National Science Bowl® Frequently Asked Questions
Why does U.S. Dept. of Energy sponsor the Science Bowl?
The Dept. of Energy (DOE) is interested in making math and science
fun for students to encourage them to pursue studies and careers
in math and science. The DOE sponsors many science research projects
in all disciplines and has a vested interest in future young scientists.
The DOE partners with volunteers and organizations all over the country
to coordinate regional events. Visit our website for more background
information.
Who participates and how?
In the fall of each school year, high school students form a team of
4-5 students and a coach, who is usually a teacher. (Middle school
students can participate in the National Middle School Science Bowl
at www.scied.science.doe.gov/nmsb.) Eligibility rules can be found
on our website, as well as strategies for preparing your team. A
coach may bring up to three teams from the same school IF the regional
event allows for multiple teams (check first). The team finds information
on their local regional event and registers for the event. Then,
the team can practice before the events that are held from January
to March. The regional winner from each region is invited to attend
the National event in Washington, DC in April/May.
How do I register for a regional event?
Visit our website to find the closest event to you – there will
be a link to start the registration process. The coach should handle
the registration process. Most sites allow you to register from the
website directly. Some sites use paper forms (complete your information
on a pdf form). Once you have entered the information, be sure to confirm
your registration with your science bowl coordinator, as some events
will have waiting lists or cut-off dates. (See end of FAQ list for
technical answers.)
What if there is no science bowl regional near me?
You can contact the closest science bowl coordinator and ask if your
team can compete or can come to watch or to serve as volunteers.
If you are interested in starting a new science bowl regional, please
contact the NSB national coordinator.
Are there sample questions?
Yes, please visit our website. You can also write your own or practice
with a neighboring team.
How hard are the questions?
The questions cover seven categories at a college freshman level. You
can study using material from AP coursework, and/or working with
teachers or fellow students. Questions are in astronomy, biology,
chemistry, earth science, general science, mathematics and physics.
The general rule of thumb is that questions in earlier rounds are
easier than questions in later rounds of the competition. Regional
questions are generally easier than national questions.
Where do the questions come from? Do you need submissions?
The Dept. of Energy uses the government contracting process to hire
a company to write all the questions for the regional and national
events. This helps with consistency of level and type and to avoid
duplication. You are welcome to submit questions on our website.
Some regional competitions may write additional questions and use
them at their event.
What happens at the National Event in April/May?
Each team that won their regional tournament – 68 teams from
all over the country – will travel to Washington, DC to compete
for the national title. They arrive in Washington, DC three days before
and have a full schedule of educational seminars and sightseeing before
they start the competition. The event takes place at the National 4-H
Conference Center in Chevy Chase, Maryland. More information can be
found on this Web page: www.scied.science.doe.gov/nsb/nationals.htm.
What are the rules differences between regionals and nationals?
As far as the rules go, the national questions are more difficult and
the rounds are composed of two 10-minute halves (versus 8-minute
at regionals). With more teams, the competition lasts longer. Some
regional events may alter the rules to fit their resources and schedule,
so it is good to refresh your understanding by re-reading the national
rules. (See the website for more infomation)
Other differences?
Regional events have the flexibility to match their tournament to their
local needs, so there is a diversity of student experiences from
one to another location. The national event adheres to a more traditional
format. For the teams at the national event, there is usually press
coverage, nice gifts to volunteers and competitors, an award ceremony
to honor sponsors and regional facilities, government representatives
including members of Congress.
I’ve graduated high school but would still like to be involved – what
can I do?
You are a great resource for us to continue the fun of science bowl
for other students. Please consider volunteering for an event (see
next question). NSB alumni are also an important part of each National
event – contact Sue Ellen Walbridge if you are interested in
attending as an alumni guest. Other options include coaching a science
bowl team, giving a science presentation at a science bowl, or helping
to coordinate a regional event.
Note: The Dept. of Energy has science research internship opportunities
for college students in all fields of science and math and for pre-service
science teachers. Learn more at www.scied.science.doe.gov
I’m interested in volunteering – What
do volunteers do?
Thank you for your interest! It is important to encourage students
to enjoy math and science. Please contact your regional coordinator
and/or the national coordinator to get more information. Volunteers
are needed to be competition officials and assist with the information
desk and other logistics. More information on volunteers can be found
on our website. There are 5 officials for every competition room
and several runners who bring the scoresheets to Science Bowl Central.
Officials are: Moderator (reads questions), Scientific Judge (operates
buzzer system, judges answers), Rules Judge (watches audience and
team, guards scrap paper), Timekeeper (keep time for round and time
for answers), and Scorekeeper (writes score on scoreboard).
Any other questions?
Contact the National Science Bowl® coordinator, Sue Ellen Walbridge,
at (202) 586-7231 sue-ellen.walbridge@science.doe.gov or See us on
the web at http://nationalsciencebowl.energy.gov
Technical Answers to Using Science Bowl Online Application System
I’m a returning coach but my password doesn’t
work.
Please create a new account every year that you participate in Science
Bowl. We ask for different information on the team each year.
What does my computer need?
Internet Browser: Netscape 4.5 or higher or Internet Explorer 5.5 or
higher
Settings: cookies enabled; JavaScript enabled; and SSL enabled
What do I need to set up an account?
The coach should set up the account – need an e-mail address,
Keep your username and password handy for future visits.
What if I forget my password?
If you forget your password, there is a password notification with
a security question on the log-in page; if you still cannot retrieve
your password, contact your regional coordinator.
I filled out the information, why does it not mark registration as
complete?
Make sure that you click “submit” at the bottom of your
form. If you are having problems, please contact your regional coordinator.
How can I change a student name, coach name, or other information?
You can make changes until the “submit” button is clicked.
After that, please ask your coordinator to make the changes.
My team
won our regional event – how do I get an account for
national event?
If you already have an account, you don’t need to do anything.
Your regional coordinator will “select” your team as the
winner. Then, you will be able to access more information. If you do
not have an account, your regional coordinator will set one up for
you and give you instructions.
What if
I see the error “agent
done?”
Please close all your internet browser windows. Then open your browser,
go to the site, and log-in again.
What if I am having other problems with the system?
System glitches do happen, so please report them to your regional coordinator
with any information on what happened before the glitch. They can
either help you fix the problem or will contact other technical support.