Alaska’s science fair for grades K–12, since 1955

Science can take you places.

Every Alaska student can enter a science, engineering, computer science or math project, and you don’t need to win a local fair first. Start with your first project, then go national in middle school and international in high school.

Made possible by our sponsors and donors. Thank you!

Broadcom Foundation Hecla Charitable Foundation ConocoPhillips Alaska Doug Molyneaux Alissa Oder COEUR Alaska University of Alaska Anchorage

From Alaska to the world stage

Where this fair can take you

Every grade has a next step. Start with your first project, and keep going all the way to national and international competition.

Elementary · grades K–5

Your first science fair

Everyone starts somewhere. Pick something you’re curious about, test it and show what you found.

  • Talk about your project with real scientists and engineers
  • Every project is judged, and awards go to all age groups
  • Build the skills you’ll use in middle and high school

Need an idea? See K–5 project ideas that go beyond the volcano.

Middle school · grades 6–8

Thermo Fisher Junior Innovators Challenge

The top U.S. science and engineering research competition for 6th, 7th and 8th graders. The top 10% of grades 6–8 at fairs like ours are eligible to be nominated. You can also win one of ASEF’s Main Category Awards.

$25,000top award
$100,000+awarded to 2026 winners
High school · grades 9–12

International Science and Engineering Fair

Regeneron ISEF is the world’s largest high school science competition. High school grand prize winners here can earn an expense-paid trip. Next stop: Los Angeles, May 2027.

$7M+in awards and prizes
$100,000top award
1,700+finalists
64countries, regions and territories

2026 figures from Society for Science: ISEF and Junior Innovators Challenge.

Why enter the fair?

  • Show off your workPresent your project to judges who work in science and engineering.
  • Win prizesCompete in categories from animals to computers for awards from local businesses and organizations.
  • Go national or globalMiddle schoolers can be nominated for the Junior Innovators Challenge. High school grand prize winners can earn an expense-paid trip to ISEF.
  • Stand outGet noticed by colleges and employers. Several Alaska students have earned college scholarships and major awards at ISEF.

How to enter

  1. Find your level. Elementary (K–5), Middle School (6–8) or High School (9–12). The requirements differ a little by grade.
  2. Plan your project. It can be a class assignment or your own idea. Work with a teacher, parent or adult mentor. A mentor is one of the best ways to build a strong project. Need one? Contact us.
  3. High school: do the paperwork first. Projects with people, animals with backbones, dangerous materials and some other topics need approval before you start. This online tool shows which forms you need.
  4. Register on zFairs, our online registration site. Register your project and upload your forms at ak.zfairs.com.
  5. Bring it to the fair. Check in, pass the safety check, set up your display and talk with the judges. You can take part in person or virtually from anywhere in Alaska.

2027 dates are coming soon. The fair is held in Anchorage each March or April. For 2026, registration opened March 1 and the fair ran March 27–29.

At the fair

Why be a judge?

There are hundreds of projects and only one day to judge them all. There is nothing more satisfying than meeting the participants, encouraging their efforts and finding out just how amazing Alaska’s students are.

  • Your feedback gives students a real conversation with someone working in the field.
  • High school judges help decide who advances to the International Fair.
  • You choose elementary, middle school, high school or any mix.
  • Training and scoring guides are provided.

Judges work or study in science, technology, engineering or math.

Through the whole project

Why be a mentor?

Judges are part of the fair. Mentors are part of the process. They work with students long before fair day, and they’re one of the critical parts of creating the quality projects that take Alaska students to the International Science and Engineering Fair.

  • You help build a quality project. Guide a student from a first idea through the research and, in high school, the paperwork and project approval.
  • A deep pool finds the right fit. Not every student has someone nearby who can help, so we need people from many fields to match with a project when a student needs one.
  • You won’t be needed every year. Mentors are assigned as needs come up, so joining the pool isn’t a yearly commitment.

Other ways to help: we need volunteers for setup, check-in and teardown. Register as a volunteer, or email [email protected] about joining the board.

Who makes it possible

ASEF is run entirely by volunteers and funded by donations, with no funding from any school district or government agency. All donated funds go directly to the fair and awards for students.

Our 2027 sponsors

Thank you to our past sponsors

2026 Fair Sponsors

Presenting Sponsors

  • Hecla Charitable Foundation

Platinum Sponsors

Gold Sponsors

Silver Sponsors

Friends of the Fair

  • Alaska Glacier Seafoods
  • Fred Meyer / Kroger Rewards Program
  • PND Engineers
  • William C. Leight

Venue Sponsor

2025 Fair Sponsors

Presenting Sponsors

  • Doug Molyneaux

Platinum Sponsors

Gold Sponsors

  • Alaska Commercial Company (in-kind)
  • Alaska Miners Association (in-kind)
  • Broadcom Foundation
  • Chandler Corporation (Puffin Inn)

Silver Sponsors

Friends of the Fair

  • Alaska Electric Light & Power
  • Carrs (in-kind)
  • Costco Wholesale (in-kind)
  • Dawson Construction
  • First Bank
  • Franz Bakery (in-kind)
  • Fred Meyer (in-kind)
  • Fred Meyer / Kroger Rewards Program
  • Great Harvest (in-kind)
  • Kaladi Brothers Coffee (in-kind)
  • Meghan Clark
  • Mike and Corinne McVee
  • Northwind Architects
  • Rainbow Foods
  • Rebecca Sawyer
  • Royal Printing (in-kind)
  • Starbucks (in-kind)
  • Taylor Ferguson
  • Weiss Family
2024 Fair Sponsors

Presenting Sponsors

  • Ohana Media Group (in-kind)

Platinum Sponsors

  • Hecla Greens Creek Mine

Gold Sponsors

  • aeSolutions
  • Alaska Miners Association
  • Bill Corbus
  • COEUR Alaska
  • Doug Molyneaux
  • Elgee Rehfeld – Alaska’s CPA Firm
  • Elizabeth Djajalie
  • GCI
  • Northern Utility Services, LLC
  • RESPEC

Silver Sponsors

Friends of the Fair

  • Alaska Electric Light & Power
  • Alaska Glacier Seafoods
  • Angali Madeira
  • Ching Cheng
  • Dawson Construction
  • Jennifer Reinbold
  • Juneau Pizza
  • Mary O’Connor
  • NAPA / Glacier Auto Parts
  • Pannone Engineering Services
  • Pita Pit Alaska
  • Sarah Steinbarger
  • The Alaska Club
  • Valley Paint Center
2022 Fair Sponsors
2021 Fair Sponsors