21 February 2006

Plainsboro, New Jersey — Thirty-two teams from 21 area schools are scheduled to compete in the New Jersey and Eastern Pennsylvania Regional Competition of the National Science Bowl^® Saturday, February 25, at the U.S. Department of Energy's Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL). This is the fourteenth year the Laboratory is hosting the Jeopardy-like tournament in which all the categories are disciplines of science. Beginning at 9:30 A.M., competing teams will be quizzed on biology, chemistry, physics, astronomy, earth science, general science, and mathematics. Each team is made up of four students, a student alternate, and a teacher who serves as an advisor and coach. Many Science Bowl participants have gone on to careers in scientific fields.

"Developing the next generation of scientists and engineers is a critical part of ensuring America's scientific, economic and energy future," said Energy Secretary Samuel W. Bodman. "The National Science Bowl^® is an important part of DOE's effort to encourage America's best and brightest to explore the fields of science and engineering and ultimately be a part of solving the great questions facing our nation and our world, as scientists and engineers have done throughout our history." PPPL hosts one of 65 regional competitions, all of which are sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy. The top winners of the regional competitions receive all-expense paid trips to the National Science Bowl^® scheduled for April 27 to May 1 in Washington, D.C.

Participating schools in the double-elimination tournament at PPPL this year are:

Bensalem High School (Bensalem, Penn.)
Bergen County Academies (Hackensack, N.J.)
Council Rock High School-North (Newtown, Penn.)
*East Brunswick High School (East Brunswick, N.J.) *Last Year's Winner*
High Technology High School (Lincroft, N.J.)
Highland Park High School (Highland Park, N.J.)
Hopewell Valley Central High School (Pennington, N.J.)
Cardinal McCarrick High School (South Amboy, N.J.)
Milburn High School (Milburn, N.J.)
Montgomery High School (Montgomery, N.J.)
Neshaminy High School (Langhorne, Penn.)
New Providence High School (New Providence, N.J.)
Notre Dame High School (Lawrenceville, N.J.)
Peddie School (Hightstown, N.J.)
Pennsbury High School (Fairless Hills, Penn.)
Princeton Day School (Princeton, N.J.)
Princeton High School (Princeton, N.J.)
Stuart Country Day School (Princeton, N.J.)
Watchung Hills Regional High School (Warren, N.J.)
West Windsor-Plainsboro High School North (Plainsboro, N.J.)
West Windsor-Plainsboro High School South (West Windsor, N.J.)

PPPL, which is funded by the U.S. Department of Energy and managed by Princeton University, is a collaborative national center for science and innovation leading to an attractive fusion energy source. Fusion is the process that powers the sun and the stars. In the interior of stars, matter is converted into energy by the fusion, or joining, of the nuclei of light atoms to form heavier elements.

Representatives of the media are invited to attend the Regional Science Bowl at PPPL. The Laboratory is on Princeton University's Forrestal Campus off U.S. Route 1 in Plainsboro, and not on the University's main campus in Princeton. (Directions to PPPL are on the web at: http://www.pppl.gov/about_pppl/pages/driving_instr_pppl.html.) A government-issued photo ID, such as a driver's license or passport, is required for admittance to PPPL.

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For further information, please contact:

Anthony R. DeMeo
Head
Information Services
Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory
(609) 243-2755
ademeo@pppl.gov

Patricia Wieser
Information Services
Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory
(609) 243-2757
pwieser@pppl.gov