Examples of Sponsored Awards
Sponsored Awards are awarded to projects at the SARSEF Regional Science and Engineering Fair by companies, organizations, or individuals who are committed to recognizing the vast number of students completing research in Southern Arizona and the range of information and innovation those student bring to the STEM landscape.
Award Sponsors can contribute all kinds of prizes and scholarships to foster a love and interest in what is important to them. We are so fortunate to have over 100 companies and organizations that contribute Sponsored Awards every year!
Here is a list of Sponsored Awards given in the past. Most companies and organizations come back to give these awards year after year! We are grateful for the community members that give almost 500 Sponsored Awards annually. Cash awards range from $20 to our top award of $2,000 for the Jack Johnson Award winner.
Project that investigates human prosociality (kindness, generosity, gratitude, self-kindness, etc.)
- Categories considered: all
- PreK-5th Grade: 1 winner – cash award
- 6th-8th grade: 1 winner – cash award
- 9th-12th grade: 1 winner – cash award
Sponsored by USS Tucson 770 Club. Categories considered are Applied Technology, Environmental Sciences, Sustainability, and Renewable Energy.
- 1winner: PreK – 5th grade – cash award
- 1 winner: 6-8 grade – cash award
Sponsored by The Phi Beta Kappa Society. Project will honor the liberal arts and sciences. Categories considered: all but Engineering.
- 2 winners: 9th-12th grade – cash award
Sponsored by Southwest Center for Optics and Photonics. Projects that best demonstrate the use of optics, photonics, or other phenomenon relating to light. Award may be about optics, or use optical technology such as lasers, telecom devices, lenses, cameras, machine vision, etc.
- Categories considered: all
- 1 award: 6th-12th grade – cash award
Sponsored by from Women’s Chemistry Group. Project is for best female project.
- Categories considered: all
- 1 award: B&N gift card, letter of commendation, certificate
Sponsored by Roche Tissue Diagnostics. Selected by Roche judges for excellence in research in the field.
- Categories considered: Applied Technology, Behavioral and Social Sciences, Cellular and Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Chemistry, Data Science and Math, Medicine, Health and Disease, Microbiology
- 1 award: 9th-12th grade – cash award
Sponsored by Trico Electric Cooperative. Project should be awarded to a project whose project did not go as planned but the student persevered and should grit/determination.
- Categories considered: all
- 1 award: PreK-5th Grade – cash award
- 1 award: 6th grade – 8th grade – cash award
- 2 awards: 9th-12th grade: cash award
Sponsored by Trico Electric Cooperative. Project should be awarded to a project whose idea is out of the box, even unconventional.
- Categories considered: all
- 1 award: PreK-5th Grade – cash award
- 1 award: 6th grade – 8th grade – cash award
- 1 award: 9th-12th grade: cash award
Sponsored by Saguaro National Park. Projects that explore themes persistent in the Sonoran Desert and Saguaro National Park including but not limited to: the saguaro cactus, ecosystem diversity, wilderness values, cultural resources, geology, conservation, and environmentalism.
- Categories considered: all
- 4 awards: PreK-12th grade: cash award
Sponsored by Broadcom Foundation, encouraging young people to “act locally and think globally,” and awarded to projects that use coding skills to solve community problems they care about that align with the 17 Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations.
- Categories considered: Applied Technology, Data Science and Math
- 1 award: 5th-8th grade – Raspberry Pi Kit and Visa Gift Card
Sponsored by Main Event.
- Categories considered: all
- 3 awards: PreK-12th – Vouchers for 1 hour of bowling, laser tag sessions, and arcade cards.
Sponsored by Tucson Electric Power Energy Programs. Projects will have focus on energy efficiency and inspiring change within the industry from a Title 1 School.
- Categories considered: Environmental Studies, Sustainability and Renewable Energy
- 1 award: 9th –12th grade: cash award
Sponsored by Tucson Electric Power awarding Top High School, Middle School, and Elementary School Project.
- Categories considered: all
- 1 award: PreK-5th grade – cash award
- 1 award: 6th-8th grade – cash award
- 1 award: 9th – 12th grade: cash award
Project that makes a strong cultural impact on its research.
- Categories considered: Behavioral and Social Sciences
- 1 award: 9th –12th grade – cash award
Sponsored by Proper Villains, LLC. A legendary accolade reserved for the most innovative and cunning young pirate. This isn’t just any award—it’s a treasure chest filled to the brim with pirate-themed scientific tools and gadgets, each item a marvel designed to spark the curiosity and ambition of any worthy recipient.
- Categories considered: all
- 1 award: PreK-12th Grade: Treasure Chest
Sponsored by Julie Euber. The project should show a blend of strong science and/or engineering, project management, and leadership.
- Categories considered: all
- 1 award: PreK-12th grade: cash award
Sponsored by Julie Euber and Shelley Dewig. Project that uses both science and friendship to make the world a better place.
- Categories considered: all
- 1 award: PreK-12th grade: cash award
Sponsored by Pima County Fair. Award with focus on engineering or technology.
- Categories considered: Applied Technology, Environmental Studies
- 2 awards: 9th-12th grade: Family 4 pack to the Pima County Fair
Sponsored by Tucson Botanical Gardens. Best projects in Plant Sciences.
- Categories considered: Plant Science
- 1 award: PreK- 5th grade – Four guest passes to Tucson Botanical Gardens and cash award
Sponsored by Tucson Gem & Mineral Society. Projects are mineral, rock, fossil, and Earth sciences-related.
- Categories considered: Chemistry, Environmental Studies, Physics and Astronomy, Sustainability and Renewable Energy Categories.
- 3 awards: PreK-8th grade: TGMS cash award & certificate, family membership, invitation to display project at following year’s show, gift bag with society, and show memorabilia.
Sponsored by EZBO Foundation Award. This award will be for an exceptional engineering award.
- Categories considered: all
- 1 award: 9th-12th grade: cash award
Awarded to underserved populations by gender (women, non-binary, transgendered), race (non-white), or economic status (Title 1).
- Categories considered: Physics and Astronomy
- 2 award: 9th-12th grade: cash award
Sponsored by Wendy Erica Werden and Don Eugene. Award for teachers who show creativity in their approach to student learning, especially in Title 1 schools, and teachers who otherwise would not receive recognition for their dedication to teaching (are not receiving other awards).
- Categories: all
- 1 award: PreK-12th grade teachers – cash award
Sponsored by Max McCauslin and John Smith III. The Bolding Award goes to a young female scientist or engineer, whose project exemplifies putting science and engineering practices into action to accomplish positive changes in the health and wellness of individuals or communities. Betsy Bolding is a long time community supporter of numerous nonprofit organization, volunteer, and a major contributor to SARSEF. Her legacy is putting her education, experience, and critical thinking into action through community involvement.
- Categories considered: Data Science and Math, Medicine Health and Disease
- 1 award: PreK-5th grade – cash award
- 1 award: 6th-8th grade – cash award
- 1 award: 9th –12th grade- cash award
Sponsored by Pima Community College Foundation. Students should attend a Title 1 school and live in the Tucson metro area.
- Categories considered: all
- 3 awards: 11th-12th grade: $500 towards PCC tuition