Maddux SpringerScience fair & research coaching

Science fair coaching from an ISEF award winner

I help high school students turn a curiosity into a real research project, get the paperwork right, and explain their work with confidence when the judges walk up.

Book a free 30-minute call See packages

One-on-one sessions over video, for students anywhere in the U.S.

I started where your student is now: with a question

I'm Maddux, a biology student at the University of Oregon who has interned at NOAA and the USGS National Wildlife Health Center. In high school, I noticed something while free diving that turned into a two-and-a-half-year project and took me to the world's largest high school science competition.

  1. A question

    While free diving off Oʻahu, I kept seeing green sea turtles covered in tumors. I wanted to know why.

  2. The fieldwork

    I spent over 400 hours in the water collecting the algae the turtles eat, including an invasive species.

  3. The lab

    Working with a lab, I measured arginine in the algae and connected it to disease rates in the turtle population.

  4. The judges

    At Regeneron ISEF 2024, the project won First Award in Animal Sciences and the $10,000 award for science communication.

Research since then

  • NOAA, research intern
  • USGS National Wildlife Health Center, research intern

Working in federal research labs showed me how professional scientists plan studies and handle data, and I bring that into every coaching session.

How I help

Most students don't struggle with the science. They struggle with scoping a project, the rules, and presenting it. That's where I focus.

Finding the right question

Turning a broad interest into a testable question that fits your student's time, tools, and budget.

Research plan and design

Variables, controls, sample sizes, and a timeline that works backward from the fair date.

Rules and forms

Figuring out which forms a project needs, including extra reviews for human, animal, or hazardous-material projects.

Making sense of data

Choosing the right graphs and statistics, and understanding what the results actually say.

Abstract and poster

Feedback on drafts so the work is clear to a judge in the first 30 seconds.

Judge interview practice

Mock interviews with the tough questions judges really ask. This is what my communication award was for.

Packages

Every package starts with a free 30-minute call, so we can make sure it's a good fit.

Judge Ready

$199

For students with a finished project and a fair coming up.

  • Two 60-minute sessions
  • Poster and abstract review
  • Two full mock judge interviews
Book a free call
Most popular

Project Launch

$499

For students starting a project who want a strong foundation.

  • Four 60-minute sessions
  • Question and research plan development
  • Forms and rules check before you start
  • Email feedback between sessions
Book a free call

Full Season

$1,200

For students aiming for state fairs and ISEF.

  • Ten 60-minute sessions, idea to fair day
  • Everything in Project Launch
  • Data analysis and poster coaching
  • Unlimited mock judge interviews
Book a free call

Payment plans are available for the Full Season. Sessions can be scheduled around school and sports.

Your student does the science. I coach.

Judges can tell when a student didn't do their own work, and it costs them in the interview. I never write abstracts, run experiments, or do analysis for students. I ask the questions that help them figure it out and give honest feedback on what they make.

I do
I don't
Help narrow down ideas
Pick the project for them
Review a research plan
Write the research plan
Explain statistics
Run the analysis
Give feedback on drafts
Write the abstract
Practice judge questions
Script their answers

Questions parents ask

Does my student need to be aiming for ISEF?

No. I work with students entering their first school fair as well as those competing at the state level. The skills are the same, just at different depths.

What if my student doesn't have a project idea yet?

That's the best time to start. The Project Launch package begins with finding a question they actually care about and can test with what they have.

Do you only coach biology projects?

Biology, ecology, animal and marine science, and environmental projects are my strongest areas. I can help with the process and presentation for most other fields, and I'll tell you honestly on our intro call if another coach would be a better fit.

How do sessions work?

Sessions are one-on-one over video. Parents are always welcome to join or ask for a summary of what we covered.

When should we start?

Most regional fairs happen between January and March. Starting in the fall leaves time to plan, run the experiment, and practice before the fair.

Let's talk about your student's project

Book a free 30-minute call. We'll talk about where your student is, what their fair timeline looks like, and whether coaching makes sense.

Book a free call

Prefer email? Write to springer.scicoach@gmail.com