For release: Jan. 22, 2008

Contacts: 
Steve Karsjen, Public Affairs, (515) 294-5643

S TUDENTS FROM ACROSS STATE HEADED FOR SCIENCE BOWL

18th annual competition tests skills in science and math

AMES, Iowa – Forty-eight teams of students from 44 different high schools across Iowa will put their science knowledge to the test as they compete on Saturday, Jan. 26, in the 18th annual Regional Science Bowl, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Ames Laboratory and Iowa State University.

Since it’s inception in 1991, 143 different Iowa high schools have participated in Science Bowl. This year four schools –– Bettendorf, Interstate 35, Woodbury Central, and Cedar Rapids-Marion Home Schools –– are competing for the first time while three schools – Ames, Ankeny, and Cedar Rapids Kennedy – will be competing for the 18th straight year. Due to cancellations, four schools will have two teams competing.

The 2008 Ames Lab/ISU Science Bowl begins at 8 a.m. in Hoover and Howe Halls on the Iowa State campus. The 48 participating Iowa high schools each send a team of up to five students for the fast-paced, daylong competition to answer questions from a broad range of science and math topics.

The event is one of 66 regional competitions being held throughout the nation. Throughout its history, more than 100,000 high school students have participated in regional tournaments leading up to the National finals. Regional champions will advance to DOE’s National Science Bowl®, May 1-6 in Washington, D.C.

The competing students will answer questions from categories such as astronomy, biology, physics, chemistry, earth science, general science and current events in the scientific and technical community. The 16 teams that fare best in the morning rounds will advance to the double-elimination competition in the afternoon. Approximately 80 faculty, staff and students from Ames Laboratory and ISU serve as moderators, judges, timekeepers and scorekeepers during the event.

“We take our mission to help educate students very seriously,” Karsjen said. “Many of our scientists, staff, and students eagerly volunteer to support this important science outreach opportunity and look forward to working with the brightest students in the State of Iowa.”

Schools participating in the 2008 Science Bowl:

Schedule of events for the Ames Lab/ISU Science Bowl:

8:00 a.m. – Registration (Hoover Hall Atrium)
8:15 a.m. – Welcoming remarks (Hoover Auditorium)
8:30 a.m.-noon – Round-robin competition (various rooms)
Noon-1:00 p.m. – Lunch break
1:00-4:30 p.m. – Double-elimination competition of the top 16 teams (various rooms)
4:30-5:30 p.m. – Championship match and awards ceremony (Hoover Auditorium)

Ames Laboratory is operated for the Department of Energy by Iowa State University. The Lab conducts research into various areas of national concern, including the synthesis and study of new materials, energy resources, high-speed computer design, and environmental cleanup and restoration.

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Note to Editors: Digital images of all teams, taken during the competition, will be available as well as images of the champion and second- and third-place teams. If you are interested in the photos, please contact Kerry Gibson, Ames Lab Public Affairs, at (515) 294-1405 no later than noon on Friday, Jan. 25th.

If you are interested in attending the competition, please stop by the registration desk in the ground floor atrium of Hoover Hall (or call Kerry at 515-450-8651) and we’ll assist you in finding competition rooms for specific teams.

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