About

About ASERS

ASERS is a student-run science research competition. At our symposia, students present original work, answer questions from scientists and engineers, get detailed feedback, and compete for recognition.

Our story

ASERS began with the New Jersey Science Research Symposium in 2026, after the suspension of JSHS left student researchers in our area without one of the major opportunities we had expected to compete in. Having gone through science fairs ourselves, including JSHS and ISEF, we decided to build a symposium so students could still present their research and have it evaluated by scientists.

After that first symposium, we started asking a bigger question: how can a research competition make judging more consistent, fair, and useful to every student, including the ones who do not win?

That question became the foundation for ASERS.

We use more than one evaluation, match judges to the subject when possible, screen for conflicts, collect scores before discussion, and look again when evaluations differ sharply. Students present orally and at a poster, then receive feedback they can use to improve the work.

ASERS started as a response to a temporary gap in research opportunities. It is now growing into a national network of student-led chapters with shared standards and a simple goal: evaluate student research as carefully as possible.

Students run ASERS

ASERS is planned and run by high school students across judging, outreach, technology, logistics, fundraising, marketing, and chapter development.

Researchers, faculty, graduate students, engineers, physicians, and other STEM professionals serve as judges and help us keep the scientific evaluation rigorous.