1. Bay Area Science and Engineering Fair
BASEF
Bay Area Science and Engineering Fair
Sponsored by The Ontario Trillium Foundation
Ethics, Safety and the Law: Developing Awareness, Understanding & Compliance Tom Crawford BASEF 2003 Judge in Chief
Bay Area Science & Engineering Fair Sponsored by The Ontario Trillium Foundation

2. Contents Background Rules & Reasons Changes Results to Date
Why This is Difficult
What Works
Next Steps
Bay Area Science & Engineering Fair Sponsored by The Ontario Trillium Foundation

3. BASEF Background Regional Science Fair for Hamilton & Halton
a 4 day event; rotate among 3 Host sites
43 consecutive years of operation
A non-profit charitable association
Participation ~ 450 students, 300+ projects
Annual Budget $100,000 (60% for awards)
Honourary Co-Chairs Mayor Wade, Chairman Savoline; Title Sponsor; many others
Bay Area Science & Engineering Fair Sponsored by The Ontario Trillium Foundation

4. Speaker Experience Active with BASEF Regional Science Fair since 1995
Delegate or Alternate to CWSF 2000, 2003
Chaperone to Team Canada at IISEF 2001, 2002
Involved as judge, Secretary, Chair, Judge-in-Chief
BASEF J-in-C has Safety Responsibilities (SRC, Display)
Electrical / automation engineer, Dofasco Inc.
Many technical and management assignments
Health & Safety is a top priority at Dofasco
Bay Area Science & Engineering Fair Sponsored by The Ontario Trillium Foundation

5. Background
RSFs are required to ensure compliance of projects with a number of rules and regulations:
YSF Rules (2001 Policy Manual)
Provincial & National Legislation
Generally accepted standards (Tri-Council Policy)
IISEF Rules
Wanted to get out of the mode of “Backwards Compliance”, and surprises
Wanted to offer an educational opportunity
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6. What Rules?
Human Research (ingestion, psychological risk, physical activities)
Hazardous Materials, Apparatus (chemicals, medicines, lasers, microbiologicals)
Vertebrate animals (inhumane treatment)
Bay Area Science & Engineering Fair Sponsored by The Ontario Trillium Foundation

7. Why Bother? Safety (participants, experimenters, others)
Ethics (risk vs benefit; humane treatment; equality issues)
Law (injury, damage, civil or criminal actions)
Public Relations (participation, sponsorship, volunteers)
Bay Area Science & Engineering Fair Sponsored by The Ontario Trillium Foundation

8. Introduce Scientific Review Form Requirements
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9. How to Implement Changes
Document Rules Compliance (Forms)
Change in Registration Process
Initial Review by RSF Judge in Chief
Scientific Review (SRC)
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10. HS Registration & SRC Forms
Forms required for ALL HS participants:
BASEF Parent / School Approval and Release Form
Checklist for Adult Sponsor / Safety Assessment Form (Form 1)
Research Plan and Research Plan Attachment (Form 1A)
ISEF Approval Form (Form 1B)
Other forms:
Registered Research Institutional/Industrial Setting Form ( 1C)
Qualified Scientist Form (Form 2)
Designated Supervisor Form (Form 3)
Human Subjects / *Informed Consent Forms (Form 4A / B)
Non-human Vertebrate Animal Form (Form 5)
Human and Animal Tissue Form (Form 6)
Continuation Project (Form 7)
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11. Grades 7 & 8 Forms BASEF Forms for ALL Grades 7 & 8: Other forms:
Parent / School Approval and Release Form
Project Abstract
Other forms:
Contribution from a Recognized Institution (YSF1; App. L)
Designated Supervisor Form (YSF3; App K, Pg 4-12)
Application for Review of Research with Human Participants (YSF4A; App J, Pg 4-17)
Informed Consent Form (YSF4B; Pg 4-18)
Non-Human Vertebrate Animal Form (YSF5; Pg 4-18)
Continuation Projects Form (YSF7; Pg 4-4)
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12. Registration Changes Timing: Before Experiment With Registration
In Notebook
YSF1 -- 
YSF3
YSF4A
YSF4B
YSF5
YSF7
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13. Initial Review Activity 4 Weeks Note expected & missing forms. 3 Weeks
Timing B4 Fair
Activity
4 Weeks
Note expected & missing forms.
3 Weeks
Note missing forms in Project Acknowledgements.
2 Weeks
Follow-up calls & updates.
Select projects for SRC review.
1 Week
SRC Review; Recommendations.
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14. Scientific Review Team
A group of adults knowledgeable about regulations concerning experimentation in restricted areas.
not an IRB or school level Ethics Review Committee
Members:
Ethics Consultant; ERB experience
Veterinarian
High School Science Teacher
2 Elementary School Principals
BASEF Judge in Chief
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15. Scientific Review Process
Inputs:
All Project abstracts, SRC form expectations
Initial Review results from J in C
Recommended projects to review, with full SRC paperwork (all animal; HR with risk; microbiologicals, etc.)
May request material on other projects
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16. Scientific Review Process
Results:
Advice on OK / OK with Warning / Reject
Use , phone discussions extensively
Judge in Chief communicates exceptions to Teachers, Parents
Generally effective; not a priority for improvement.
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17. Results – High School 2002 Percent 100% 2003 100% Expect Final HR 4
Consent
(4)
Hazard 8
Animal 1
Total 13
13 (of 11)
Percent
100%
2003
Expect
Final 7 6
(1) 1 -- 8
7 (of 7)
100%
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18. HS Rules Progress After 4 years, is almost routine.
Still needs some follow-up calls on details.
Small drop-out rate.
Minor differences with YSF Rules (e.g. drugs).
ISEF Rule set is very prescriptive.
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19. Results – Grades 7 & 8 2002 Percent 63% 2003 74% Expect Final HR 28
18 (of 26)
Consent
(12)
(8)
Hazard 19 9
Animal 5
4 (of 4)
Total 52
31 (of 49)
Percent
63%
2003
Expect
Final 69 53
(12)
(13) 29 13 3
102
69 (of 93)
74%
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20. Grade 7 & 8 Rules Progress
Very promising progress. Teachers becoming comfortable with need and process. Boards getting actively involved.
Quality of documents acceptable; lots of variation.
Hazards very acceptable to professionals; less so to others.
Lack of awareness & understanding of rules still common.
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21. Why This is Difficult Awareness Understanding
Credibility (Are You Serious?)
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22. Awareness Communicate in many forms:
Post on Website (Rules, etc.)
Articles in Newsletters
Include in Teachers SF Manual
Include in Presentations
Judges Compliments
(Many people don’t read the Rules)
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23. Understanding Rules & Details New, Complex:
YSF: 2001 Policy
Tri-Council Policy: ~1998
Not an issue in the classroom or with the school board.
Not an issue at home.
(Not easy for Me either).
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24. Credibility What happens if you don’t do it? Current state:
Phone Calls, s, notes, “nuisance”
Opportunity to further communicate
Must be prepared for progressive re-enforcement as part of managing this change.
(This is not fun).
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25. What Works? Our SRC team and process. Good practical advice.
Recognize as change management, continuous process.
Lots of communications.
Support, advice from within School Boards
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26. Best Advice Find an Ethics professional. Proportionate Review.
Consistent.
lots of explanations, discussion; Know Why.
Must be prepared to enforce rules.
Involve School Boards.
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27. Communications Website (Rules, News) Teachers manuals Newsletters
phone calls, s
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28. Board Support Science curriculum advisors Research Officers
School Ethics Review Committees
Principal + Teacher(s)
Board Research Officer as Resource
Supportive teachers, Principals
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29. Next Steps
Must communicate rules to teachers and parents far more effectively and proactively, what the rules (really) are, and what we expect of them.
Communicate results of past fair to targets (teachers, parents, students).
find a reward mechanism.
Need to clarify our own safety decisions (e.g. microbiologicals), as we try to manage the beliefs and experiences of our “target audience”.
Less Paper!
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30. More on Rules… YSF Rules are a good starting point
Some confusing parts, omissions, poor wording…
We clarified, structured, rewrote, and added some rules.
get prescriptive; look to ISEF model.
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31. Is Safety Important?
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