Techno Science Supersite: Contests

Show off your stuff! Find a contest or competition in your field of expertise and see just how good you are.

Contests & Competitions: General, Math, Science, Technology, & National Competitions

General

INTEL Northwest Science Expo

This is it: the end all be all science and engineering fair for the state of Oregon. This is the place where you can see how your research and engineering skills stack up against the rest of the state in one of 16 different categories, from Behavioral and Social Sciences to Zoology.

Note: In order to qualify, you'll need to fair well (get it? fair well?) in your regional competition. For information on which regional competition to attend, please see Region Fairs.

Ages: 5th - 12th Grades
Contact: Email nwse@pdx.edu or call: (503) 725-8748

Helpful Science Fair Links

Engineering Education Service Center (EESC) - Poster Contest

"Engineers of America" is the theme for the Engineering Education Service Center's Fall 2009 Poster contest. This year's winning entry can be found in a display of inspiration, excitement, wonder and curiosity. Posters should be fun, motivational and inspire students to pursue a degree in engineering, technology and/or science.

Ages: 9th - 12th Grades
Contact: Email questions@engineeringedu.com or call: 541-988-1005

Math

MATHCOUNTS

Calling all number crunchers, derivative doctors, theorem provers and partakers of polynomial peculiarities! If you're good with numbers, why not impress your friends and teachers as a you train to compete as a mathlete in Math Counts. In February, you'll compete in a regional competition, and if all goes well, you'll move on to the state competition and beyond. Hone your math skills and be recognized as a math force to be reckoned with.

Ages: 6th, 7th & 8th Grade
Contact: Email info@mathcounts.org or call: 541-885-1815 (Oregon Office) or 703-299-9006 (National Office)

Pentagames

Math has never been so much fun! Math Tac Toe, 35-minus, CR2 (Compare, Revise,Revise), Solve That Problem and the Math Relay all combine to form the Pentagames, the wackiest combination of math and sports competition in the state of Oregon.

Ages: 7th - 8th Grade
Contact: Call: Cheryl Klampe-Van Hess, (503) 749-1918

SOML - Southern Oregon Mathematics League

Local high schools form up to 3 teams of 6 junior and senior advanced math students. The competition includes three individual events followed by a team collaboration. Competitions occur in October, November, February and March.

Ages: 11th & 12th Grade
Contact: Email: Carol Jensen or call (541) 552-6326

Science

Science Bowl

Science Bowl is a one-day tournament, a one day science extravaganza as it were. Competing in a team of four, your knowledge of science, math, computer technology, and current events will be tested in a rapid-fire question and answer tournament against other schools and clubs in your region.

Ages: 6th - 12th Grade
Contact: Email Jason L. Hairston or call: (360) 418-2906

Technology

Imagine Cup

It's the competition you've been waiting for. And it's your big chance to bring your world-changing ideas to life. That's the philosophy behind Imagine Cup. It's all about solving today's toughest issues on a global level and in your own backyard. Creating new opportunities to build your career. And, of course, winning some killer prizes

There are five competition categories:

Software Design: Design an application with Visual Studio and .NET to solve a pressing problem
Game Design: Build a game with XNA Game studio 3.1/4.0 or Silverlight for Windows, Xbox 360, phone or Web
IT Challenge: take one of eight hour-long technology quizzes on the art and science of developing, deploying and servicing IT systems
Digital Media: Create a 1-minute video on solving the world's toughest problems, using Photos, music and yes, video footage
Embedded Development: Develop your own embedded solution using Windows Embedded Compact 7 and the Imagine Cup provided embedded platform to help improve the lives of millions of people around the world

Ages: 10th - 12th Grade
Contact: email icus@mic

Oregon Robotics Tournament and Outreach Program

Students! Design, build and program a robot on a team with your friends! No experience is needed! Three levels of programs:

Jr. FLL 1st - 3rd grade - (simple machines, no robots)
FIRST LEGO League 4th - 9th Grade
FIRST Tech Challenge 7th - 12th Grade

Find out about careers in engineering and technology! Join robotics teams. Each team has 4 to 10 members. Team members can be designers, builders, programmers, documentors, and team leader. Starting in September, each team will design their robot to solve this year's challenge. Be sure and check out the ORTOP web site for detailed program information.

Ages: 4th - 12th Grade
Contact: Send an email message to questions@ortop.org or call 503-821-1136

FIRST Robotics Competition

Whoever said engineers don't live exciting lives? Try telling that to NASA, or a genetic engineer, or even Disneyland. If you don't believe me, ask any one of the 20,000 participants of FIRST from all over the world. FIRST is a high octane, adrenaline pumping competition where you and a team of fellow high school students, coaches, and mentors are given a kit of materials, a set of game rules, and six weeks to design and build radio-controlled robots that will compete in a sports-based competition.

Ages: 9th - 12th Grades
Contact: Visit the Contact Page or call: (503) 715-6365

Oregon Game Project Challenge

Attention all future game developers and problem-solvers! Now you can learn to design an original game using Gamemaker, a fun, free, and easy to use tool that creates amazing, interactive games. Each year, at the end of February, a theme and challenge is announced, and teams of 4 to 7 have until mid-May to design their games and present them at the competition. No experience is necessary.

Ages: 7th - 12th Grades
Contact: Email ogpc@techstart.org or call: 503-228-5440

Willamette–TechStart Programming Contest

High school students from around the state will compete in small teams to solve challenging problems, using only a single computer, their programming skills and their wits to succeed.

Ages: 9th - 12th Grades
Contact: View their contact page

National Contests

Below is a list of some of the other national contests that exist but don't happen to have a major regional event here. Of course, teams from Oregon can compete, but students who are interested in participating will need a teacher &/or mentor to sponsor their team

Team America Rocketry Challenge

Have you ever wanted to say, "as a matter of fact, I am a rocket scientist?" In the Team America Rocketry challenge, you can compete against other high school design teams in building a rocket to go higher and stay up longer than all the others. Teams must be registered by the beginning of December and build and launch a qualifying rocket by April in order to compete at the national level. The top teams split a prize in cash and scholarships, not to mention get the attention of NASA, Boeing, Lockheed Martin and other aerospace corporations.

National Science Decathalon

Teams compete in a variety of events, such as bridge breaking, water rocketry, and Ick (thyology). In order to compete at the national level, teams will need to compete at a regional competition first.

For a more comprehensive list of national competitions, view the Entineering Education Service Center's list of Pre-Engineering Competitions.