eligible to compete in the Kentucky Junior Academy of Science each spring.
  • Students may present research they have conducted themselves, and compete individually or in groups  of up to 3 students
  • Student presenters must register themselves and submit their own abstracts. Submission by a second party will disqualify a student from competition.
  • All presenters must be pre-registered for the meeting and must submit their abstracts before the deadline to qualify for the research competition.
  • Co-authors must be registered and present to be eligible for the competition. If not all team members are registered and present they are not eligible for the afternoon finalist competition.
  • Students may only present one project per year
  • The Kentucky Academy of Science provides financial support for winning students to participate in the American Junior Academy of Science meeting the following February, as follows: Two first place winning projects receive up to $1000.00 per project; Two Second and two third place winning projects receive up to $750 per project.  Funding will also be available for up to 2 chaperones (no more than one per school), up to a limit of $500/person. (In the case of team projects the amount is to be shared among team members).
Kentucky Academy of Science Judging Policies
  • Judges will identify themselves to the student as a Judge
  • Judges will not judge students from their own institution in any competition
  • Each presentation will be judged by at least two judges.
  • Judges‘ decisions are final

For High School presenters:
  • Judges will select first, second and third place winners in each category
  • First place winners from each category will present a second time in the afternoon sessions and overall winners will be selected in Life Sciences and in Physical Sciences
  • The overall winners will be eligible to register as Kentucky delegates to the American Junior Academy of Science meeting in the following February.

For middle School presenters:
  • First, second and third place winners will be selected in each group
 
Kentucky Junior Academy of Science