How to Win the Hawaii State Science & Engineering Fair (HSSEF)

In the heart of the Pacific, Hawaii's young scientists gather each year for an event that celebrates curiosity, ingenuity, and a passion for exploration: the Hawaii State Science & Engineering Fair (HSSEF). Hosted by the Hawaii Academy of Science, HSSEF is more than a competition: it's a platform to showcase your research, compete from the district level to state, and open the door to national and international science. Here's how it works and how to succeed.

Hawaii's science fairs run as a network of district and regional fairs that feed into the state-level HSSEF. Students first compete at their local or district fair based on their island and district, and top projects advance to the state fair.

Hawaii's District and Regional Science Fairs

Find your local fair by island and district, then aim to advance to the state HSSEF. Dates below are for 2026, so always confirm the current schedule and deadlines on each fair's official site, as they shift annually.

How HSSEF Works

HSSEF celebrates student creativity, critical thinking, and problem-solving across a wide range of categories, from engineering and the biological and physical sciences to behavioral sciences, mathematics, and computer science.

You qualify through a local or regional fair, then present at HSSEF through a detailed display and an oral presentation, where judges, experts across scientific disciplines, evaluate your methodology, results, conclusions, and presentation. HSSEF also goes beyond the competition itself, offering educational workshops and webinars on project development, presentation skills, and scientific methods.

How to Qualify for HSSEF

The path to HSSEF depends a little on your level, but the shape is the same.

• Middle school: compete at your local or regional fair, present your project, and follow the guidelines for project approval, Scientific Review Committee (SRC) approval, and registration to advance to HSSEF.

• High school: conduct thorough research, compete at the local or regional level, and follow the guidelines for project details, display boards, videos, and review processes to qualify.

If your project involves human participants, vertebrate animals, or hazardous materials, you'll need SRC review before you begin experimenting, so build that into your timeline early.

How to Succeed

Winning at HSSEF takes a blend of scientific rigor and strong presentation. A few strategies that make the difference:

• Start early so you have ample time for data collection, analysis, and refinement.

• Choose a strong, original topic that fits your interests and adds real value to your field, our guide to crafting the perfect science fair question helps you shape one.

• Understand the judging criteria (thoroughness, creativity, relevance, and presentation) and build your project against them.

• Show real-world impact by explaining how your research could be applied and who it could help.

• Keep it feasible, rigorous, and safe: plan a project you can complete with your resources, follow the scientific method or engineering design process, and observe all safety protocols.

• Nail your presentation: rehearse until you can communicate your work clearly and confidently, and prepare for the judges' questions, our guide to the science fair Q&A with judges covers how.

  
  

Beyond HSSEF: ISEF, JIC, and JSHS

Top projects at HSSEF can advance to national and international competition, and which path depends on your grade level.

High schoolers who win at the state level can qualify for the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF), the world's largest pre-college science competition. Our step-by-step guide to qualifying for ISEF maps out how to get there.

Middle schoolers, meanwhile, may be nominated for the Thermo Fisher Junior Innovators Challenge (JIC), the premier national STEM competition for grades 6–8.

Hawaii students have also historically had a path to the Junior Science and Humanities Symposium (JSHS), a research competition with regional and national symposiums. Note that the Hawaii JSHS is currently suspended, so confirm its status before counting on it as an advancement route, but it's worth knowing about for the future.

Equip Yourself to Win With ScienceFair

Winning at HSSEF, and advancing beyond it, takes a strong, original project, rigorous research, and a confident presentation. That's exactly what ScienceFair helps you build. Every coach on our team is a past science fair winner, and alongside our Ivy League research mentors, they'll help you refine your idea, strengthen your research, and prepare for the judges' Q&A.

Ready to make your run at HSSEF? Schedule a call with our academic advisor.