Science Olympiad

This article is about competition for secondary schools in the United States. For others, see International Science Olympiad.

Science Olympiad logo

Science Olympiad is an American elementary, middle, or high school team competition which tests knowledge of various science topics and engineering ability. Over 15,000 schools from 49 U.S. states compete each year. Most teams compete in three levels of competition: regionals, states, and nationals. In addition, some schools hold 'practice tournaments' called invitationals.

Science Olympiad is not in any way associated with the International Science Olympiad (ISO), which follows a completely different format and set of rules.

History

The first recorded Science Olympiad was held on Saturday, November 23, 1974 at St. Andrews Presbyterian College in Laurinburg, North Carolina. Dr. Donald Barnes and Dr. David Wetmore were the originators of this event. Fifteen schools from North and South Carolina participated in this event. This Olympiad was a day-long affair, with competitions and demonstrations for high school students in the areas of biology, chemistry, and physics. There were four event periods during this day, and each event period had one fun event (like beaker race or paper airplane), one demonstration (like glassblowing and holography), and one serious event (like periodic table quiz or Science Bowl). An article by David Wetmore was published in the Journal of Chemical Education in January 1978 documenting the success of recruiting students through Science Olympiad. St. Andrews Presbyterian College continues to host a Science Olympiad tournament to this day . Mr. John C. "Jack" Cairns was a teacher at Dover High School in Delaware when he learned learned about Science Olympiad taking place in North Carolina. He shared this information with Dr. Douglas R. Macbeth, the Delaware State Science Supervisor. Mr. Cairns was appointed to a steering committee to organize the first Olympiad in Delaware which took place at Delaware State University in the Spring of 1977. A write-up in The Science Teacher of December 1977 caught the attention of Dr. Gerard Putz, who proposed that the program be expanded throughout the United States. After competition tests in Michigan at the Lawrence Institute of Technology and Oakland University in 1983 and 1984, Putz and Delaware director John Cairns took their plan for a national competition to the National Science Teachers Conference in Boston. The first National Tournament was attended by representatives of 17 states, held at Michigan State University in 1985. Since then, the program has expanded greatly, with 60 teams present in each division at the United States National Competition.

Divisions

There are four divisions in the hierarchy of Science Olympiad:

• Division A1 for elementary school (grades K-3)
• Division A2 for elementary school (grades 3-6)
• Division B for middle school (grades 6-9)
• Division C for high school (grades 9-12)

However, the national tournament and generally state and regional tournaments are only for divisions B and C. Division A teams usually have separate interscholastic tournaments, apart from the more common intra-school competitions. Note that 6th and 9th graders have the option of competing in either of the two divisions in which they meet the grade requirements and are part of the competing school. A middle school may, however, only use up to 5 members who have graduated to the next school if they are in 9th grade or lower. Students in grades lower than the division in which the school competes in may also be on the team. Teams are restricted to five 9th graders for division B and seven 12th graders for division C. Students may not participate on multiple teams, i.e. a 9th grader on both a high school and middle school team would not be allowed.

Events

Students compete in twenty-three main events, which usually occur on a single day. Events fall under three main categories: Science Concepts and Knowledge, Science Processes and Thinking Skills, and Science Application and Technology. They are either knowledge-based (i.e. written tests on earth science, physics, astronomy, biology, and chemistry), hands-on (i.e. participants perform various lab experiments), or engineering-based (i.e. participants construct a device to do specified tasks).

Knowledge-based events generally have two participants either taking a test or mathematically analyzing data. Examples of such events are Designer Genes, Forensics, and Chemistry Lab.

Hands-on events generally consist of two participants performing experiments or interacting with physical objects to achieve a certain goal. Some examples are Bio-Process lab, Forensics, or Science Crime Busters.

Engineering-based events have a team of two to three participants. They are to construct a device following a specific event's parameters and test the device against others. Examples include Robo-Cross, Bridge/Tower Building, and Storm The Castle.

The majority of events require two team members, though a few require more. If one member is unable to attend an event, the other is able to continue, depending on the event, with the competition, though at an obvious disadvantage.If the team has one available, a back-up team member may be placed with the member as opposed to their former partner.

The list of events, and rules for events, change and are updated every year to keep the competition interesting and to limit the advantages of more experienced teams.

Division B events for the 2010-2011 school year

Event	Description
Anatomy (Respiratory and Muscular)	Teams will be tested on their knowledge of anatomy and health concepts including respiratory and muscular systems.
Awesome Aquifers	Students will construct an aquifer and answer questions about groundwater concepts - includes a presentation.
Battery Buggy	Teams will construct a vehicle that uses electrical energy as its sole means of propulsion, quickly travels a specified distance, and stops as close as possible to the center of the finish line.
Bottle Rocket	Prior to the tournament, teams construct up to 2 rockets designed to stay aloft for the greatest amount of time.
Can't Judge a Powder	Students will test and characterize one pure substance in H2O and possibly HCl and other reagents and then, based only on data they collect in their observations, answer a series of questions about that substance. Other relevant questions may be asked. For example, the 2010 National Tournament test contained a question that asked about the number labeled on the bag that the powder was presented in.
Compute This	Teams will be presented with a problem which requires quantitative data capture from the Internet and the presentation of data in a graphical format.
Crime Busters	Students use provided material to find unknown materials (e.g. plastics, powders, liquids) and identify them. Science crime busters may also have to use DNA, blood spatters, finger prints, tracks, and shoe prints to provide answers and solve a "crime" based on a story. Water testing will also be expected of competitors.
Disease Detectives (Food Borne Illness)	This event requires students to apply principles of epidemiology to a published report of a real-life health situation or problem.
Dynamic Planet (Earth's Fresh Waters)	Teams will work at stations that display a variety of earth science materials and related earth science questions.
Ecology (Tundra/Taiga biomes)	Students will answer questions involving content knowledge and process skills in the area of ecology and adaptation by examining different ecosystems.
Experimental Design	Given a set of unknown objects, teams will design, conduct, analyze and write-up an experiment from hypothesis to conclusion.
Fossils	Students will identify, describe, and classify various specimens.
Junkyard Challenge	Students will partially preconstruct a device with final construction and adaptation onsite to complete a published challenge.
Meteorology (Severe Storms)	This event involves the use of process skills as applied to meteorology.
Microbe Mission	Teams will answer questions, solve problems and analyze data pertaining to microbes.
Optics	Teams compete in activities and answer questions related to geometric and physical optics.
Ornithology	This event will test knowledge of North American birds on the official list in various ways.
Road Scholar	Students read through a story and answer questions throughout the story while having to interpret the multiple maps given. These maps may be either topographic or road maps, but must represent areas within the U.S. A portion of the test may also require students to draw a 1-mile × 1 mile section map.
Shock Value	Students will compete in activities involving basic understanding of electricity, magnetism, and simple electrical devices.
Solar System	Teams will demonstrate knowledge of the Sun, planets and their satellites, dwarf planets, comets, asteroids, the asteroid belt, meteoroids, Oort Cloud, and the Kuiper Belt.
Storm the Castle	Prior to the tournament, teams design, construct and calibrate a device that uses only the energy of a falling counterweight to launch a projectile as far and as accurately as possible.
Towers	Team members design and build the most efficient tower.
Write It, Do It	One student is given a model that the other student can not see; he/she is to write instructions on how to create that model, and after the time is up, the other student is given the set of instructions with the materials and tries to build a replica of the model.

(Competitions may include other Trial/Pilot events [see below])

Division C events for 2010-2011 school year

Event	Description
Anatomy & Physiology	This event encompasses the anatomy and physiology of selected body systems, this year limited to respiratory, muscular and endocrine systems.
Astronomy	Teams will demonstrate an understanding of the basic concepts of math and physics relating to galaxies.
Chem Lab	Teams will demonstrate chemistry laboratory skills related to selected topics.
Disease Detective (Food Borne Illness)	This event requires students to apply principles of epidemiology to a published report of a real-life health situation or problem.
Dynamic Planet (Earth's Fresh Waters)	Teams will work at stations that display a variety of earth science materials and related earth science questions.
Ecology (Tundra and Taiga biomes)	Teams must test their knowledge about various aspects relating to tundras and taigas.
Experimental Design	Given a set of unknown objects, teams will design, conduct, analyze, and write-up an experiment.
Forensics	Students will identify polymers, solids, fibers, and other materials in a crime scenario.
Fossils	Teams will be tested on their knowledge of fossils and how well they can identify various specimens.
Helicopters	Students will construct and test free flight rubber-powered helicopters prior to the tournament to achieve maximum flight times.
Microbe Mission	Teams will answer questions, solve problems and analyze data pertaining to microbes.
Mission Possible	Prior to the competition, participants will design, build, test, and document a "Rube Goldberg-like device" that completes a required Final Task using a sequence of consecutive tasks.
Mousetrap Vehicle	Teams will design, build, and test a vehicle that uses one or two snap mousetraps as the sole propulsion energy source to travel a distance and return to the starting line center as quickly as possible.
Optics	Teams compete in activities and answer questions related to geometric and physical optics.
Ornithology	This event will test knowledge of North American birds on the official list.
Protein Modeling	Students will use computer visualization and online resources to guide them in constructing physical models of proteins. For 2011, students will model proteins involved in reprogramming adult cells to become stem cells.
Remote Sensing	Teams will be tested on remote sensing and human impact on Earth.
Sounds of Music	Prior to the competition, students will build one wind instrument and one percussion instrument based on a 12 tone tempered scale, prepare to describe the principles behind their operation and be able to perform a major scale, a required melody and a chosen melody with each.
Sumo Bots	Teams will design and construct a robot (bot) that will attempt to move an opponent's robot from the ring.
Technical Problem Solving	Teams will collect and use data to solve problems.
Towers	Team members design and build the most efficient tower.
Wind Power	Teams will build a blade assembly that consists of any kind of propeller/pinwheel/rotor attached to a compact disc (CD) which will be used to capture wind power. Students will also be tested on their knowledge regarding alternative energy.
Write It, Do It	A technical writing exercise where students write a description of a contraption and other students will attempt to recreate it using only the written description.

(Competitions may also include Trial/Pilot events†)

Trial/Pilot Events

Trial/Pilot events are, at Regional and State tournaments, events that are specific to that state that are being considered as events for the next year. At Regionals and States, these events may count towards the team's score. At Nationals, however, there is a completely different set of Trial/Pilot events, sometimes known as "alternate events" because the people entering them do not have to be on the official team. These do not count towards the team's score, but ribbons and medals are usually awarded.

Distinction Between Trial and Pilot Events

The terms "trial event" and "pilot event" (also called "exploratory event") are sometimes interchangeable, both pertaining to an event that is not an official, national event for the year. However, at the National Tournament, there are often two differences. First, in 2010, it was announced that medals would only be awarded to the top 3 in the Trial events, but not at all in the Pilot events. Also, the Trial event are often much closer to becoming official events for following years than pilot events. Almost all of the Trial events from recent National tournaments have become official events within a few years of the tournament, while the same is not true for almost any of the pilot events.

Team Structure

Teams are hosted by the school from which the participants attend. A teacher, parent, or student (usually a volunteer) coordinates the team in practice and preparation for the competition. Often there are others who coach individual events as well. A team can consist of up to 15 students and any amount of alternates; some states allow more students per team. At the middle school level, only 5 ninth graders are allowed to compete on one team; at the high school level, only 7 twelfth graders are allowed per team. Homeschool groups may also form teams to compete.

Although teams may have an unlimited number of alternates, it is implicitly stated within the rules that competitors present at the event must have completed all of the work on their event. This is specifically aimed at building events. It is illegal for teams to have their alternates as "builders" and their formal team members as "thinkers". Judges at the event are allowed to ask any question of the machine or contraption in an effort to keep the scenario above from occurring. Nonetheless, competitors, coaches, and entire teams are expected to have integrity and abide by this rule.

A lot of strategy usually goes into the forming of a team. Since events go on at the same time as other events during a competition and conflicts occur, the coach or coordinator must make decisions based on the competitor's specialty and ability in order to correctly place them. Sometimes, usually during the reformation of competitors when a team advances a level, a competitor who wasn't originally planned to compete in a certain event competes in it to fill the certain event slot.

Scoring

The winner of the competition is determined by each team's overall score. Each school is ranked in every event based on that event's rules. The team's overall score is then calculated by adding together the rank of the school in all events (e.g. 1st place receives 1 point, 2nd place 2 points, etc.). The team with the lowest overall score is declared the winner. However, it should be noted that some state competitions choose to score the competition by awarding more points per place (e.g. 13 points for 1st place, 12 points for 2nd place, etc.) and having the team with the most points being declared the winner.

There are several ways to break a tie (draw):

• Before a competition, the event organizer decides on several events to be used as tie-breakers. If two teams get the same score overall, the team that rates highest in that one event will take the lead.
• Another method for tie-breaking is based on medals where the team with more first place medals wins, if both teams have the same amount of first places, it moves to second place medals and so on.
• A third way of tie-breaking is to use a team's score in trial/pilot events. The team with the best combined score in trial events would win the competition when this method is used.
• In some competitions, there also may questions added into the event,and they will be labeled tie-breaker. If needed, these questions can be used as tie breakers,although this type of tie-breaker is generally for only the event and not the end decision.

Competition levels

Science Olympiad competitions occur at a regional, state and national level. Normally, the top few teams advance from regional competition to state, the exact number depending on how many regions there are and how many teams compete. For example, the regional Science Olympiad competition in Albany, New York, which is held at The College of Saint Rose will typically send the top three finishing teams to the state competition. However, an additional team or teams can be sent to the state competition if one of the top three has been victorious (or has gone to the state competition) multiple times in a row. In most states, the top team advances from state to the national competition. Some states with a larger number of teams are able to send two teams to the national competition to represent their larger presence. About 120 teams compete at the national level each year (60 from Division B and 60 from Division C); the number has changed over the years to accommodate growing participation and is dependent on the number of teams attending a particular state tournament.

Some states, including Illinois, Pennsylvania, Ohio, New York, Indiana, Michigan, Florida, and Nebraska hold Invitational tournaments. These competitions serve as "practice rounds" for qualifying tournaments, and are hosted by individual middle schools(View the portion titled invitational),high schools and/or colleges. These are also often organized by schools themselves and usually occur some time in January or February. Teams can participate in Invitationals from multiple states depending on availability. In some states, only a few events are held. However, Ohio and Illinois generally hold Invitational tournaments which mimic regional competitions in their competitive intensity. For example, Solon Middle School holds an invitational each year that has about 45 teams, including 6-7 past national qualifiers. In this way, many teams get a lot of practice through invitationals.

National Tournament

The National Science Olympiad competition is held in May at a different university in a different state every year. Teams either stay in student dorms or nearby hotels.

The competition officially begins with opening ceremonies on the day before Saturday's competition (a Friday). Usually a notable speaker, such as a Nobel Laureate, will give a speech. Following this is the traditional Swap Meet, when all the teams bring bags of state memorabilia to trade with other teams from all over the nation. The most popular items include hats, license plates, t-shirts, and key chains.

Saturday includes several time blocks (this year 6, plus the "impound" time slot at the beginning of the day). Each block includes a 60-minute section for each study event, plus a 15 minute break time for competitors to get from one event to another.

That night, a semi-formal Awards Ceremony is held. It opens with a short speech followed by awarding medals for the top six teams in each event, including trial events (events that do not count to the overall team score). At the end, the top ten teams are awarded trophies.

In some national tournaments, scholarships are awarded to the top teams in each event. In 2005's competition at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, first-place winners received waivers for a four-year undergraduate tuition. Extra prizes are also given out for certain events: in Disease Detectives (Division C), the first-place team is given t-shirts and a trip for the two competitors and their coach to tour the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention facility in Atlanta, Georgia. For the 2006 National Competition the host, Indiana University, awarded $7000 annual scholarships to Division C 1st place finishers who decide to attend the university for their freshman year.

The theme of the 2009 National Tournament was "The Silver Age of Science" due to the fact that it was the 25th anniversary of the Science Olympiad.

Past National Locations and Champions

		Division B		Division C
Year	Location	School	State	School	State
1985	Michigan State University	Slauson Intermediate School	MI	Seaholm HS	MI
1986	Michigan State University	Slauson Intermediate School	MI	Seaholm HS	MI
1987	Ohio State University	Gompers Secondary School	CA	Irmo High School	SC
1988	Delaware State University	Irmo Middle School	SC	Haverford HS	PA
1989	University of Colorado, Boulder	Irmo Middle School	SC	Irmo High School	SC
1990	Clarion University	Irmo Middle School	SC	Irmo High School	SC
1991	Penn Valley Community College	Grandville Junior High School	MI	La Jolla High School	CA
1992	Auburn University	Jenison Junior High School	MI	La Jolla High School	CA
1993	University of Southern Colorado	Thomas Jefferson Middle School	IN	Grand Haven High School	MI
1994	University of Arizona	State College Junior High School	PA	Grand Haven High School	MI
1995	Indiana University	State College Junior High School	PA	Harriton High School	PA
1996	Georgia Institute of Technology	Thomas Jefferson Middle School	IN	Troy High School	CA
1997	North Carolina State University	J.C. Booth Middle School	GA	Grand Haven High School	MI
1998	Grand Valley State University	J.C. Booth Middle School	GA	Solon High School	OH
1999	Chicago Museums and University of Chicago	J.C. Booth Middle School	GA	Troy High School	CA
2000	Eastern Washington University	J.C. Booth Middle School	GA	Troy High School	CA
2001	University of Colorado, Colorado Springs	J.C. Booth Middle School	GA	Harriton High School	PA
2002	University of Delaware	Rising Starr Middle School	GA	Troy High School	CA
2003	Ohio State University	J.C. Booth Middle School	GA	Troy High School	CA
2004	Juniata College	J.C. Booth Middle School	GA	Fayetteville-Manlius High School	NY
2005	University of Illinois, Urbana	West-Windsor Plainsboro Middle School	NJ	Harriton High School	PA
2006	Indiana University, Bloomington	J.C. Booth Middle School	GA	Troy High School	CA
2007	Wichita State University	West-Windsor Plainsboro Middle School	NJ	Troy High School	CA
2008	The George Washington University	Solon Middle School	OH	Troy High School	CA
2009	Augusta State University	Solon Middle School	OH	Centerville High School	OH
2010	University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign	Solon Middle School	OH	Centerville High School	OH
2011	University of Wisconsin–Madison
2012	University of Central Florida
2013	Wright State University

External links

• Official Science Olympiad National Home Page
• List of 2008-2009 Events
• Science Olympiad Student Center
• I-SWEEEP: International Sustainable World (Energy,Engineering, and Environment) Project Olympiad
• Aryan Classes ANSO: Aryan National Science Olympiad - Conducted in India
• Integral Association of Amateur Mathematicians and Scientists - Conducts Science olympiads for Students in India Region