The Department of Mathematical Sciences at Indiana State University will host the 25th annual Middle School National Science Bowl Regional Competition on Saturday, February 7, from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. in Root Hall on the campus of Indiana State.
The all-day academic competition will welcome 10-12 middle schools from Indiana, Ohio, and Michigan, with approximately 12-14 teams of four to five students. The event typically draws 150-200 people to campus.
The College of Arts and Sciences’ Department of Mathematical Sciences has hosted the Science Bowl since 2001.
“For 25 years, the College of Arts and Sciences has been proud to support the National Science Bowl and the students who bring their curiosity, teamwork, and passion for science to our campus,” said Melinda Roberts, Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. “This event reflects our commitment to STEM education, community engagement, and inspiring the next generation of scientists and problem-solvers.”
The event is coordinated by Mr. Derrick Bowman and Dr. Jeff Kinne with support from approximately 50 volunteers from across Indiana State’s STEM departments, including faculty, graduate students, and undergraduate students.
“We see this as both a great community event and also a program outreach tool,” said Indiana State University Senior Mathematics Instructor Derrick Bowman. “Many of the kids who competed ended up attending Indiana State. A few volunteers this year competed as middle schoolers eight years ago.”
The competition follows a round-robin, double-elimination format and runs throughout the day. Past regional participants have achieved national success, including local Honey Creek Middle School, which won the National Science Bowl championship twice.
The National Science Bowl, created by the U.S. Department of Energy in 1991, is one of the nation’s largest academic competitions, engaging more than 350,000 students nationwide over its 35-year history.
Members of the media are invited to attend, with interviews available throughout the day. Please RSVP to Jen Thompson (Jen.Thompson@indstate.edu), College of Arts and Sciences Marketing & PR Coordinator, to coordinate coverage.
For more information on the Science Bowl at Indiana State and past winners, visit https://cs.indstate.edu/web/index.php/Science_Bowl.