The Tri-Valley Science and Engineering Fair, sponsored by the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, returns March 28-31, at the Robert Livermore Community Center, 4444 East Ave., Livermore.

Each year the fair motivates students to apply creativity and critical thought to the solution of science, engineering and math problems; encourages the exchange of knowledge and ideas; and recognizes student achievement.

Eligible participants include 7th through 12th grade students attending public, private or parochial schools in Danville, Dublin, Livermore, Pleasanton, San Ramon and Sunol.

Science projects are judged on a wide range of criteria that represents standards of research held by the scientific community. Local scientists and engineers serve as fair judges. Research categories cover a wide spectrum of science and include: behavioral and bioscience, biochemistry, botany, chemistry, computer science, earth and space science, engineering, environmental science, mathematics, medicine and health, microbiology, physics and zoology.

Judging will take place on Wednesday morning, March 28, with an awards ceremony scheduled for 7 p.m. that evening. The public may view the exhibition of student projects at the Robert Livermore Community Center on Thursday, March 29, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Friday, March 30, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.; and Saturday, March 31, from 10 a.m. to noon. There is no charge for admission.

This is the second year the fair is at the Robert Livermore Community Center, offering the public a pleasant location for viewing the more than 200 science projects of local students.

The fair is affiliated with the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (Intel ISEF), the world's largest pre-college celebration of science. Held annually in May, the Intel ISEF brings together more than 1,400 students from more than 40 nations to compete for scholarships, tuition grants, internships, scientific field trips and the grand prize: a $50,000 college scholarship.

Each year, Senior Division (9-12th grade) Sweepstakes winners of the Tri-Valley fair have gone on to win top honors at Intel ISEF, to be held May 13-19 in Albuquerque, N.M. The Junior Division winners are eligible to compete at the California State Science Fair.

More information about this year’s Tri-Valley Science and Engineering Fair, is available at http://tvsef.llnl.gov/ .

Founded in 1952, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory has a mission to ensure national security and to apply science and technology to the important issues of our time.  Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory is managed by the University of California for the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration.