1. SEFH 2016 Special Awarding Agencies

2. Represent Industry, Professional Societies, and Individual Agencies All are interested in provided awards generally associated with creativity, robust investigation, unique topics of investigation, or investigations connected to the special interests of the organizations sponsoring the awards Generally are working professionals within a related STEM industry and have university degrees supporting their expertise All are volunteers!!! Participating special awarding agencies care about expanding the opportunities STEM provides all students now and as career options

3. Special Awards Give Opportunity to Unique Studies As an example, take the student who investigates coastal erosion. Special awarding agency which may have enthused interest in the methodology and findings associated with this study could be: The American Meteorological Association- Houston Chapter The American Water Works Association The Geophysical Society of Houston

4. Awards Associated with the Special Awarding Agencies Generally, special awarding agencies want to recognize with certificates, small tokens of appreciation for good, solid research Often, winners along with their parents and their teachers (less often) will ask the winners to present their research and project boards to other members at a meeting or special event the agency holds Sometimes winners are provided scholarships for use as they enter university

5. Special Awarding Agency Judges This judging occurs in two phases after lunch and in the early evening. Generally, the judging phases run from 1:30pm – 5:00pm and from 6:30pm – 9:00pm. These judges are generally recognized by their company shirts which tout their logos. All awards are presented on Sunday during the Place Awards ceremony.

6. Special Awarding Agency Judges Any industry, society, or organization associated with STEM can sign up as a special awarding agency. Here are the STEPS: 1. Register at the SEFH website 2. Decide the type of awards and the categories you will award 3. Decide to sponsor a particular category which projects are especially connected to the agency’s mission; For example: Harris County Medical Association may sponsor the Medicine Health categories for Junior/Ninth/Sr Divisions! 4.Provide the judges from the agency’s ranks who will go onsite to judge the projects on the day of judging

7. Special Awarding Agency Judges For additional information Contact Dr. Mary Jo Parker – SEFH Special Awarding Committee Chair (parkerm@uhd.edu)parkerm@uhd.edu Or Dr. Heather Domjan – SEFH Executive Director (hndomjan@Central.UH.EDU)hndomjan@Central.UH.EDU