IAI²O AI4SCI (AI for Science) is a research track for teams of 1–3. Students write an AI-driven research paper in English across 7 natural-science and 6 humanities/social-science categories, then present to judges in front of a Backboard Display at the finals. CIT teaches research and technical concepts and reviews the clarity and reproducibility of student-authored papers, Quad Charts, Logbooks, and Backboards. Students make every decision and author every submission.
| Course code | I2 · AI4SCI Track |
|---|---|
| Target | Students competing in IAI²O AI4SCI (ages 13–18, teams of 1–3 or individuals, who have completed the I0 assessment) |
| required | F1 completion (recommended), an academic mentor aged 18 or older secured, category selection done |
| Recommended hours | About 16 hours (varies 10–24 hours depending on whether you already have a KSEF/ISEF project) |
| Schedule | Preliminary D-16 weeks to D-0 (time needed to write the English paper); finals D-4 weeks of reinforcement (for those who advance) |
| Deliverable | Preliminary: English Research Paper (PDF 10MB, body 5+ pages, Calibri/Arial 11–12pt) + Quad Chart (PDF 5MB, A4 1 page in 4 quadrants). Finals: Updated Paper + Research Logbook (PDF 15MB, chronological entries required, no after-the-fact edits) + Backboard Display (Standard ISEF-style tri-fold board, PDF 20MB + brought on-site) |
| Week | Topic | Key activities |
|---|---|---|
| W1~2 | Topic selection + category matching | Mapping to the 13 categories, reviewing existing KSEF/ISEF assets, first meeting with the academic mentor |
| W3~4 | Research design + data collection | Setting the hypothesis, designing experiments, securing a dataset or planning data collection |
| W5~8 | Experiments + modeling | Applying the ML/DL models learned in F1·F2·A1·A2 while keeping the Logbook in English in parallel |
| W9~12 | Writing the Research Paper in English | Writing in the standard structure, with English review cycles from CIT instructors + the academic mentor (2–3 rounds) |
| W13~14 | Quad Chart design + submission | Designing the one-page four-quadrant visual summary, preparing for the June 20 preliminary submission deadline |
| W15~16 | Finals Backboard + presentation prep (advancing students only) | Visual design of the folding board, 5-minute presentation + Q&A simulation in English |
The official IAI²O AI4SCI submission specs (Research Paper's 8 sections · Quad Chart's 4 quadrants · chronological Logbook · ISEF tri-fold Backboard · NAS/HSS categories · file-naming rules, and more) are laid out on the competition guide page. This course coaches you 1:1 so the student can build to those specs themselves. → See the official submission specs on the AI4SCI competition page
It requires review. First check each event year's rules on prior work, cross-entry, pre-publication, team ownership, and approvals. If allowed, disclose prior use and mentor support rather than presenting old work as new. Assessed IA, EE, or coursework submissions are not resubmitted as original work; a legitimate extension needs a new question, evidence, and distinct deliverable.
Under IAI²O rules, an academic mentor aged 18 or older is required. You can be matched from CIT's instructor pool or collaborate with a mentor you already have (a school teacher, a lab professor), and we decide the mentor choice together at I0. The mentor takes part in paper review, Q&A simulations, and more.
Teams of 1–3 or individuals are both fine. Students from different schools and regions can team up, and within CIT we help match students with complementary strengths. The only conditions: every team member must be aged 13–18 and able to contribute to the English writing.