Hi JoLee,
Kudos to you for setting your sights on the Intel ISEF. It's a very worthwhile goal.
I competed in Intel ISEF for three consecutive years, and I won a number of awards, all without having a formal, long-term mentor. I had help from a number of scientists, but it was all very piecemeal. One person helped me with my experiments; another helped me make thin sections. Still other people helped me analyze the composition of my samples, while another person helped me make maps of chemical variations in my samples. Another person helped me with statistical analysis, and yet another person helped me analyze the composition of some different materials. In just one year, I counted 16 adults (besides my science teacher) who helped me with various aspects of my project. There were other people in other years that came into the picture. But, my high school science teacher was the only continuity I had from the adults I got involved in my project.
While my teacher was exceptionally helpful, caring, and dedicated (I really couldn't have done it without her support), I would have loved to have had a mentor who had helped me throughout the whole process. Not someone to hold my hand and walk me step-by-step, but someone I could turn to for advice when I had questions and for guidance when I was writing and presenting my research. I suggest finding a mentor if you can. It's not essential--you can still do well without one--but finding a mentor will be exceedingly helpful.
Now, before going further, let me answer your question about presenting a project without data, just the conclusions. Don't do it. The project won't do well, and there are ethical aspects to consider (see the "Ethics Statement" at the following URL:
https://student.societyforscience.org/r ... l-projects).
As I read your posts in this thread, it sounds like part of the problem you are having with your mentor relates to his or her understanding of the Intel ISEF rules. If you haven't already, please take the time to read these rules in their entirety. Make sure you understand them (see links below).
https://student.societyforscience.org/r ... l-projects
https://student.societyforscience.org/r ... and-adults
https://student.societyforscience.org/h ... rticipants
Once you have done so, set up a time to discuss them with your mentor. Send him or her links to the rules (or give your mentor a printed copy), but be able to explain the rules yourself. He or she may not have time to read them on his or her own; that's why it’s important for you to understand the rules and explain them. Based on my experience it's crucial to have the adults you work with up-to-speed on the Intel ISEF rules. For example, it sounds like you are working with human subjects, and there are specific rules that you need to follow when doing research that involves human subjects (see the "human-participants" link).
As you hopefully know after reading the rules associated with the "human-participants" link, informed consent is an important part of research involving human subjects. That rule applies to Intel ISEF science fair projects, as well as to research scientists. (It’s the law, not just a rule.) So, your mentor is right to be worried about informed consent. However, if you read the last bullet point under the "exempt studies" heading of the Human Participants rules, notice that there is an exception for de-identified data. It may be worth taking to your mentor (after showing and explaining the Intel ISEF rules) to see if you can get the data in a de-identified format. I don’t know enough about exactly what you are doing to say if this has any legs or not, but it’s worth a shot.
I can definitely empathize with "mentor rejection", when you get an email saying they can't help you (which may or may not be terse and, occasionally, slightly insulting). I definitely got my fair share of those. I received many more "no" replies than "yes". (As a side note - when I was applying to PhD programs, I was admitted to a program specifically to work with a professor who sent me a "no" response when I was looking for a mentor. I didn't remind the professor, of course, but it gave me a laugh.)
I got the best response when I emailed a potential mentor outlining a specific plan. In other words, a specific question, hypothesis, and explanation of what type of help I needed to carry out my experimental plan. Essentially, I sent them a copy of the research plan that accompanies form 1A. This approach always led to a more positive response than if I just sent a cold turkey email with blanket request for help. For this approach to work, you need to do some research on potential mentors so that you know the person you are reaching out to can, in fact, help you with what you need help with.
The approach I outlined in the previous paragraph works if you already have a specific research project in mind. If you are looking for a mentor without already having a specific project in mind, I suggest researching you potential mentor to find out what their research interests are (often their university webpage will have a blurb about research interests). When you find someone whose work interests you, do some research on the topic of interest. You'll need to dig deep so that when you email the potential mentor you know what you are talking about. Once you've done that, send the potential mentor an email explaining the kinds of questions you are interested in, the fact that you are working on a project for the Intel ISEF (you may need to explain what the Intel ISEF is), and that you think they would be a good mentor for you, based on their research interests. An informed student with a plan will always get a better response (or at least better odds of a better response) than a student with a blanket request for help. Don’t make the email too lengthy, but show the person you are emailing that you’ve thought about what you are saying and want to do. And please proofread/spellcheck your email!
My advice would be this: if you can’t get de-identified data from the work you’ve been doing, set your sights on Intel ISEF 2015. The 2014 fair is too close to find a new mentor and develop a new ISEF-caliber project. ISEF-quality projects take time. That's part of why Intel ISEF rules allow you to present 12 consecutive months of research conducted over the previous 15 months. (i.e., you could present 12 months of research at Intel ISEF 2015 that started in January 2014 and lasted until December 2014). Since you can start working on an Intel ISEF 2015 project as early as January 2014, now is the time to be planning for that ISEF. You'll need to stay on top of the rules so that if you need SRC or IRB pre-approval you get it before starting your research. You have a mentor who you've been working with. Sit down with him or her, explain the Intel ISEF rules as I've discussed, and work with him or her to plan how you can continue the work you've been doing (or modify it, as needed) so you can use it in your science fair project for Intel ISEF 2015. That gives you time to make sure both you and your mentor are on the same page. If after you have this conversation with your current mentor, it looks like it just won't work out, then work on finding a new mentor. You will still have enough time to find a new mentor and get whacking at a project for the 2015 fair.
Happy to dialog about any other questions you have!