BOZEMAN – More than 1,300 middle school and high school students from across Montana will compete in this year’s Montana Science Olympiad, set for Tuesday, Nov. 21, at Montana State University. The event provides many photo and video opportunities, and members of the media are invited to attend.
The Science Olympiad is a rigorous academic interscholastic competition that consists of a series of individual and team events. Students in grades 6 to 12 participate in challenging competitions in the fields of biology, earth science, chemistry, physics and computers and technology.
As part of the event, 58 middle school teams and 51 high school teams have signed up for a variety of contests that include building helicopters and airplanes, solving crimes, positioning mirrors to direct a laser beam toward a target, demonstrating knowledge of rocks and minerals and more. Fourteen contests are available to each age group.
An opening ceremony featuring guest speaker Neil Cornish, physics professor at MSU, will run from 7:45 to 8 a.m. in the ballrooms of the Strand Union Building. Competitions begin at 8:30 a.m., 9:30 a.m., 10:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. and will be held in locations across campus.
Particularly rich media opportunities include the following events at the following locations:
· Shroyer Gym: Battery buggy, mousetrap vehicle and mission possible;
· SUB Ballroom D: Hovercraft;
· Alumni Lounge: Rollercoaster;
· Cobleigh Hall 202: Towers;
· Romney Hall: Helicopters.
LeeAnn Swain, Montana Science Olympiad manager, requests that members of the media who are covering the event seek interviews with participants only before or after the event.
In conjunction with the Montana Science Olympiad, a STEM Fun Night for participants will run from 6 to 9 p.m. Monday, Nov. 20, at MSU’s Museum of the Rockies. More information about STEM Fun Night is available by emailing dillon.warn@montana.edu.
The Montana Science Olympiad is devoted to improving the quality of science education, increasing student interest in science and providing recognition for outstanding achievement in science education by both students and teachers. The Science Math Resource Center at MSU in Bozeman hosts the annual Montana Science Olympiad in conjunction with the national Science Olympiad.
For more information about the 2017 Montana Science Olympiad, contact LeeAnn Swain, Montana Science Olympiad manager, at 406-994-7476 or email mtscioly@montana.edu.