Get Ready for a STEM Showdown at the Virginia Regional Science Bowl

  • Students at a table, engaged in a Science Bowl competition with electronic buzzers on the tables.

Turn on your thinking cap as the Department of Energy brings back the National Science Bowl®.

The U.S. Department of Energy’s Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility returns as host for the Virginia Regional Science Bowl. In a day full of high-level competition, middle and high school students will showcase their math and science knowledge for a chance to compete in the DOE National Science Bowl®.

Since 1991, the NSB has aimed to encourage students to pursue a career in the STEM fields. Today, it is widely known as one of the most prestigious science competitions in the country.

This year’s high-level competition will feature teams of four students, one alternate student and a coach. Each team competes in several highly competitive rounds of science and math related questions. Winners of the regional championship will be eligible to compete in the National Finals held in Washington, D.C., with all expenses paid.

The NSB brings together thousands of middle and high school students from across the country to compete in a fast-paced question-and-answer format where they solve technical problems and answer questions on a range of science disciplines including biology, chemistry, Earth and space sciences, physics and math.

“It is important to find ways to make STEM accessible and fun for an inclusive and diverse pool of students across the commonwealth,” said Rhonda Bell, Jefferson Lab science education administrator. “The DOE National Science Bowl® is an incredible opportunity to bring students together in a competitive and fast-paced but fun environment.”

While this event focuses on academics, participants will have the opportunity to network with like-minded peers, participate in various science related activities and visit key landmarks in the nation’s capital.

The high school competition will take place on Feb. 1, 2025, and the middle school competition will take place on March 1, 2025, at Jefferson Lab. Teams must submit their registration before Nov. 25, 2024.

Registration is now open. Only 20 teams will be accepted, so do not wait to sign up. For more information on how to register, visit the links below:

Further Reading

Middle school registration

High school registration

By Xavier Gardner

Contact: Michelle Alvarez, Jefferson Lab Communications Office, malvarez@jlab.org

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Jefferson Science Associates, LLC, manages and operates the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility, or Jefferson Lab, for the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Science. JSA is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Southeastern Universities Research Association, Inc. (SURA).

DOE’s Office of Science is the single largest supporter of basic research in the physical sciences in the United States and is working to address some of the most pressing challenges of our time. For more information, visit https://energy.gov/science