UA to Host Regional Science Olympiad

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — More than 400 students are expected to participate in the 2015 regional Science Olympiad competition at The University of Alabama Saturday, Feb. 21, beginning at 9 a.m.

Science Olympiad is an international non-profit organization founded in 1982 that promotes teamwork in the disciplines of life science, earth and space science, physical science, chemistry, technology and engineering among elementary-, middle- and high-school students. The regional competition for middle- and high-school students, hosted by UA, is just one of many taking place across the country.

Winners advance to compete in state and national competitions. More than 12,000 schools from all 50 states participate in Science Olympiad events each year.

Events scheduled for the students include competitions in air trajectory, entomology, experimental design, fossils, disease detectives and more.

The competition will conclude with two awards presentations at 3:15 p.m. in the Ferguson Center Theatre and the Ferguson Center Ballroom.

For more information, visit http://scienceolympiad.as.ua.edu/.

Alabama schools registered to participate in this year’s event include Bottenfield Middle School, Collins-Riverside Middle School, Hartselle Junior High School, Helena Middle School, Hewitt-Trussville Middle School, Holy Spirit High School, Horseshoe Bend School, Hueytown Middle School,  Lamp Magnet High School, Meek High School, Muscle Shoals High School, Our Lady of the Valley, Pinson Valley High School, Pleasant Grove Middle School, Saint James Middle School and Winfield Middle School.

UA’s College of Arts and Sciences and the College of Engineering are co-hosting the competition.

UA’s College of Arts and Sciences is the University’s largest division and the largest liberal arts college in the state. Students from the College have won numerous national awards including Rhodes Scholarships, Goldwater Scholarships and memberships on the USA Today Academic All American Team.

One of the first five universities to offer engineering instruction in the nation, The University of Alabama has more than 175 years of engineering tradition. Today, the fully accredited College of Engineering has nearly 5,100 students. The College’s students have earned nationally-competitive scholarships and selective graduate fellowships.