Student researchers, as well as adults who have a role in their projects, are expected to maintain the highest ethical standards. These include, but are not limited to: 

• Integrity. Honesty, objectivity, and avoidance of conflicts of interest are expected during every phase of the research. The project should reflect independent research done by the student(s) and represent only one year’s work. 

• Legality. Compliance with all federal, country, state, and local laws is essential. All projects must be approved by a Scientific Review Committee (SRC), and when necessary, must also be approved by an Institutional Review Board (IRB), Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC), and/or Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC). 

• Respect for Confidentiality and Intellectual Property. Confidential communications, as well as patents, copyrights, and other forms of intellectual property, must be honored. Unpublished data, methods, or results may not be used without permission, and credit must be given to all contributions to research. 

• Stewardship of the Environment. It is the responsibility of the researcher(s) and the adults involved to protect the environment and its organisms from harm. All projects involve some amount of risk. Everyone is expected to recognize the hazards, assess the risks, minimize them, and prepare for emergencies. 

• Animal Care. Proper care and respect must be given to vertebrate animals. The guiding principles for the use of animals in research include the following “Four R’s”: Replace, Reduce, Refine, Respect. 

• Human Participant Protection. The highest priority is the health and well-being of the student researcher(s) and human participants. 

• Potentially Hazardous Biological Agents (PHBAs). It is the responsibility of the students and adults involved in the project to conduct and document a risk assessment and to safely handle and dispose of organisms and materials. 

Scientific fraud and misconduct are not condoned at any level of research or competition. This includes plagiarism, forgery, use or presentation of other researcher’s work as one’s own, and fabrication of data. Fraudulent projects will fail to qualify for competition in affiliated fairs and ISEF. Society for Science and the Public reserves the right to revoke recognition of a project subsequently found to have been fraudulent. 

To report complaints/concerns or accusations of fraud: Submit a report in writing to director@caseef.org The report must include specific examples and reasons for concern. The report must be signed with the name(s) of the person(s) accusing before it is addressed by the board. Anonymous concerns will not be acknowledged. CASEF executive officers will make the final decision based on the investigation of the issue by the Fair and Judging Committees.