For judges
Judge at Axiom Symposium 2026
Help high school researchers strengthen their work through thoughtful, constructive evaluation.
Axiom Symposium is an online research conference for high school students. Volunteer judges review student research, watch a short research presentation, consider the student's oral research defense, and provide structured scores and written feedback.
Who can judge?
We welcome applications from people with relevant academic or professional experience, including:
- University faculty
- Research scientists
- Postdoctoral researchers
- Graduate students
- Engineers and technical professionals
- Physicians and healthcare researchers
- Experienced STEM educators
- Professionals with subject-matter expertise relevant to student projects
Judge applications are reviewed to ensure appropriate subject-matter fit and to avoid conflicts of interest.
Research areas
Related interdisciplinary fields are welcome.
How judging works
Step 01
Receive assigned projects
Judges receive projects matched as closely as possible to their area of expertise.
Step 02
Review the research
Review the submitted research materials and the student's short recorded presentation.
Step 03
Watch the research defense
Review the student's responses to research-specific oral defense questions. The questioning process is AI-guided; the final evaluation is performed by human judges.
Step 04
Submit your evaluation
Complete the structured judging rubric and provide constructive written feedback.
Judging criteria
- Research Question & Significance15 pts
- Methodology / Research Design20 pts
- Results & Data Analysis20 pts
- Research Understanding During AI Defense25 pts
- Presentation Quality & Clarity10 pts
- Limitations & Scientific Reasoning10 pts
- Total100 pts
Each project receives independent evaluations from three judges.
Time commitment
Judging is fully online and asynchronous. Judges may complete their assigned reviews during the judging window at times convenient to them.
Judging window: October 18–24, 2026
Final project assignments and expected review load will be communicated before judging begins.
Why judge?
- Help high school students improve their scientific reasoning
- Encourage thoughtful research and communication
- Give students feedback from people outside their immediate school or mentorship environment
- Support the next generation of researchers
- Participate remotely on your own schedule
Conflict of interest
Judges must disclose potential conflicts before evaluating an assigned project. Examples include:
- Personally mentoring the student
- A close personal or family relationship
- Involvement in preparing the submitted research
- Any other relationship that may affect impartial evaluation
Declaring a conflict in the platform prevents scoring on that project and notifies the conference office.
Judge privacy
Student-facing results anonymize individual judge identities. Students see Judge 1, Judge 2 and Judge 3 — never judge names, email addresses or administrative notes.
Apply to judge Axiom Symposium 2026
This is an expression of interest, not a registration. Submitting it does not create an account or grant judge access — the conference office reviews every application and sends a secure invitation if there is a fit.
Judge FAQ
- Do I need to be a professor?
- No. Relevant academic or professional expertise may qualify.
- Is judging online?
- Yes. Judging is asynchronous and fully online.
- Will I meet the student live?
- No. Judges review the submitted materials, the recorded presentation and the recorded oral defense.
- Does AI grade students?
- No. AI facilitates the research-defense questioning process. Human judges perform the formal evaluation, and administrators decide awards.
- How many judges evaluate each student?
- Three independent judges.
- Can I decline a project outside my expertise?
- Yes. Tell the conference office at admin@axiomsymposium.org and the project will be reassigned.
- What if I know the student?
- Disclose the conflict of interest in the platform before scoring, and do not evaluate that project.
- Is judging paid?
- Judge participation is voluntary and unpaid.
Other questions? admin@axiomsymposium.org · Already invited as a judge? Judge sign in