Many university science outreach programs involve presentations of research projects to high school students. These presentations often focus more on exciting scientific content and less on fostering direct relationships between high school students and scientists. Such interactions are important for sustaining student interest in science throughout high school and into college. The Reverse Science Fair seeks to build relationships between high school students and graduate student researchers by swapping the roles that each play during a traditional science fair. Graduate student researchers are introduced as young scientists devoted to asking their own research questions and finding their own answers. This facilitates discussion not only about the scientific method and the research being presented, but also about researchers' personal experiences in the laboratory. Graduate students from Tufts University (Medford, MA), in October 2015, first exhibit and discuss their own research at poster presentations located at Medford High School. Then, in February 2016 the same graduate students return as judges so that the high school students have the opportunity to discuss their own science fair projects at a school-wide fair. Data from surveys and observer reports show that high school students benefited from discussing science with relatable role models who are enthusiastic about science. The majority of high school students indicated that they had an increased understanding of different applications of the scientific method as well as an increased interest in doing scientific research. Graduate students reported that they gained valuable experience from presenting to a new audience.

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