Flip the Fair is coming November 2025 – Applications Now Open

Calling all UofT undergrad research students, graduate students, and postdocs! 

Flip the Fair 2025 is accepting presenters in this science fair with a twist: the judges are…kids! 

Flip the Fair at CCDMP Community Day 

Saturday, November 8, 2025

10:00am – 3:00pm 

Collaborative Digital Research Space (CDRS), MN3230

University of Toronto Mississauga 

Register here by October 10, 2025

Due to space limitations, we are only able to accommodate 20 presentations, so please sign up early! 

Presenters will arrive by 9:30am to get set up. This is an in-person event with no virtual presentation option. Flip the Fair is happening as a part of a Community Day Event, hosted by the Centre for Child Development, Mental Health, and Policy. 

The goals of Flip the Fair are to:

• Get children interested in science and research
• Give UofT students and postdocs the opportunity to practice their research communication skills
• Encourage students and children alike to engage in conversations about the exciting research being done at UofT

There are two parts to Flip the Fair: 

1. A fun science fair presentation with a display board (10:00am – 2:00pm). Children and families will be able to walk around to learn more about your work. You’ll be able to share your research to those who come by, and children will fill in their scorecards as they visit displays.  
2. A “Lightning Talk” (2:00pm – 2:30pm). You will give a quick, 1–2 minute “elevator pitch” of your project to the group. The winners of the Lightning Talk will be determined by group applause! 

Who Can Participate?

All current University of Toronto undergraduate or graduate students and postdoctoral fellows who can participate in person are welcome to be part of the fair. Please see the registration form for more info.

Why Should I Participate? 

Participating in Flip the Fair is a great way to practice your science communication and knowledge mobilizationskills. Explaining your research to elementary school children forces you to think about your work in different ways that are relevant to the general population, not just the scientific community. Participating is also a great way to add a community outreach item to your CV. 

We will also be giving small prizes to the best presentations of the day! 

Do I Need to Create a Brand New Project? 

Nope! We encourage you to rework something you already have (a manuscript, a previous conference talk or poster, a class project, etc.) to use for Flip the Fair. The purpose is not to add extra work to your plate; instead, we want to encourage a fun environment to share your science with the community!

Register here by October 10, 2025

Event Info 

Event Schedule: 

9:30 am – 10:00 am    Presenters arrive and set up projects 

10:00 am – 2:00 pm    Presenters stand by their projects and await judging by kids 

2:00 pm – 2:30 pm       Presenters participate in “Lightning Presentations” where they give a 1-2 minute presentation of their research to the entire group 

2:30 pm – 3:00 pm       Awards are given, presenters pack up and leave 

Presentation Guidelines: 

• You must place your presentation on a tri-fold board. We will provide all presenters with a board. Pick up location and time will be determined, but it will be at least two weeks before the event to ensure that you have enough time to create your presentation. See the photos below for examples of what your presentation should look like.
• All other materials (e.g., paper, printing, markers, glue, etc.) must be obtained by the presenter (the organizers will not provide these materials).
• Your presentation should include a catchy title and all of the parts of the scientific method:
  • Your Big Idea/Background
  • Research Question/Hypothesis
  • Methods/Materials/Procedure
  • Results
  • Conclusion and why this matters in real life
• Remember, you are being judged by children aged 4–10 years, so your presentation should be engaging, fun, and not too technical. This is a great opportunity to practice your science communication skills!
• You should try to keep your presentation brief in order to maintain attention from the children. Five minutes is a good benchmark, but try to keep it less than 10 minutes overall.
• You are encouraged to bring props or plan demonstrations. You may also bring handouts or items to give to the children (e.g., candy, pencils, stickers, etc.). Items not allowed are listed below:
  • Live animals
  • Messy or dangerous demonstrations (e.g., explosions, shocks, etc.)
  • Biohazard materials
  • Harmful or poisonous chemicals
  • Harmful or poisonous plants
• Remember that children will be present, so do not bring anything that would be easily destroyed. The organizers of the event are NOT responsible for lost, broken, or destroyed materials brought by the presenters.
• If you have questions on a prop or demonstration, please ask the organizers.
• You can bring a laptop if you have a demonstration that you would like to show on that. Please let us know in advance if you need access to a power outlet.
• You should also prepare a 1-2 minute “Lightning Presentation” of your project for the second part of Flip the Fair.  

Day of the Event: 

• You will be responsible for transporting yourself and your materials to the event.
• You should plan to arrive by 9:30am and check in with the organizers. The event begins at 10:00 am.
• You will be provided with a name tag to wear and will be asked to stand by your project and wait for children to come around and judge your presentation.
• Please wear whatever is most comfortable, but remember that you will be amongst community members, so please refrain from clothing that may be deemed inappropriate or offensive (e.g., profanity, extremely revealing outfits).
• You should bring yourself a water bottle and lunch. We will provide light snacks/refreshments throughout the day. 

Prizes: 

Every presenter will receive a certificate for participating. 

In addition, we will be giving out four small prizes: 

1. Best Lightning Presentation ➤ determined by amount of applause after the presentations
2. Fan Favourite ➤ based on how many stickers a presenter receives from child judges throughout the day
3. Highest Score ➤ top presenter based on child score sheets
4. Special Recognition ➤ chosen by the organizers of the event 

How Do I Sign Up? 

Sign up by completing this form. Deadline: October 10, 2025.

There will be a virtual orientation for all presenters on October 17 from 2pm – 4pm. This orientation will be recorded if you cannot attend, but attendance is highly recommended and encouraged. 

Due to space limitations, we are only able to accommodate 20 presentations, so please sign up early!