Tobia, so only groups of two to four students can enter, not individuals. "And we encourage a diversity of expertise among the team members," she says. An entry consists of an essay up to 12 pages long describing a community problem, some history and measures already taken to address it, a detailed description of the science-based solution, and a discussion of possible positive and negative consequences of the proposed fix.

Arthur Eisenkraft, a physics teacher and science coordinator at Fox Lane High School in Bedford, N.Y., will supervise the judging. As a teacher, Eisenkraft says, he values science competitions because they challenge and stimulate students. "Also, we need to add some glamour to the pursuit of academic efforts," he says. "A competition like this one is a way to showcase students, to make heroes of them in their schools and in the media for their academic accomplishments, the same way...

Interested in reading more?

Become a Member of

Receive full access to digital editions of The Scientist, as well as TS Digest, feature stories, more than 35 years of archives, and much more!
Already a member?