Vision and Mission

The South Central/Southwest (SC/SW) Minnesota Regional Science and Engineering Fair brings together the most outstanding projects, which have been selected from local fairs.

As of October 2011, the State of MN Science & Engineering Fair has accepted sixth grade students to compete at the state level. Therefore, we have decided to give the option for schools to advance their sixth graders to either of our regional fairs. The Junior/Senior High School Division has been renamed as the Middle School/Senior High School Division.

As of 2011, the South Central and Southwest regions have been combined into one identity where they were once two regions in Minnesota. The South Central region encompasses the schools in the counties of Blue Earth, Brown, Carver, Faribault, Freeborn, Le Sueur, Martin, McLeod, Nicollet, Scott, Sibley, Waseca, and Watonwan. The Southwest region encompasses the schools in the counties of Chippewa, Cottonwood, Jackson, Lac Qui Parle, Lincoln, Lyon, Murray, Nobles, Pipestone, Redwood, Renville, Rock, and Swift.

As of September 2011, SC/SW MN Regional Science & Engineering Fair is permitting Sixth Grade Students to compete at either the Middle School/Senior High Division or the Elementary Division. Schools can choose which competition meets the needs of their school and students better! Sixth graders will be welcome at either regional science fair.

The South Central/Southwest Minnesota Regional Science & Engineering Fair - Middle School/Senior High School Division - will take place on Saturday, February 16, 2013 at the Student Centennial Union at Minnesota State University, Mankato and is for students in grades 6-12. The annual fair attracts more than 200 projects and research papers from the regions. More than 300 volunteer judges and staff personnel also contribute their time for the benefit of students and science.

The South Central/Southwest Minnesota Regional Science & Engineering Fair — Elementary Division - will take place on Saturday, April 27, 2013 at Myers Field House and Taylor Center and is for students in grades 3-6. This annual fair attracts approximately 1,200+ projects from southern Minnesota. Nearly 600 volunteer judges and staff personnel take part in this fair.

These combined totals make the South Central/Southwest Minnesota Regional Science & Engineering Fair one of the largest Intel ISEF affiliated science and engineering fairs in the United States!

The South Central/Southwest Minnesota Regional Science & Engineering Fairs are a competition and an educational experience. Minnesota State University, Mankato, regional businesses and industries, and individuals with scientific interests sponsor the fairs. We are very appreciative to all these contributors.

The science fair project is the culmination of hard work and persistent investigation. It affords a young scientist the opportunity to share their interests with parents, relatives, neighbors, and teachers as well as the chance to be interviewed by the judges who are scientists, engineers, doctors, and others with scientific interests.

The opportunity significantly contributes to the education of students in the thinking process of formulating the project and actually doing the experiments. It may mean the beginning of a life-long fascination with science.