How to Make Rishab Jain’s Science Fair Poster Board and Trifold

Your science fair board is the first thing judges see, and it carries months of work. If you’re aiming for the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) or another top competition, a clear, well-designed board makes a real difference. It’s not just a data dump, it’s how you walk a judge through your project. This guide covers how to build one, based on tips from Rishab, who has both won ISEF and coached other students through it.

Rishab Jain, a Harvard student and ISEF winner, has a whole YouTube channel on science research and winning ISEF:

1. How to win 1st place at ISEF: https://youtu.be/sqfzvvn2GY0
2. How to design a winning poster: https://youtu.be/qWERHVs14uE
3. How to come up with a research topic: https://youtu.be/AEgL_sjoE4o
4. How to get a research opportunity and find a mentor: https://youtu.be/tKmS4UZbfII
5. Paid coaching for winning science fairs: https://rishabacademy.com/stem

Fabric or Trifold?

Before anything else: how should you print your board? A traditional trifold works fine, but a fabric poster is more portable and durable, and it looks sharper. You can fold it into a backpack without creases, and it sets up in seconds, no glue or tape.

The Layout

There are two main project types: scientific inquiry (which centers on a hypothesis) and engineering (which centers on a design claim or set of specifications). Either way, this layout works well:

1. Abstract / Introduction: a short abstract, or a visual abstract, that sets up your project.
2. Background / Objectives: the scientific context, why it matters, and your objective or hypothesis.
3. Methods / Procedures: how you did it. Lean on figures and diagrams over big text blocks.
4. Results: your data, shown through clean graphs, tables, and visuals.
5. Data Analysis: for data-heavy projects, a section for your statistics and the key trends.
6. Conclusions / Discussion: what your results mean, the broader implications, and what’s next.
7. Key References: just the most important sources, not a full bibliography.

Your board is a visual aid, not a script. Let it guide judges through the project while you fill in the details out loud.

Polishing It

Titles and headings: build clean titles and section headings in a tool like Google Slides or PowerPoint, and keep the fonts and colors consistent.

Use visuals: show, don’t tell. Images, diagrams, and charts carry more than paragraphs of text, and they’re easier for a judge to take in at a glance.

Color: pick a simple palette and make sure your text has enough contrast with the background to stay readable.

White space: don’t cram every inch. Empty space guides the eye toward your key points.

Consistency: use the same font styles, sizes, and formatting throughout for a clean, professional look.

Your Booth

Your board is the centerpiece, but a few extras help:

1. A research binder or lab notebook with your literature review and notes shows your depth and process.
2. Multimedia like a short video, simulation, or demo, if it genuinely fits your project.
3. A physical model or prototype, especially for engineering projects, so judges can see your solution up close.

Prefer video? Rishab walks through how to build an effective poster here:

Presenting It

You’re the one telling the story. As you present:

1. Lead with three takeaways you want judges to remember, whether it’s a key finding, your approach, or where the work could go next.
2. Keep it conversational, not memorized. Practice on friends, family, or a mirror until it sounds natural.
3. Edit on the fly. Judges only know what you tell them, so if time is short, focus on the strongest parts.

Conclusion

That’s the board. To make it easier, here’s Rishab’s free poster template that you can drop your results into once you have them. Good luck at your fair.

About Eashan Iyer:

I am a founding member of The Qurios Institute (the company that runs this blog) and an incoming student at Brown University. In 2023, I co-authored a research paper in theoretical physics. I am also an Eagle Scout and a senior at The Academy for Mathematics, Science, and Engineering in Rockaway, NJ. Learn more about me at my website and LinkedIn.