Categories
Below is a list of the the different project types that are acceptable at the SSTFI.
Note: Senior High Team projects compete within one of the categories listed below with Individual projects.
Senior High
Animal Sciences
Study of animals –
- Development
- Ecology
- Animal Husbandry
- Pathology
- Physiology
- Population Genetics
- Systematics
- Other
Behavioral and Social Sciences
Human behavior, social and community relationships –
- Clinical & Developmental Psychology
- Cognitive Psychology
- Physiological Psychology
- Sociology
- Other
Biochemistry
- General Biochemistry
- Metabolism
- Structural Biochemistry
- Other
Cellular & Molecular Biology
- Cellular Biology
- Cellular & Molecular Genetics
- Immunology
- Molecular Biology
- Other
Chemistry
Study of nature and composition of matter and laws governing it –
- Analytical Chemistry
- General Chemistry
- Inorganic Chemistry
- Organic Chemistry
- Physical Chemistry
- Other
Computer Science
- Algorithms, Data Bases
- Artificial Intelligence
- Networking and Communications
- Computational Science, Computer Graphics
- Software Engineering, Programming Languages
- Computer System, Operating System
- Other
Earth & Planetary Sciences
- Climatology, Weather
- Geochemistry, Mineralogy
- Paleontology
- Geophysics
- Planetary Science
- Tectonics
- Other
Engineering
Technology: projects that directly apply scientific principles to manufacturing and practical uses – bioengineering, civil, construction, chemical, industrial, processing, material science, electrical, computer, controls, mechanical, thermodynamics, solar, robotics, etc.
NOTE: The SSTFI does not split out Engineering into two categories as ISEF does.
- Bioengineering
- Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Controls
- Civil Engineering, Construction Engineering
- Chemical Engineering
- Industrial Engineering, Processing
- Materials Science
- Mechanical Engineering
- Robotics
- Thermodynamics, Solar
- Other
Energy & Transportation
- Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering, Aerodynamics
- Alternative Fuels
- Fossil Fuel Energy
- Vehicle Development
- Renewable Energies
- Other
Environmental Sciences
NOTE: The SSTFI does not split out Environmental Sciences into two categories as ISEF does.
- Air Pollution & Air Quality
- Bioremediation
- Ecosystems Management
- Environmental Engineering
- Land Resource Management, Forestry
- Recycling, Waste Management
- Soil Contamination and Soil Quality
- Water Pollution and Water Quality
- Other
Mathematical Sciences
- Algebra
- Analysis
- Applied Mathematics
- Geometry
- Probability and Statistics
- Other
Medicine and Health
Study of diseases and health of humans –
- Disease Diagnosis and Treatment
- Epidemiology
- Genetics
- Molecular Biology of Diseases
- Physiology and Pathophysiology
- Other
Microbiology
Biology of microorganisms –
- Antibiotics, Antimicrobials
- Bacteriology
- Microbial Genetics
- Virology
- Other
Physics & Astronomy
- Atoms, Molecules, Solids
- Astronomy
- Biological Physics
- Instrumentation and Electronics
- Magnetics and Electromagnetics
- Nuclear and Particle Physics
- Optics, Lasers, Masers
- Theoretical Physics, Theoretical or Computational Astronomy
- Other
Plant Sciences
Study of plant life –
- Agronomy
- Development
- Ecology
- Genetics
- Photosynthesis
- Plant Physiology (Molecular, Cellular, Organismal)
- Plant Systematics, Evolution
- Other
Junior High
Biological Sciences
Biology is the science of life (from the Greek words bios = life and logos = reasoned account). It is concerned with the characteristics and behaviors of organisms, how species and individuals come into existence, and the interactions they have with each other and with their environment. Biology encompasses a broad spectrum of academic fields that are often viewed as independent disciplines. Together, they study life over a wide range of scales.
Examples: Animal Biology, Bacteriology, Behavioral & Social Science, Biology, Biochemistry, Biophysics, Cell Biology, Developmental Biology, Ecology, Entomology, Environment, Evolution, Genetics, Immunology, Marine Biology, Medicine & Health, Microbiology, Molecular Biology, Mycology, Neuroscience, Paleontology, Parasitology, Physiology, Plant Biology, Virology, Zoology
Physical Sciences
Physical Sciences are concerned with understanding of the material universe and its phenomena.
Examples: Astronomy, Chemistry, Computer Sciences, Earth & Space Sciences, Engineering, Mathematics, Physics and depending on the focus of the project Environmental Sciences.
Team Projects
Study conducted by two or three students in any discipline.
Iowa FFA Agriscience Fair
FFA Agriscience Fair students will need to select both their SSTFI Category as listed here AND an FFA Agriscience Fair Category as listed on the FFA Agriscience Fair page.