Project Categories and Fields of Study
The Thomas Alva Edison Kiwanis RSEF has 13 Categories and 22 Fields of Study. Categories and Fields of Study within each category are listed below. These Categories and Fields of Study are new for 2016-17 and represent a reorganization of categories featured during prior years.
Students must choose a Category and Field of Study for their project. An accurate choice of Category and Field of Study ensures alignment with affiliate fairs (SSEF of Florida, Intel ISEF), and increases the likelihood that your project will be assigned to judges who understand and appreciate your project. A science project involves a study, hypothesis and experiment. An engineering project involves an application, design or device and an engineering goal. A unique project number is assigned for each project.
It will also be required that the OFFICIAL SSEF OF FLORIDA ABSTRACT be used for entry into the Thomas Alva Edison Kiwanis RSEF.
Click HERE to review Judging Category Flow Chart (OLD to NEW) |
Category Selection Advisement:
Many projects could easily fit into more than one of these categories. We highly recommend that you review the entire listing of the new categories before choosing the category that most accurately describes your project.
Ask yourself the following questions to help in the selection of a category:
1. Who will be the most qualified to judge my project? What area of expertise is most important for the judge to have?
(For example, a medical background or an engineering background?)
2. What is the emphasis of my project? What characteristic of my project is the most innovative, unique or important?
(For example, is it the application in medicine or the engineering of the machine? Is it inserting the proper gene or the method of computer mapping to demonstrate the results?)
Thomas Alva Edison Kiwanis RSEF Project Categories & Fields of Study
1. Animal Sciences (ANIM) – Biological Science
This category includes all aspects of animals and animal life, animal life cycles, and animal interactions with one another or with their environment. Examples of investigations included in this category would involve the study of the structure, physiology, development, and classification of animals, animal ecology, animal husbandry, entomology, ichthyology, ornithology, and herpetology, as well as the study of animals at the cellular and molecular level which would include cytology, histology, and cellular physiology.
Research Areas: Animal Behaviors, Cellular Studies, Development, Ecology, Genetics, Nutrition and Growth, Physiology, Systematics and Evolution
2. Behavioral & Social Sciences (BEHA) – Biological Science
The science or study of the thought processes and behavior of humans and other animals in their interactions with the environment studied through observational and experimental methods.
Research Areas: Clinical & Developmental Psychology, Cognitive Psychology, Physiological, Psychology, Sociology and Social Psychology
3. Biomedical & Health Sciences (BMED) – Biological Science
This category focuses on studies specifically designed to address issues of human health and disease. It includes studies on the diagnosis, treatment, prevention or epidemiology of disease and other damage to the human body or mental systems. Includes studies of normal functioning and may investigate internal as well as external factors such as feedback mechanisms, stress or environmental impact on human health and disease.
Biomedical & Health Sciences Fields of Study [CHOOSE ONE of the following]
⇒ Biomedical and Health Sciences (BMED)
This category focuses on studies specifically designed to address issues of human health and disease. It includes studies on the diagnosis, treatment, prevention or epidemiology of disease and other damage to the human body or mental systems. Includes studies of normal functioning and may investigate internal as well as external factors such as feedback mechanisms, stress or environmental impact on human health and disease.
⇒ Translational Medical Sciences (TMED)
Projects that aim to improve human health and longevity by translating novel discoveries in the biomedical sciences into effective activities and tools for clinical and public health use. Bi-directional in concept, projects can be those developed through basic research moving toward clinical testing (bench-to-bedside) or projects that provide feedback about the applications of new treatments and how they can be improved (beside-to-bench).
Research Areas: Disease Diagnosis, Disease Treatment, Drug Development and Testing, Epidemiology, Nutrition, Physiology and Pathology
4. Cellular/Molecular Biology & Biochemistry (CMBI) – Biological Science
The Cellular / Molecular portion of this category studies the structure, function, intracellular pathways, and formation of cells. Studies involve understanding life and cellular processes specifically at the molecular level.
The Biochemical portion of this category studies the chemical basis of processes occurring in living organisms, including the processes by which these substances enter into, or are formed in, the organisms and react with each other and the environment.
Cellular/Molecular Biology & Biochemistry Fields of Study [CHOOSE ONE of the following]
⇒ Biochemistry (BCHM)
The study of the chemical basis of processes occurring in living organisms, including the processes by which these substances enter into, or are formed in, the organisms and react with each other and the environment.
⇒ Cell and Molecular Biology (CELL)
This is an interdisciplinary field that studies the structure, function, intracellular pathways, and formation of cells. Studies involve understanding life and cellular processes specifically at the molecular level.
Research Areas: Cell Physiology, Genetics, Immunology, Molecular Biology, Neurobiology, Analytical, Biochemistry, General Biochemistry, Medicinal Biochemistry, Structural Biochemistry
5. Chemistry (CHEM) – Physical Science
Studies exploring the science of the composition, structure, properties, and reactions of matter not involving biochemical systems.
Studies involving biological and chemical processes of renewable energy sources, clean transport, and alternative fuels.
Chemistry Fields of Study [CHOOSE ONE of the following]
⇒ Chemistry (CHEM)
Studies exploring the science of the composition, structure, properties, and reactions of matter not involving biochemical systems.
⇒ Energy: Chemical (EGCH)
Studies involving biological and chemical processes of renewable energy sources, clean transport, and alternative fuels.
Research Areas: Analytical Chemistry, Computational Chemistry, Environmental Chemistry, Inorganic Chemistry, Materials Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, Physical Chemistry, Alternative Fuels, Computational Energy Science, Fossil Fuel Energy, Fuel Cells and Battery Development, Microbial Fuel Cells, Solar Power
6. Earth & Environmental Sciences (EAEV) – Physical Science
Any studies involving the environment and its effect on organisms/systems. This includes investigations of biological processes such as growth and life span, as well as studies of Earth systems and their evolution.
Research Areas: Atmospheric Science, Climate Science, Environmental Effects on Ecosystems, Geosciences, Water Science
7. Engineering (ENMS) – Physical Science
Studies that focus on the science and engineering that involve movement or structure. The movement can be by the apparatus or the movement can affect the apparatus.
The study of the characteristics and uses of various materials with improvements to their design which may add to their advanced engineering performance.
Studies involving electrical systems in which information is conveyed via signals and waveforms for purposes of enhancing communications, control and/or sensing.
Engineering Fields of Study [CHOOSE ONE of the following]
Studies involving electrical systems in which information is conveyed via signals and waveforms for purposes of enhancing communications, control and/or sensing.
⇒ Engineering Mechanics (ENMC)
Studies that focus on the science and engineering that involve movement or structure. The movement can be by the apparatus or the movement can affect the apparatus.
The study of the characteristics and uses of various materials with improvements to their design which may add to their advanced engineering performance.
Research Areas: Aerospace and Aeronautical Engineering, Biomaterials, Ceramic and Glasses, Circuits, Civil Engineering, Composite Materials, Computation and Theory, Computational Mechanics, Control Theory, Electronic, Optical, and Magnetic Materials, Ground Vehicle Systems, Industrial Engineering-Processing, Internet of Things, Mechanical Engineering, Microcontrollers, Nanomaterials, Naval Systems, Networking and Data Communication, Optics, Polymers, Sensors, Signal Processing
8. Environmental Engineering (ENEV) – Physical Science
Studies that engineer or develop processes and infrastructure to solve environmental problems in the supply of water, the disposal of waste, or the control of pollution.
Research Areas: Bioremediation, Land Reclamation, Pollution Control, Recycling and Waste Management, Water Resources Management
9. Intelligent Machines, Robotics & Systems Software (IMRS) – Physical Science
Studies in which the use of machine intelligence is paramount to reducing the reliance on human intervention.
The study or development of software, information processes or methodologies to demonstrate, analyze, or control a process/solution.
Intelligent Machines, Robotics & Systems Software Fields of Study [CHOOSE ONE of the following]
⇒ Robotics and Intelligent Machines (ROBO)
Studies in which the use of machine intelligence is paramount to reducing the reliance on human intervention.
The study or development of software, information processes or methodologies to demonstrate, analyze, or control a process/solution.
Research Areas: Biomechanics, Cognitive Systems, Control Theory, Robot Kinematics, Machine Learning, Algorithms, Cybersecurity, Databases, Programming Languages, Operating Systems
10. Mathematics & Computational Sciences (MACO) – Physical Science
Mathematics, Computational Biology, and Bioinformatics
The study of the measurement, properties, and relationships of quantities and sets, using numbers and symbols. The deductive study of numbers, geometry, and various abstract constructs, or structures.
Studies that primarily focus on the discipline and techniques of computer science and mathematics as they relate to biological systems. This includes the development and application of data-analytical and theoretical methods, mathematical modeling and computational simulation techniques to the study of biological, behavior, and social systems.
Mathematics & Computational Sciences Fields of Study [CHOOSE ONE of the following]
⇒ Biomedical Engineering (ENBM)
Projects that involve the application of engineering principles and design concepts to medicine and biology for healthcare purposes including diagnosis, monitoring and therapy. Prominent biomedical engineering applications include the development of biocompatible prostheses, various diagnostic and therapeutic medical devices ranging from clinical equipment to micro-implants, common imaging equipment such as MRIs and EEGs, regenerative tissue growth, pharmaceutical drugs and therapeutic biologicals.
⇒ Computational Biology and Bioinformatics (CBIO)
Studies that primarily focus on the discipline and techniques of computer science and mathematics as they relate to biological systems. This includes the development and application of data-analytical and theoretical methods, mathematical modeling and computational simulation techniques to the study of biological, behavior, and social systems.
The study of the measurement, properties, and relationships of quantities and sets, using numbers and symbols. The deductive study of numbers, geometry, and various abstract constructs, or structures.
Research Areas: Algebra, Analysis, Combinatorics, Graph Theory, and Game Theory, Geometry and Topology, Number Theory, Probability and Statistics, Biomedical Engineering, Computational Bio Modeling, Computational Evolutionary Biology, Computational Neuroscience, Computational Pharmacology, Genomic
11. Microbiology (MICR) – Biological Science
The study of micro-organisms, including bacteria, viruses, fungi, prokaryotes, and simple eukaryotes as well as antimicrobial and antibiotic substances.
Research Areas: Antimicrobial and Antibiotics, Applied Microbiology, Bacteriology, Environmental Microbiology, Microbial Genetics, Virology
12. Physics & Astronomy (PHYS) – Physical Science
Physics is the science of matter and energy and of interactions between the two.
Astronomy is the study of anything in the universe beyond the Earth.
Studies of renewable energy structures/processes including energy production and efficiency.
Research Areas: Atomic, Molecular, and Optical Physics, Astronomy and Cosmology, Biological Physics, Computational Physics and Astrophysics, Condensed Matter and Materials, Instrumentation, Magnetics, Electromagnetics and Plasmas, Mechanics, Nuclear and Particle Physics, Optics, Lasers, Masers, Quantum Computation, Theoretical Physics, Hydro Power, Nuclear Power, Solar, Sustainable Design, Thermal Power, Wind
13. Plant Sciences (PLNT) – Biological Science
Studies of plants and how they live, including structure, physiology, development, and classification. Includes plant cultivation, development, ecology, genetics and plant breeding, pathology, physiology, systematics and evolution.
Research Areas: Agronomy, Growth and Development, Ecology, Genetics/Breeding, Pathology, Physiology, Systematics and Evolution
Project Numbers
Project numbers are coded first by Division (J-Junior, S-Senior), then alphabetically by Category, then numerically by Field of Study within each category, and then numerically by Project ID within each Category.
In general, project numbers are assigned as:
Division-Category(Field Of Study-If Applicable)-Project ID
EXAMPLE #1
J-ANIM-09
(Division: Junior; Category: Animal Science; Project: 9)
EXAMPLE #2
S-ENMS(3)-05
(Division: Senior; Category: Engineering (Field of Study: Materials Science); Project: 5)