The Science and Engineering Fair for the Willamette Valley

Sponsored by Chemeketa Community College and 3-Sigma Institute

CWOSE is an opportunity for middle and high school students in the Willamette Valley to engage in the process of science: asking questions, conducting experiments, collecting data, drawing conclusions, and communicating with others about their work. 

CWOSE is part of a large state and national system of science fairs.  It was started in 2004 by David Hackleman, an Oregon State University engineer, and has grown ever since. CWOSE is a judged event, meaning that projects are evaluated by science teachers, university faculty and practicing scientists — and significant  prizes are awarded to winning students, including scholarships to Oregon State University and the University of Oregon, in the case of high school students.

Who is eligible for CWOSE?  High school (grades 9-12) and middle school (grades 5-8) students in the following Oregon counties:  Yamhill, Marion, Linn, Benton, Tillamook, Polk, Lane, Lincoln, Douglas, Coos, Curry, Josephine, and Jackson.

When is the 2024 fair?   The next CWOSE will take place on March 2, 2024. The detailed schedule is posted below.

Where is the 2024 fair?   Fair locations alternate between the University of Oregon and other campuses. We are happy to say that CWOSE 2024 is currently planned to be an in-person fair on the Chemeketa Community College campus, open to both middle school and high school students!

How can I participate?   Participation in CWOSE requires advance planning:  students and teachers must understand the rules and fill out paperwork appropriately and on time.  The rules and required documents for middle school and high school projects are different.  Follow the links under “Instructions” (a tab on your computer screen or a menu item on some mobile devices) for specifics.  

How do I register? 

• The Adult Sponsor must add each student project through the online “Registration” link (a tab on your computer screen or the last menu item on some mobile devices).
• You or your sponsor must also submit 2 items by mail:
  • the registration fee, which is $10 per project, payable by check made out to “PSU Foundation”
  • your School Registration Form

Please mail both to
NWSES – CWOSE 
P.O Box  311
Banks, OR  97106

When and how do I submit my completed project?

• The deadline for submitting your project online is Wednesday February 15, 2024. By 3 PM on that day, all of the material listed below must be shared in online registration.
  • High School students (or Middle School students using ISEF forms) should submit:
    • Forms 1, 1A and 1B. The Adult Sponsor’s signature on Form 1 is not required, but the date is. Forms may be in separate files or a single file, but please include the form number(s) in the file name(s)
    • Your Research Plan, preferably as a Google doc or PDF
    • Any additional ISEF forms required by the nature of your project
  • Middle School students using EZ forms should submit:
    • The MSEZ Form, with both student and parent signatures. The Adult Sponsor signature is not required.
    • the Procedures used for your project, including the answers to any Safety Assessment questions that are relevant to your work.
    • Middle School students will share forms, procedures and abstract using Google Slides.
• Please visit the 2024 Requirements page for more detail on both high school and middle school submissions

Award Results

2024 Judge and Student Schedules for Fair Day  

Contacts for CWOSE:                                                                               

Dr. Michael Rockow    CWOSE  Co-Director
Leslie Middle School
Salem, Oregon
Rockow_Michael@salkeiz.k12.or.us
                     
Dr. Bryan Rebar CWOSE Co-Director
College of Arts and Sciences – STEM CORE
University of Oregon
brebar@uoregon.edu