I-140 EB1a denied, please advise!!

[logicators]

logicators, can you describe this contest a bit more? Is this a contest for students, or for professionals? Was it open to any citizen of your country? Or were there age / student status limitations?

The contest is held on an annual basis in my contry's capital city, by a government research organization. There are separate categories for students and professionals, with no age restrictions and is open to all citizens of the country. You can't just send an entry and participate in the event. All entries are first evaluated by a committee and only selected entries are invited to participate. These entries are required to be demonstrated to public in a three day exhibition and in parallel, there are several rounds or evaluations, interviews and question / answer sessions by a highly qualified panel of judges. A very few entries are finally selected as winners and prizes are normally distributed at the end of the third day by the president / prime minister or another high government official. This event receives good media coverage as well.

I had a first and and second prize in student category and three first prizes in professional category (from 1995-1999).