Nearly 100 awards, over $13,000 in cash prizes, and expenses-paid trips will be presented to students at the Montana Science Fair this year! Award categories are explained below, followed by a complete list of awards and their descriptions.
Note: Judges use their expertise to evaluate projects based on established criteria and their interpretations of those criteria. All award decisions made by the Montana Science Fair are final.
Division I = High School
Division II = Middle School
Awards at the Montana Science Fair fall into FOUR main categories:
Regeneron ISEF Finalist (Division I)
The Montana Science Fair (MSF) is an affiliate of the International Science & Engineering Fair (ISEF). Sponsored by Regeneron, a biotechnology company, ISEF is the largest and most prestigious science fair in the world, with over 1700 students from over 70 countries participating. The top Division I students from the MSF will be named “ISEF Finalists” and will be awarded expenses-paid trips to compete at ISEF. The number of ISEF Finalist awards depends on available funding, with three awards typically presented.
ISEF Finalists are considered to have the top projects at the MSF and they are selected by a panel of judges. ISEF finalists are selected independently of the special awards.
ISEF Finalist awards (trips to ISEF) are also presented at each of the ISEF regional fairs in Montana. If a student has already been named an ISEF Finalist at a regional fair and places among the top projects at the MSF, the MSF will still award three trips and will identify alternate students to attend ISEF.
Students may not apply directly to ISEF; they must be promoted by an affiliated fair to participate.
To see what the ISEF experience is like, see the annual ISEF Highlights video, the documentary Science Fair (NatGeo 2018), and Science Fair: The Series (NatGeo 2023, three parts).
Thermo Fisher Junior Innovators Challenge (JIC) Nominee (Division II)
The Montana Science Fair (MSF) is also an affiliate of the Junior Innovators Challenge (JIC). Sponsored by Thermo Fisher Scientific, a biotechnology company, JIC is the nation’s premier middle school science fair. The 18 Division II projects placing first, second, or third in each grade/discipline category at the MSF will be named “JIC Nominees” and invited to compete nationally. JIC Nominees will receive instructions that allow them to complete an online application for a chance to compete at the national level. All national projects are then ranked by JIC, with awards granted at multiple levels. The finalists (typically the top 30) are awarded an expenses-paid trip to Washington, D.C. to compete for more prizes.
Students may not apply directly to JIC; they must be nominated by an affiliated fair to apply.
MONTANA SCIENCE FAIR AWARDS (State Fair Level) (Divisions I and II)
The Montana Science Fair (MSF) itself recognizes individual and school excellence with numerous awards in both Divisions I & II. MSF Awards (State Fair Level) are determined using the same judging criteria as ISEF, so overlap exists between some MSF Awards and ISEF Finalist and JIC Nominee awards (e.g., the Larry Fauque Grand Awardee is also an ISEF Finalist). A complete list of awards and their descriptions can be found at the bottom of this page.
Special Awards (Divisions I and II)
Special Awards are those sponsored by an individual or organization other than ISEF, JIC, or MSF, such as a non-profit, a government agency, or a university department. The awards can vary from certificates to cash to a trip. There are separate judging criteria, typically focused on a particular topic, and often separate judges for these awards. A complete list of awards and their descriptions can be found at the bottom of this page.
Regeneron ISEF Regional Awards, which are unrelated to ISEF Finalist Awards, are those that are administered by ISEF, but sponsored by a different organization. Several of these Special Awards are presented at the MSF. A complete list of awards and their descriptions can be found at the bottom of this page.
NOTE: The awards and any cash values listed here are subject to change. Also, some may not be awarded if no project meets the award’s criteria. Descriptions of the individual awards can be found below.
Regeneron ISEF Finalist Awards (Division I)
Thermo Fisher JIC Nominees (Division II)
All 18 Division II MSF State Fair Level Award (below) recipients are automatically nominated to apply to the national JIC competition. JIC competition instructions will be included with the MSF Award.
Montana Science Fair Awards (State Fair Level) (Divisions I & II)
Division I
Division II
Outstanding School Awards (Four awards each for Divisions I & II)
Special Awards
Regeneron ISEF Regional Awards
The Larry Fauque Grand Award is presented to the top Division I project at the MSF in recognition of Larry Fauque, an award-winning high school teacher in Sunburst, Montana. For over 40 years, he not only taught science, but created one of the first individualized student-research programs in the state, advocated for science competitions, and accompanied nearly 80 students to ISEF. As the top award at the MSF, the LFGA honors the contributions of Mr. Fauque to science education in Montana. Mr. Fauque passed away in 2023. (The recipient of the LFGA will also be an ISEF FInalist. Second- and third-place Grand Awards are also presented.)
The MSF Grand Award is presented to the top Division II project at the MSF among all grades and disciplines.
The Peterson Awards are presented to the first-place Division II projects within each grade/discipline category at the MSF. The awards honor Bill Peterson, a retired middle school teacher in Cascade, Montana. Mr. Peterson has a long history of promoting student research and science competitions for middle schoolers and was a founding member of the Dr. David W. Baker Foundation, which funds science activities and programs for students in Montana.
Awarded to the top-scoring project in each Division I grade.
The Outstanding School Awards recognize school excellence in student research. “Large” and “small” schools, categorized primarily by student population, are ranked separately. First-place (State Championship) and second-place awards are presented in each category for Divisions I and II, for a total of eight school awards. When the judging panel determines school awards, primary consideration is given to the quality and consistency of the school’s projects. The number of students participating from each school is also considered.
The National Youth Science Camp (NYSCamp) Award is a notable and prestigious special award. Since 1963, the NYSCamp has hosted top students from around the world for a three-week science camp in West Virginia and Washington, DC.
A top junior or senior (graduating by July of the year following the awarding fair) at the MSF will be named a Montana delegate to the NYSCamp, which awards an expenses-paid trip to participate this summer. Only two students per state are selected as delegates and a number of students from other countries also participate.
Because of the travel required and the duration of the camp, STUDENTS MUST NOTIFY MSF WHEN REGISTERING THAT THEY NOT ONLY WISH TO BE CONSIDERED FOR THE AWARD, BUT THAT THEY WILL ATTEND THE FULL DURATION OF THE CAMP IF SELECTED. Dates and information can be found on the NYSCamp website.
Students may apply directly to NYSCamp to be considered for the other delegate award from Montana. The application deadline is typically in late February.
NYSCamp website: www.nysacademy.org/programs/nyscamp/
Established in 2025, the CO2 & Greenhouse Gas Reduction Awards recognize excellence in Division I & II projects that relate to studies of greenhouse gases and their reduction. The cash awards are distributed among qualifying projects in 23 categories and an additional grand prize.
Outstanding project in the biosciences.
Outstanding project in chemistry.
Outstanding project in computer science.
Outstanding project in environmental studies.
Outstanding project involving the topics of forestry and conservation.
Outstanding project in the pharmaceutical sciences, medicine, or health.
Outstanding project in mathematics.
Outstanding project in physics or astronomy.
Outstanding project by an incoming UM Freshman at the Montana Science Fair.
Outstanding project in the field of Myco products and/or Myco remediation. The award honors Robbie Flynn, a founding member of the Western Montana Mycological Association, which sponsors the award and the Robbie Flynn Mycology Contest. Primary considerations are given to projects that 1) promote the use of fungal materials and processes, 2) are biodegradable, mitigate toxic wastes, or utilize waste materials, and 3) are not focused on developing food products.
This award recognizes outstanding research in psychological science under the category of behavioral and social sciences or any category related to psychology (e.g., animal sciences, biomedical and health sciences, translational medical science).
Outstanding projects by female student(s) that exemplify high standards of innovativeness and scientific excellence in the geosciences and/or Earth sciences. Special consideration given to projects that increase the public awareness of the geosciences, illustrate the interdisciplinary nature of the geosciences, or promote the sensitivity to the earth as a global system.
Presented to students with projects in the environmental sciences.
Outstanding research project that incorporates evidence-based studies including different spheres of the Earth system (atmosphere, lithosphere, hydrosphere, cryosphere, and biosphere), their interactions, and change over time.
Outstanding research project that emphasizes NOAA’s mission of science, service, and stewardship in climate, weather, ocean, and coastal sciences.
Presented to a student who exemplifies the core values of a passionate scientist with a project in biochemistry, biomedical & molecular biology, cellular & molecular biology, computational biology & bioinformatics, microbiology & translational medical science.
Outstanding project that addresses social and environmental challenges and a meaningful solution for a more sustainable future. Ricoh USA is a multinational imaging and electronics company.
Outstanding 11th grade project in the areas of plant or animal in vitro biology or tissue culture. ( In vitro is Latin for “in glass,” such as in a test tube, culture dish, or laboratory, and refers to studies of biology conducted outside the organism.)
Outstanding project in which quantitative measurement is integral to the research and uses the International System of Units (SI). (The Système International d'Unités (SI) is commonly known as the Metric System.)
Outstanding research-oriented project aimed at enhancing the quality of life through the improvement of water quality, water resource management, or water and wastewater treatment on a local, regional, or global level.
Top-scoring project by a junior.
Division II project that best displays entrepreneurial thinking by developing a tangible invention in the form of a method, a process, or a device that has market value. The project demonstrates problem-solving by identifying a critical problem that impacts the life of the student or the lives of their family or community, applies empathy and STEM knowledge for a solution, and is environmentally responsible.
