Good luck in the program. Take pride in your accomplishments. We are proud of you and hope you find the knowledge you gained through inventing provides you the tools to pursue your dreams.
About Us
“Rich in history. Full of promise for the Future.”
The Thomas A. Edison Regional Science and Inventor Fairs (TAERSIF) Board of Directors works year-round to organize Regional STEM Events that annually host over 1,200 local students at regional competitions and engage nearly 30,000 students in research projects at the school level. Over the years, our Edison Fairs program has grown into the largest pre-collegiate STEM competition program in Southwest Florida and includes three signature events: Thomas Alva Edison Kiwanis Regional Science & Engineering Fair, Thomas A. Edison Festival of Light Regional Inventors Fair, and Elementary Science Expo. (The pandemic and hurricane Ian reduced participation numbers.)
TAERSIF is a sanctioned event of the Edison Festival of Light, as well as three affiliations: the Florida State Science and Engineering Fair (Florida SSEF); Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (Regeneron ISEF); and The Henry Ford U.S. National Invention Convention. Special recognition has been acknowledged for one of the original sponsors with title recognition as follows:
The Thomas A. Edison Festival of Light Regional Science and Inventors Fairs presented by SONY Electronics
The Regional Fairs and underwriting of student expenses for the Fairs is possible because of the support from the Fort Myers Kiwanis Club, Lee County and Charlotte County Public Schools, Florida Gulf Coast University, The Edison Festival of Light, The Edison & Ford Winter Estates, Hodges University, Florida Southwestern State College, Edison Innovators Association , Imagine Solutions Conference, Caloosa Bromeliad Society, The Imaginarium Science Center, Southwest Florida Community Foundation, Caloosa Veterinary Medical Society, Florida Power and Light, Edison Pageant of Light, Sony Electronics, Imagine Solutions Conference, the Scientist Society of Southwest Florida, Lee Memorial Health Systems, the Lee County Medical Society and numerous private donors and volunteers.
Our competitions showcase students from Charlotte, Lee, and Collier Counties who will become our future scientists, technology experts, engineers, mathematicians, and entrepreneurs. The regional program celebrates achievement by elementary, middle, and high school students supported by their parents, teachers, and schools.
The Edison Fairs Board of Directors
The Board is comprised of representatives from Southwest Florida educational institutions as well as public and private organizations and businesses. All parties are interested in promoting a sound education in the sciences, technologies, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields while instilling a working knowledge of each person’s intrinsic right to benefit from his or her creative, problem solving, and critical thinking skills through application of the scientific, inventive and entrepreneurial processes.
Florida Gulf Coast University, the Kiwanis Club of Fort Myers, the School Districts of Lee and Charlotte Counties, and 501(c)(3)’s such as The Foundation for Lee County Public Schools and the Edison Festival of Light have served as fiscal administrators, each in specific areas of the annual program. An endowment fund managed by the Southwest Florida Community Foundation was established in 2001 to provide a more stable source of future funding of the Regional Fairs. For more information on how you can contribute, check out our Sponsors Page.
More information about our organization and STEM programs is available from our website: www.edisonfairs.org.
Everyone is invited to review the 2023 Educational Guide for Inventors posted on the Inventors Fairs section of www.edisonfairs.org. It has valuable information for anyone interested in the invention process regardless of age.
2024 Thomas A. Edison Festival of Light Regional Inventors Fair
IMPORTANT: Each fair opens to the public at different times.
Inventors Fair after 1PM through 3PM Awards program 3:30-5PM (Times may be adjusted)
Science & Engineering Fair -to be announced (Please respect the Inventors Award Program at 3:30 -5:00P) Science Awards Program to be announced.
Please respect each Fair and avoid delaying the important, timely efforts by trying to enter either Exhibit Floor before the appropriate announcements. or during the award program.
The Inventors Award Ribbons wil be presented during the Awards Program. Project removal begins after the Awards Program is over.
What to Expect for the 2024 Fair: Hybrid Virtual & In-Person Judging!
VIRTUAL ENTRIES: Each participant will have an independent landing page containing the invention summary (Abstract) and links to logbook, display board, and a 2 to 3 minute preferred (maximum 6 minutes) video presentation. The model or prototype should be emphasized in the video.
- Judging will take place from the comfort of your home or office,
- on a more convenient timeline to fit your schedule,
- over a period of several days ,
- requiring access to the internet
- Participate in a Virtual Judges Instructional Presentation or watch a Video of the presentation at a time convenient to you.
- Attend optional prejudging Q&A sessions (to be scheduled).
- There are many variables:
- the number of participants will influence the number of days of judging
IN-PERSON VENUE: New in 2024 - Circular Judging
- Grades will be grouped in pods of nine entries
- Each judging gorup will interview all the entries in one pod at a time.
- Students will participate in Q & A within each pod.
- Students will select 3 projects in their pod to advance against other pods of the same grade.
- Judges scores will impact Grade Winners
- Student selections will be a checks and balance approach for judges.
- ALL entries are still eligible for Speical Awards.
SPECIAL AWARD (SA) JUDGING
- Donors may request a list of entries within the scope of the award(s) donated.
- Donors will have first choice in selecting award recipient(s).
- Donors may scan lists of entries virtually and/or in person to select a short list to judge
- This includes all participants judged both virtually and live.
- SA Donor judging may be prearranged.
INVENTORS AWARDS PROGRAM: For the very time, to be held the same day as in-person judging.
All this appears cut and dried but . . .
brace yourself for very rewarding experience!
Judge's will be provided with a complete list of projects K through 12.
- Rules pertaining to all Judges:
- You will need to register on this zFairs platform in order to log in.
- Select Judging Options you wish to participate in.
- Confirmation of your registration will follow.
- The zFairs Inventors Link will be found on the www.edisonfairs.org website under Inventors Fair: ALL INVENTOR REGISTRATIONS.
- IMPORTANT: The original www.edisonfairs.org Inventors Judges Registration has been discontinued. Register on zFairs!
All Entries to include:
1) 2-6 MINUTE VIDEO - The shorter and more concise with strong focus on the key points & demonstrating the prototype.
2) LOGBOOK
3) DISPLAY BOARD
4) MODEL/PROTOTYPE +/- OPTIONAL PHOTOS
5)Score Sheet - Please complete this before moving on to the next.
You may perform virtual judging any time during the 7 day judging period. It is okay to judge one or more projects, take a break, and return to return to judging as YOUR schedule allows..
In-Person judging will have a new procedure in 2024. Details are covered in other sections.
Special Award Donor Rules:
- All members of the Special Awards Judging Group must register in order to be admitted as a judge.
- You are welcome to perform Level One Judging as you go through your selection process for meeting the special award criteria.
- A member of yout team may be granted access to arrange live interviews for your convenience.
- Please request live interviews with qualifying students anytime from February 7th to 20th. Administrative contacts will be provided once you register. Provide a 1st, 2nd, and 3rd choice of times the student may select from. Email or phone verification will be provided to the designated Donor or "Team Leader" of the Group.
Here is an overview of the Judging Criteria
***New Judges or those wishing to review more indepth details can go to the Inventors Judges section at www.edisonfairs.org ***
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CATEGORY
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SUBCATEGORY
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POINTS
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Points Awarded
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Category Point Total
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INVENTION
PROCESS
(50)
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Identifying & Understanding
(Problem recognition skills)
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10
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Ideating (Creative solutions, Brainstorming)
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10
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Originality (Evidence of uniqueness, IPP verification)
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10
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Design, Building, Testing &Refining
(Concept-methodology development start to finish; Safety)
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10
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Logbook
(Validation of Evidence of all the above)
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10
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INVENTION IMPACT
(20)
(Usefulness)
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Market Potential
(Level of solution/need: small scale - large scale)
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10
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Value Proposition
[Ability to solve/fulfill the need(s); Social Value]
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10
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INVENTION COMMUNICATIONS (30)
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Personal Presentation
(Live or Video)
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10
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Display
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10
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Prototype or Model
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10
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Sum Total Score:
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ENTREPRENEURIAL RATING
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Special Category Award Considerations Only
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Applied for IPP:
Yes [ ] No [ ]
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Knowledge of Licensing
Yes [ ] No [ ]
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Business Planning
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