Idaho State University physics to host Science Olympics March 23 at Physical Science Building

The Idaho State University Department of Physics will host a regional Science Olympiad on Saturday, March 23, from 8 a.m. to noon in the ISU Physical Science Building.

Seventh- through ninth-grade students from throughout eastern Idaho will represent their schools and communities while competing in teams in a variety of science competitions.

Winning teams will be encouraged to compete in the state competition in Nampa on April 6. The Idaho champion team will be invited to compete in the National Science Olympiad at Indiana University in May. 

The Science Olympiad is a national non-profit organization dedicated to improving the quality of science education, increasing student interest in science, and providing recognition for outstanding achievement by both students and teachers. 

At least a dozen teams from Eagle Rock Middle School, Franklin Middle School, Hawthorne Middle School, Sugar Salem Junior High School and White Pine Charter School will be competing. 

Steve Shropshire, professor in the ISU Department of Physics, and students from the ISU departments of chemistry, geosciences, biology and physics will serve as judges, along with several scientists and engineers from the Idaho National Laboratory. 

Students will compete with mousetrap racers, helicopters and boomilevers. They will also compete in a forensics challenge, test their knowledge of electricity and thermal energy, and compete in several other fun science events.  All events are open to the public. 

The Pocatello Kiwanis Club has provided funds for cash awards to winning schools to support science education, and the Pushy Peddler of Pocatello has donated prizes for winning students.

The ISU Physical Sciences Building is located on the corner of Eighth Avenue and Carter Street on the ISU Pocatello campus.

More information on the Science Olympiad program is available at www.soinc.org. 

For more information on the ISU Science Olympiad, contact Shropshire at shrostev@isu.edu, or 282-2212.

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