Ch. 9— Animal Use in Education and the Alternatives • 201 
State, and national competitions. The fairs stimu- 
late an interest in science, and they reward active 
involvement. Many scientists have taken the first 
steps in their career paths by this route. The com- 
petitive nature of the fairs encourages budding 
scientists to stretch their skills to often sophisti- 
cated levels of investigation. 
The National Science Teachers Association’s 
Code of Practice on Animals in Schools (see table 
9-1) applies to science fairs as well as animal use 
in the classroom and prohibits experimental pro- 
cedures that would involve pain or discomfort to 
the animal (10). This code governs both projects 
conducted by students at schools that adhere to 
the policy, and science fairs that have adopted the 
standards. Several of the most prominent fairs have 
adopted other rules in addition. 
The International Science and Engineering Fair 
(ISEF) is held annually with several hundred en- 
trants in grades 9 through 12, drawn from many 
thousands of participants in local fairs. ISEF rules 
require that a Scientific Review Committee con- 
sider all research involving vertebrate animals 
prior to competition. Criteria include a completed 
research plan, evidence of a literature search, 
documentation of the type and amount of super- 
vision, use of accepted techniques, demonstrated 
skill in such techniques, and compliance with any 
required certifications. 
ISEF explicitly disallows procedures that would 
develop new surgical techniques or would refine 
existing ones, as well as research where the ani- 
mal is not humanely killed (4). Surgical procedures 
may not be done at home. Sacrifices of animals 
and experiments involving anesthetics, drugs, ther- 
mal procedures, physical stress, pathogens, ioniz- 
ing radiation, carcinogens, or surgical procedures 
must be done under the direct supervision of an 
experienced and qualified scientist or designated 
adult supervisor. Nutritional deficiency studies and 
studies of toxic effects may only proceed to the 
point where the symptoms appear. Steps must then 
be taken to correct the deficiency, or the animals 
are to be humanely killed. LD 50 experiments (see 
chs. 7 and 8) are not permitted. 
The Westinghouse Science Talent Search, an an- 
nual competition involving more than 15,000 par- 
Finalist, 1985 Westinghouse Science Talent Search 
THE EFFECT OF TEMPERATURE 
ON FACET NUMBER IN BAR-EYED 
VUTANT OF D MELANOGASTER 
Photo credit: Gary B Ellis 
Louis C. Paul, age 18, Baldwin Senior High School, 
Baldwin, NY, with his research project, “Effect of 
Temperature on Facet Number in the Bar-Eyed Mutant 
of Drosophila melanogaster.” 
ticipants, has since 1970 forbidden experimenta- 
tion with live vertebrates with the exception of 
projects involving behavioral observations of ani- 
mals in their natural habitat or of human subjects 
(17). In 1985, none of the 39 Westinghouse finalists 
carried out experiments on nonhuman vertebrate 
animals. One entrant studied gene expression in 
cultured mammalian cells. Living organisms used 
in the winning projects included leeches, butter- 
flies, fruit flies, water fleas, and bacteria. 
In Canada, all animal experimentation for science 
fairs is subject to Regulations for Animal Ex- 
perimentation in Science Fairs , the 1975 policy 
statement of the Youth Science Foundation of Ot- 
tawa, Ontario. Key provisions include: 
• Vertebrate animals are not to be used except 
for observation of normal living patterns of: 
1) wild animals in the free-living state or in 
zoos, aquaria, or gardens; or 2) pets, fish, or 
domestic animals. 
• No living vertebrate animal shall be displayed 
in exhibits in science fairs. 
Other rules include: 
• Chick embryos may be used for observational 
studies only. 
• If eggs are to be hatched, then humane con- 
siderations must be met in the disposal of the 
chicks. 
