PRIVACY POLICY

Effective Date: September 17, 2026
Last Updated: September 17, 2026

Science Research Academy (“SRA,” “we,” “us,” or “our”) respects the privacy of students, parents, educators, schools, reviewers, and other visitors who interact with our website and services.

This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, store, and protect information when you visit the Science Research Academy website, purchase or use an SRA service, submit research materials for review, communicate with us, or otherwise interact with SRA.

By using our website or services, you acknowledge the practices described in this Privacy Policy.

1. Information We Collect

The information SRA collects depends on how you interact with us.

Information You Provide to Us

We may collect information such as:

  • Name

  • Email address

  • Telephone number

  • Parent or guardian contact information

  • School name

  • Grade level

  • Research area or category

  • Project title

  • Research interests

  • Information submitted through forms or questionnaires

  • Communications with SRA

  • Information necessary to provide school or institutional services

When purchasing a service, we may also collect transaction-related information such as the service purchased, transaction date, billing information, and payment status.

Payment-card information may be collected and processed directly by third-party payment processors. SRA does not necessarily receive or store complete payment-card numbers.

2. Student Research Materials

When a customer purchases an SRA Expert Review or uses another service involving research evaluation, the customer may submit materials such as:

  • Research questions

  • Hypotheses or objectives

  • Literature reviews

  • Research plans

  • Methodologies

  • Data or statistical analyses

  • Research papers

  • Abstracts

  • Posters

  • Presentations

  • Figures, tables, and graphs

  • Supporting research documents

  • Competition materials

  • Other information reasonably necessary to perform the requested service

These materials may contain original or unpublished student research.

Students retain ownership of their original research materials.

SRA uses submitted research materials for purposes reasonably necessary to provide, administer, secure, and improve the requested service, including assigning an appropriate reviewer and performing quality assurance.

Submitting research materials to SRA does not transfer ownership of the student’s research to SRA.

3. Please Do Not Submit Unnecessary Sensitive Information

Student research can sometimes involve sensitive subjects or information about research participants.

Customers should not submit personally identifiable information about research participants unless it is specifically necessary and appropriate for the requested SRA service.

Whenever possible, research data submitted for review should be de-identified.

For example, SRA generally does not need participant names, addresses, telephone numbers, personal email addresses, medical-record numbers, or other direct identifiers in order to evaluate a research plan, paper, poster, or presentation.

Students remain responsible for complying with applicable privacy, confidentiality, institutional, school, and research requirements governing their research data.

4. How We Use Information

SRA may use collected information to:

  • Provide purchased services;

  • Process and administer orders;

  • Match projects with appropriate reviewers;

  • Communicate with customers;

  • Respond to questions and support requests;

  • Deliver completed reviews and other services;

  • Schedule services when applicable;

  • Maintain business and transaction records;

  • Improve SRA services and customer experience;

  • Maintain the security and integrity of our systems;

  • Detect or prevent fraud, abuse, or misuse;

  • Enforce our Terms of Service and Academic Integrity Standard;

  • Comply with applicable legal obligations;

  • Provide information about SRA services when permitted by law and applicable customer preferences; and

  • Operate and improve our website.

SRA does not acquire authorship or ownership of student research merely because materials are submitted for review.

5. SRA Reviewers and the Expert Network

Research materials submitted for Expert Review may be shared with the SRA reviewer or reviewers assigned to evaluate the project.

Reviewers may include experienced science research educators, researchers, scientists, statisticians, subject-area specialists, or other qualified professionals.

Reviewers are provided access to information reasonably necessary to perform their assigned work.

SRA expects reviewers to handle student research materials appropriately and confidentially and not to use submitted research for their own independent purposes.

SRA may also use authorized personnel or service providers to administer the review process when reasonably necessary.

6. Information About Minors

SRA serves high school students, many of whom are under 18 years of age.

When a minor purchases or uses a service that requires contractual consent, payment, or the submission of personal information, SRA may require involvement or authorization from a parent, legal guardian, school, or other authorized adult as appropriate.

SRA services are not intended to encourage children to provide unnecessary personal information.

Parents or legal guardians who believe that a minor has provided personal information to SRA inappropriately may contact us to request that we review the information and take appropriate action.

For services provided through schools or school districts, additional privacy requirements may apply under the applicable agreement and law.

7. School and Institutional Services

SRA may provide professional development, program consulting, Project Review Partnerships, or other services to schools, school districts, educational organizations, or institutions.

When SRA receives information through an institutional relationship, the applicable contract, data-protection agreement, school policy, or law may impose additional requirements concerning the collection, use, retention, or disclosure of that information.

Where applicable, SRA will handle such information consistent with those requirements.

8. Artificial Intelligence and Automated Tools

SRA may use technology, including artificial intelligence or automated tools, to assist with limited internal administrative or operational functions.

SRA will not intentionally use confidential student research submissions to train publicly available artificial intelligence models.

SRA will not intentionally disclose confidential student research materials to public generative-AI services for purposes unrelated to providing the SRA service.

Where technology assists with an Expert Review, the professional judgment and final assessment provided to the customer remain the responsibility of the SRA reviewer.

SRA’s use of technology is intended to support—not replace—the human expertise central to SRA Expert Review.

9. How We Share Information

SRA does not sell student research or personal information to third parties.

SRA may disclose information when reasonably necessary to:

  • Assigned SRA reviewers;

  • Website, hosting, file-storage, communication, payment, scheduling, or other service providers supporting SRA operations;

  • Professional advisers such as attorneys, accountants, or insurers;

  • Schools or institutions when required by an applicable service arrangement and permitted by law;

  • Government authorities or other parties when required by law, court order, subpoena, or other valid legal process;

  • Protect the rights, safety, security, or property of SRA, its users, or others; or

  • Complete a merger, acquisition, restructuring, financing, sale, or transfer of some or all of SRA’s business or assets, subject to applicable law.

Service providers may receive only the information reasonably necessary to perform services on SRA’s behalf and are subject to their applicable contractual and legal obligations.

10. Payment Information

Payments may be processed by third-party payment processors.

Payment processors may collect payment-card information, billing addresses, and other information required to process transactions.

SRA may receive transaction information such as customer name, amount paid, service purchased, transaction identifier, and payment status without receiving the customer’s complete payment-card information.

Payment processors maintain their own privacy and security practices.

11. Website Analytics, Cookies, and Similar Technologies

The SRA website may use cookies and similar technologies to:

  • Operate website functionality;

  • Remember preferences;

  • Understand website usage;

  • Measure website performance;

  • Diagnose technical problems;

  • Understand how visitors find and interact with SRA; and

  • Improve website content and services.

Third-party website, commerce, analytics, or marketing providers may also use cookies or similar technologies according to their own privacy practices.

Where required, visitors may be provided options to manage non-essential cookies or tracking technologies.

12. Email Communications

SRA may use customer contact information to send transactional communications related to purchases, submissions, reviews, appointments, customer support, or other requested services.

SRA may also send educational or promotional communications when permitted by law.

Recipients may unsubscribe from promotional email communications using the unsubscribe mechanism provided in those messages.

Unsubscribing from marketing communications does not prevent SRA from sending necessary transactional or service-related communications.

13. Data Retention

SRA retains personal information and submitted materials only for as long as reasonably necessary for the purposes described in this Privacy Policy, including providing services, maintaining appropriate business records, resolving disputes, maintaining security, and complying with legal obligations.

Different categories of information may be retained for different periods.

SRA may delete or de-identify information when it is no longer reasonably necessary, subject to applicable legal, contractual, and operational requirements.

Customers should maintain their own copies of research materials. SRA should not be relied upon as permanent storage for student research.

14. Data Security

SRA uses reasonable administrative, technical, and organizational safeguards designed to protect information against unauthorized access, loss, misuse, alteration, or disclosure.

However, no internet transmission, electronic storage system, or information-security practice can guarantee absolute security.

Customers should use appropriate care when transmitting sensitive information electronically and should avoid including unnecessary personal information in research submissions.

15. Research Confidentiality

SRA recognizes that student research may include original ideas, preliminary findings, unpublished data, competition materials, or other nonpublic work.

SRA treats submitted research materials as nonpublic information and limits access to individuals and service providers reasonably necessary to deliver and administer the requested service.

SRA will not intentionally publish, publicly display, or use identifiable student research for advertising, promotional materials, testimonials, case studies, or other public purposes without appropriate permission.

16. Testimonials and Student Success Stories

SRA may publish testimonials, student success stories, project descriptions, photographs, or other identifying information only when SRA has obtained appropriate permission for that use.

Providing permission for promotional use is not a condition of purchasing an SRA service.

Where appropriate, parent or guardian authorization may be required before publicly identifying a minor.

17. Your Privacy Choices

Depending on applicable law and the nature of the information involved, individuals may have rights concerning their personal information.

These may include rights to request:

  • Access to certain personal information;

  • Correction of inaccurate information;

  • Deletion of certain information;

  • Information regarding how personal information is used or disclosed; or

  • Withdrawal from certain optional communications.

Not every request or right applies in every circumstance. SRA may need to verify the identity or authority of the person making a request and may retain information where required or permitted by law.

Parents or legal guardians may contact SRA regarding information associated with their minor child, subject to appropriate identity and authority verification.

18. Third-Party Websites and Services

The SRA website may contain links to external websites, research resources, competitions, universities, scientific organizations, or other third-party services.

SRA does not control the privacy practices of independent third parties.

Visitors should review the privacy policies of third-party services before providing personal information to them.

19. Changes to This Privacy Policy

SRA may update this Privacy Policy periodically to reflect changes in our services, technology, legal obligations, or privacy practices.

When the policy is updated, SRA will revise the “Last Updated” date at the top of this page.

Material changes may be communicated through additional means when appropriate or required by law.

20. Contact Science Research Academy

Questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or SRA’s handling of personal information may be submitted through the contact information provided on the Science Research Academy website.

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