Ã山ǿ¼é

On Saturday, February 8 the Ã山ǿ¼é hosted the annual Ã山ǿ¼é Regional Science Olympiad, organized by the Southwest Indiana STEM (SwISTEM) Resource Center in collaboration with departments housed within the Pott College of Science, Engineering, and Education. The competition welcomed nearly 100 students from middle and high schools across southern Indiana. The Science Olympiad provides teams of students with hands-on, inquiry-based learning experiences that align with Indiana Science Standards.ÌýÌýÌý

Students competed in 23 STEM events, testing their knowledge and problem-solving skills in various scientific disciplines. Some of these were:Ìý

• Anatomy and Physiology – Students demonstrated their expertise on human body systems through written and practical challenges.Ìý

• Helicopters – Teams designed and tested rubber-powered helicopters, aiming for maximum flight duration.Ìý

• Codebusters – Competitors decoded encrypted messages using advanced cryptography techniques.Ìý

• Towers – Participants engineered lightweight, sturdy towers designed to hold significant weight.Ìý

• Experimental Design – Teams developed and conducted their own experiments to showcase their ability to form and test scientific questions.Ìý

• Forensics – Students applied chemistry and biology skills to solve a mock crime scenario.Ìý

Teams advancing to the State Science Olympiad include Madison Consolidated High School, North Harrison High School, North Harrison Middle School and Rock Creek Community Academy.Ìý

The SwISTEM Resource Center at Ã山ǿ¼é is committed to enriching STEM education in southern Indiana. The center offers resources, competitions, and outreach programs to engage students, educators and the community in high-quality STEM learning opportunities.Ìý

The event was made possible through the support of Ã山ǿ¼é faculty, staff and students, as well as community partners who volunteered as event supervisors and judges. Faculty from Ã山ǿ¼é's Engineering, Biology, Chemistry and Biochemistry, Geology, Physics, and Environmental Science, and Teacher Education Departments played a key role in organizing and running individual events.Ìý

For more information, visit the Ã山ǿ¼é Regional Science Olympiad website.Ìý