Geniuses are not always A-grade students. We welcome all mavericks, square-pegs and everybody who likes to ask questions. Simply upload your project here to win some life changing prizes.
Life-changing prizes
A world-class science fair calls for world-class prizes. They include once-in-a-lifetime experiences like a scientific trip to the Galapagos Islands with National Geographic Explorer, unique scholarships and real-life work opportunities in iconic science centers of excellence like CERN in Switzerland.
New Science in Action prize
There’s also a special Science in Action prize, sponsored by Scientific American.
This is a special judges’ award for projects that champion scientific projects that make a practical difference in the lives of a group or community.
Everyone has a question. What’s yours?
It could be a new take on particle physics, or game theory. It could be a cost-effective way to provide clean water to a remote community, or maybe a project like reducing the carcinogenic properties of grilled chicken (that was one of last year’s winning entries). It should definitely be inspired.
You might already have the beginnings of an idea. Or just be hungry to get involved. Either way, you have until 1 April 2012 to work on identifying your question and building your project.
Get started right now by registering and securing parental consent.
Rules, Hints and Tips
These tips should help make sure your students’ submissions are eligible – and keep the process fun and stress-free for everyone involved.
Share the rules: Review and discuss the key rules and frequently asked questions with your students. Enthusiastic students can easily misjudge the importance of the rules!
Use Google tools: Familiarize yourself with Google tools, especially Sites. It will help you facilitate and enrich students’ site construction and submission of their online projects.
Engage with real issues: Encourage your students to think about their own interests and passions as a catalyst for identifying their question. Finding a real-world problem they are personally curious about, and want to investigate, will greatly enrich your shared experience. Check out ways to spark those initial ideas on our website.
Start small: Encourage your students to think big, but to start small – and then build on their experiences. This will help to increase confidence and reduce the daunting prospect of starting a project from scratch.
Collaborate: In all project work, great teamwork and communication are crucial. By using our collaborative Google tools (like Docs and Hangouts), ideas can be shared not only within the classroom, but across the globe.
Managing time: Big deadlines are stressful, so plan for checkpoints to review your students’ progress and work throughout.
Help them structure their project: Remind students of the key steps in the Scientific Method to structure and manage their project work.
Discuss: Engage with your students about their thoughts, ideas and plans for their project. It will help them move forward and keep you more closely involved.
Be flexible: Make sure you have a flexible plan, so you’re ready for anything when things change or don’t go according to schedule.
Inspire your students: We know you do this every day! But remind them of the unprecedented, inter-connected world we live in. This is a unique opportunity for them to think independently, publish their work online, and share it with the global science community. We hope you enjoy the journey with them.
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