Regeneron ISEF 2024: How I fell in and out of love with science fairs.

The year was 2023, and I was at my version of the Super Bowl: the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair. judge frowned and asked me, “How will doctors continue to make a living if patients go home quickly?” Another asked, “Isn’t this whole thing a bit dark for a science fair project?” I had a choice: either be honest and risk wounding the ego of someone who had my future in their hands, or pivot in hopes of a better outcome. As recent revelations of the replication crisis in psychology have suggested, this isn’t just a problem among young people aiming at science fair prizes, but in corners of academia as well. Related From Slate There’s One Main Reason People Donate to Their Alma Maters The biggest flaw of science fairs was staring me right in the face—it obscured the people behind them. Science fair culture makes us feel like chatting with our competitors instead of sharpening our competitive edge is doing science wrong, when really, that’s what it’s all about.