National Science Bowl® 2011 Finals

After a year of strategizing, studying, and intense preparation, the promising teams vying for the title of National Science Bowl® (NSB) champions have arrived in Washington, D.C. for the 2011 Championships. The regional competitions culminated with 41 winning middle school teams and 69 winning high school teams from across the United States. The teams, filled with promising and excited science students will compete in the Finals April 28th-May 3rd in Chevy Chase, MD.

During the Finals – which are open to the public – students will be quizzed in a fast-paced question-and-answer format similar to Jeopardy. High school students will be quizzed on biology, chemistry, physics, earth and space science, energy, and math. Middle school students will be quizzed on a variety of disciplines including earth, physical, life and general science, energy and math. A highlight of the middle school competition will be the Model Hydrogen Fuel Cell Car Challenge. There students will design, build, and race model cars and compete for cash prizes for their school's science departments. The cars are built from everyday household materials and students are encouraged to be creative with their engineering skills.

This is the 21st year for the NSB. More than 14,000 students from 1,800 schools participated in regional science bowl competitions this year between January and March 2011. In addition to cash prizes, the national high school championship team will win a science-related trip to Australia. Energy Secretary Chu will give remarks, personally congratulate the winning teams and hand out the trophies on Monday, May 2nd, 2011, at the NSB Championships. This event will be held at the National Building Museum in Washington, D.C. and is open to the public.

For the latest updates from the NSB, visit the National Science Bowl Journal. Also follow the NSB on Facebook under the name Official National Science Bowl. And for those “on the go” you can access schedules, maps and NSB updates right on your SmartPhone by accessing the NSB Mobile application at http://www.osti.gov/nsbjournal/mobile-app or scanning the URL Scan Code. For more information about DOE's Office of Science, visit http://science.energy.gov/.

This article was written by Linda A. Ponce, Acting Director for the Office of Science Communications and Public Affairs.