For immediate release

Contacts: 
Steve Karsjen, (515) 294-5643, karsjen@ameslab.gov

SCIENCE BOWL STILL DRAWING HIGH SCHOOL TEAMS TO AMES

Ames Laboratory/ISU Regional celebrates 15th year

AMES, Iowa – For the 15th straight year, teams of students from high schools across Iowa will put their science knowledge to the test as they compete on Saturday, Jan. 29 in the Regional Science Bowl, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Ames Laboratory and Iowa State University.

“Since it’s inception in 1991, 141 different Iowa high schools have participated in Science Bowl,” said Steve Karsjen, coordinator of the Ames Lab/ISU Science Bowl. “That translates into more than 2,500 of the state’s best students who’ve come to Iowa State University to compete.

“This year we have three new schools – Denver, Hinton, and City High from Iowa City,” Karsjen added, “and three schools – Ames, Ankeny, and Cedar Rapids Kennedy – who’ve been here every year since the beginning.”

The 2005 Ames Lab/ISU Science Bowl begins at 8 a.m. in the Memorial Union 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. Regional champions will advance to DOE’s National Science Bowl®, April 28-May 2 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 90 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, andstudents eagerly volunteer to support this important science outreach opportunity.”

Since its inception, more than 80,000 high school students have participated in regional tournaments leading up to the National finals.

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

Schools participating in the 2005 Science Bowl:

Schedule of events for the Ames Lab/ISU Science Bowl: (all events in Memorial Union)

8:00 a.m. – Registration (Campanile Room)
8:15 a.m. – Welcoming remarks (Great Hall)
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 (Sun Room)

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Note to Editors: Digital images of all teams, taken during the competiton, will be available as well as images of the champion and runner-up. If you are interested in the photos, please contact Kerry Gibson, Ames Lab Public Affairs, at kgibson@ameslab.gov or by phone at (515) 294-1405 no later than noon on Friday, Jan. 28th. If you are interested in attending the competition, please stop by the registration desk in the Campanile Room at the Memorial Union and we’ll assist you in finding the particular team(s) you’re looking for.

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