FAQ

Advisors FAQ Open/Close All
What is the Internet Science and Technology Fair (ISTF)? The ISTF is a national technology literacy program that teaches students basic science inquiry, team collaboration and webpage presentation skills. What is the purpose of the ISTF? The ISTF’s goal is to encourage students in grades 3 through 12 to explore real-world science, engineering and technical career opportunities that lie ahead. How does the ISTF fulfill its intended purpose? Student teams use information and communication technology tools to research solutions, communicate with experts in the field and present their findings in a website format. How long does the competition last? Approximately four months, from around November to the end of February: Refer to the ISTF Schedule. If I don’t know of a student team that I can support, can I still participate? Yes. You can setup an ISTF Technical Advisor Account using the My ISTF link. You will then become part of the "ISTF Technical Advisor Pool" and may later (after student team enrollment) connect with a team lacking a technical advisor and working on a project pertaining to your expertise. Please setup an account whether or not a team has contacted you. Is there a cost to participate? No. There is no fee to enter the competition. I would like to participate but I have a limited amount of time to donate as a technical advisor; is there something I can do? Yes. If you can’t volunteer the four months as a technical advisor, please consider applying your expertise as an ISTF Final Judge. This commitment involves judging six final project websites at any time within a ten-day period in mid-April (please refer to the ISTF Schedule) and from anywhere (with an Internet connection). Who are technical advisors? Technical advisors are practicing professionals (such as scientists, engineers, doctors, or technicians) who act (via the Internet) as subject matter experts for student teams. What is the role of technical advisors? The role of technical advisor is one of the cornerstones of the ISTF Program and involves serving as on-line mentors to teams and providing them with the benefit of the advisors’ subject matter expertise, real-world experience and the sound scientific assessment skills the advisors themselves employ. How much of my time and effort is involved? Communication between the team and technical advisor averages one to two e-mails per week. Spend about 5 to 10 minutes per e-mail. Also, please respond to the on-line Progress Report and Final Process Evaluation, which vary in the amount of time they consume. What is expected from me? In short, technical advisors support the student teams by assessing the feasibility of their project, communicating with the students regularly, clarifying scientific principles related to the technical application, directing the students to specific and useful information, analyzing information the students want to include on their final website, and analyzing the website the students produce and offering suggestions. What should I expect from a student team? It is important to first realize you are dealing with young students who (for the most part) are unfamiliar with the basic science behind the technologies they are exploring. It is most important that they are on firm ground regarding the problem they have identified and the technical solution they have proposed. This is an important opportunity for them to better understand the role science and engineering play in the development of technology. This experience may help them realize what a scientist or engineer really does and that they too may someday enter the technical workforce. What is an ISTF Technical Advisor Account? An ISTF Technical Advisor Account allows you to access the secure technical advisor area through a username and password that you choose. NOTE: All ISTF Accounts are free of cost. The team teacher sent me an “Advisor Authorization” but the project doesn’t show up in my project list as pending; why? Because the teacher sent the Authorization to an email address that is different from the one you used to setup your ISTF Technical Advisor Account. What can I do using my ISTF Technical Advisor Account? EVERYTHING YOU NEED! Maintain and update your contact information, link with student team projects, and complete the Progress Report and the Final Process Evaluation. What are the National Critical Technologies (NCTs)? Students use the list of National Critical Technologies (NCTs), seven categories that encompass some of the United States' most important technical advancements, to build their projects. What does “linking” a project with a technical advisor mean? Because the technical advisor and teacher maintain separate accounts, it is necessary to build a bridge between the two for the purpose of information sharing. This process is called project linking. Why should I make sure that my projects are “linked” with me? Once project linking is complete, you have access to the project information through your ISTF Technical Advisor Account and can fill out the Progress Report and Final Process Evaluation. Project linking facilitates communication between you and the team. What is an “Advisor Authorization?” An “Advisor Authorization” is an email that the teacher can send you automatically through his or her ISTF Teacher Account. This email represents the teacher's permission for you to join the team and allows you to officially link to the project. What is an National Critical Technology (NCT) Profile? An NCT Profile is a collection of information that denotes your knowledge and experience in particular subject areas. Why must ISTF Technical Advisor Pool members complete an NCT Profile? A National Critical Technology (NCT) Profile allows technical advisors who setup accounts and did not have prior contact with a student team or teacher to potentially find a project that matches their expertise. How do I complete an NCT Profile? Please see the Profile Setup page for more information. How is the ISTF Program funded? At present, UCF’s College of Engineering and Computer Science primarily supports the ISTF. The Office of Special Programs, administrator of the ISTF, is seeking financial support to help underwrite the program. Any company or organization can financially participate at $2500 per year through ISTF Sponsored Projects (where student teams work on ISTF Projects related to your organization's expertise and mission) or play a more significant role by underwriting all or a part of the program.

Advisors FAQ

Open/Close All

What is the Internet Science and Technology Fair (ISTF)?
- The ISTF is a national technology literacy program that teaches students basic science inquiry, team collaboration and webpage presentation skills.
What is the purpose of the ISTF?
- The ISTF’s goal is to encourage students in grades 3 through 12 to explore real-world science, engineering and technical career opportunities that lie ahead.
How does the ISTF fulfill its intended purpose?
- Student teams use information and communication technology tools to research solutions, communicate with experts in the field and present their findings in a website format.
How long does the competition last?
- Approximately four months, from around November to the end of February: Refer to the ISTF Schedule.
If I don’t know of a student team that I can support, can I still participate?
- Yes. You can setup an ISTF Technical Advisor Account using the My ISTF link. You will then become part of the "ISTF Technical Advisor Pool" and may later (after student team enrollment) connect with a team lacking a technical advisor and working on a project pertaining to your expertise. Please setup an account whether or not a team has contacted you.
Is there a cost to participate?
- No. There is no fee to enter the competition.
I would like to participate but I have a limited amount of time to donate as a technical advisor; is there something I can do?
- Yes. If you can’t volunteer the four months as a technical advisor, please consider applying your expertise as an ISTF Final Judge. This commitment involves judging six final project websites at any time within a ten-day period in mid-April (please refer to the ISTF Schedule) and from anywhere (with an Internet connection).
Who are technical advisors?
- Technical advisors are practicing professionals (such as scientists, engineers, doctors, or technicians) who act (via the Internet) as subject matter experts for student teams.
What is the role of technical advisors?
- The role of technical advisor is one of the cornerstones of the ISTF Program and involves serving as on-line mentors to teams and providing them with the benefit of the advisors’ subject matter expertise, real-world experience and the sound scientific assessment skills the advisors themselves employ.
How much of my time and effort is involved?
- Communication between the team and technical advisor averages one to two e-mails per week. Spend about 5 to 10 minutes per e-mail. Also, please respond to the on-line Progress Report and Final Process Evaluation, which vary in the amount of time they consume.
What is expected from me?
- In short, technical advisors support the student teams by assessing the feasibility of their project, communicating with the students regularly, clarifying scientific principles related to the technical application, directing the students to specific and useful information, analyzing information the students want to include on their final website, and analyzing the website the students produce and offering suggestions.
What should I expect from a student team?
- It is important to first realize you are dealing with young students who (for the most part) are unfamiliar with the basic science behind the technologies they are exploring. It is most important that they are on firm ground regarding the problem they have identified and the technical solution they have proposed. This is an important opportunity for them to better understand the role science and engineering play in the development of technology. This experience may help them realize what a scientist or engineer really does and that they too may someday enter the technical workforce.
What is an ISTF Technical Advisor Account?
- An ISTF Technical Advisor Account allows you to access the secure technical advisor area through a username and password that you choose. NOTE: All ISTF Accounts are free of cost.
The team teacher sent me an “Advisor Authorization” but the project doesn’t show up in my project list as pending; why?
- Because the teacher sent the Authorization to an email address that is different from the one you used to setup your ISTF Technical Advisor Account.
What can I do using my ISTF Technical Advisor Account?
- EVERYTHING YOU NEED! Maintain and update your contact information, link with student team projects, and complete the Progress Report and the Final Process Evaluation.
What are the National Critical Technologies (NCTs)?
- Students use the list of National Critical Technologies (NCTs), seven categories that encompass some of the United States' most important technical advancements, to build their projects.
What does “linking” a project with a technical advisor mean?
- Because the technical advisor and teacher maintain separate accounts, it is necessary to build a bridge between the two for the purpose of information sharing. This process is called project linking.
Why should I make sure that my projects are “linked” with me?
- Once project linking is complete, you have access to the project information through your ISTF Technical Advisor Account and can fill out the Progress Report and Final Process Evaluation. Project linking facilitates communication between you and the team.
What is an “Advisor Authorization?”
- An “Advisor Authorization” is an email that the teacher can send you automatically through his or her ISTF Teacher Account. This email represents the teacher's permission for you to join the team and allows you to officially link to the project.
What is an National Critical Technology (NCT) Profile?
- An NCT Profile is a collection of information that denotes your knowledge and experience in particular subject areas.
Why must ISTF Technical Advisor Pool members complete an NCT Profile?
- A National Critical Technology (NCT) Profile allows technical advisors who setup accounts and did not have prior contact with a student team or teacher to potentially find a project that matches their expertise.
How do I complete an NCT Profile?
- Please see the Profile Setup page for more information.
How is the ISTF Program funded?
- At present, UCF’s College of Engineering and Computer Science primarily supports the ISTF. The Office of Special Programs, administrator of the ISTF, is seeking financial support to help underwrite the program. Any company or organization can financially participate at $2500 per year through ISTF Sponsored Projects (where student teams work on ISTF Projects related to your organization's expertise and mission) or play a more significant role by underwriting all or a part of the program.