Techno Science Supersite: Contests
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
- Super Science Fair Projects Ideas, Topics & Experiments
- Science Fair Central
- The Exploratorium
- Science Buddies
- Scifair.org
- Science Project Ideas
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
Math Counts
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: 7th & 8th Grade
Contact: Email info@mathcounts.org or call: (541) 885-1815
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
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.
Upcoming Events
February 6, 2010 FIRST Tech Challenge Regional Qualifier at OMSI
Don't miss the action when high school robotics teams converge on OMSI for a day of mechanical madness at the FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) regional competition, Hot Shot! Get an up-close look as two teams of robots race to move 9'' plastic balls into different goals around the playing field. Admission to the event is free, but it does not include admission to OMSI.
February 13, 2010 FIRST Tech Challenge Regional Qualifier at Oregon State University
Don't miss the action when high school robotics teams converge at OSU for a day of mechanical madness at the FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) regional competition, Hot Shot! Get an up-close look as two teams of robots race to move 9'' plastic balls into different goals around the playing field.
February 15th, 2010 Sizzlin' Science Day
Spend Presidents Day at A.C. Gilbert's Discovery Village, investigating science and celebrating A.C. Gilbert's birthday! The Village will be full of intriguing experiments and amazing demonstrations, all free with admission!
February 27, 2010 Oregon FIRST Tech Championship Practice/Inspection Day
FTC teams who are participating in the state competition on Sunday, the 28th, must have their robots inspected. This will also be a great opportunity to practice with their robots.
February 28, 2010 Oregon FIRST Tech Championship
The public is invited to attend the 2009 FTC state championship competition at South Meadows Middle School in Hillsboro, Oregon to witness the best in Oregon compete in this year's challenge: Hot Shot! Get an up-close look as two teams of robots race to move 9-inch plastic balls into different goals around the playing field.

