By Dr. Harman Brah, MD · Judge, California Science & Engineering Fair
The Alameda County Science & Engineering Fair (ACSEF) holds judging on Saturday, March 13, 2027 at Chabot College, from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm. Awards follow on Saturday, March 27, 2027 at the Chabot College Performing Arts Complex.
ACSEF is affiliated with both the California Science & Engineering Fair and Regeneron ISEF, so for an Alameda County student it is the start of the road to the state and international fairs.
Key dates
- Judging: Saturday, March 13, 2027, Chabot College, 9:00 am to 4:00 pm
- Awards ceremony: Saturday, March 27, 2027, Chabot College Performing Arts Complex, 1:30 pm
- State fair (CSEF): April 2027, date not yet posted
- Regeneron ISEF: May 2027 in Los Angeles
Registration and review rules are published on the fair’s Rules and Guidelines page at acsef.org. Check it early, because projects that need pre-approval have to be reviewed before any data is collected.
Plan backward from March 13
Fall: choose one testable question and decide whether the project needs pre-approval. Projects with human participants, vertebrate animals or certain biological agents do.
Winter: run the experiment, with enough trials and real controls.
Late winter: analyze honestly, build the board, and practice explaining every choice out loud.
The most common mistake is starting in January with a project that needs approval the student can no longer get in time.
What wins at a county fair
From the judge’s side of the table:
- one clear question, answered with real data
- controls and honest statistics, where most projects lose points
- a student who can defend the work at the board without a script
- work that is visibly the student’s own
A recent ACSEF result
Prajval and Bhuvan, two of our students, took 1st place at the Alameda County Science & Engineering Fair, then 3rd place at the California Science & Engineering Fair. Their project went on to the BMES Annual Meeting, where it won the Best Ethical Research Poster Award. The work was theirs from the first question to the final poster.
Our mentors include Dr. Harman Brah, a physician who judges at the California Science & Engineering Fair, and Wesley Hatcher, PhD. See our research mentorship tracks, or read how to qualify for ISEF from the Bay Area.
FAQ
When is the Alameda County Science Fair 2027?
Judging is Saturday, March 13, 2027 at Chabot College, 9:00 am to 4:00 pm. Awards are Saturday, March 27, 2027.
Does ACSEF send students to ISEF?
Yes. ACSEF is affiliated with both the California Science & Engineering Fair and Regeneron ISEF.
Where is ACSEF held?
At Chabot College. The awards ceremony is in the Chabot College Performing Arts Complex.
Does my ACSEF project need pre-approval?
If it involves human participants, vertebrate animals or certain biological agents, yes, and approval must come before you collect data. Check the Rules and Guidelines page at acsef.org.
More guides on this topic
- Can University Lab Research Go to the County Science Fair and ISEF?
- Synopsys Science Fair 2027: The November Deadlines That Come First
- Does My Science Fair Project Need IRB or SRC Approval?
- How to Come Up With a Science Fair Project Idea You Actually Care About
- Middle School Science Fair in the Bay Area: How Grades 6 to 8 Reach the State Fair
Planning a Science Fair or STS Project?
This guide is the general version. Work one on one with a physician who judges at the California state fair and a PhD chemist, on a project your student owns from the first question to the final poster.