Competition related resources for iRA participants and parents
The Regeneron Science Talent Search (STS) is widely known as the most prestigious high school math, science, and engineering competition in the United States. The Regeneron STS attempts to identify potential scientists and future leaders in the scientific fields by evaluating students’ skills, creativity, talent, ability, and originality in scientific research. The STS first identifies 300 Scholar Winners from the pool of approximately 1,900 essay, transcript, and research paper driven entrants. Forty finalists are then chosen to travel to the Science Talent Institute in Washington, D.C. where they compete for scholarship money totaling approximately $1,800,000. Due: Early/Middle November
The Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) is known as the world’s largest and most recognized international science competition for pre-college students. It is sponsored by Regeneron (as of 2020) in conjunction with the Society for Science and the Public. Annually, the fair hosts approximately 1,800 students from more than 80 countries, territories and provinces who present their independent research to distinguished judges. Millions of students must compete through local, regional, or state science fairs to earn the honor of qualifying for the Regeneron ISEF. These young scientists earn the opportunity to travel to an annual host city to compete for more than four million dollars in prizes and scholarships and more than 600 individual and team awards. The world’s top students participate with Board Presentations from around the world as a means to compete for awards and scholarships awarded by over 64 organizations. All students must complete and submit participation forms prior to participation: Regeneron ISEF Rules Documents
The U. S. National BioGENEius Challenge is a competition which initially chooses 45 national finalists from student PowerPoint Presentation Board entries submitted across the nation both via home state participation or "at large" participation to the competition officials. Selected finalists compete and present their research in front of a panel of judges in the annual host city of the BIO International Convention, with the opportunity to continue to the international competition. The top ten winners of the U.S. National BioGENEius Challenge will continue on to the International BioGENEius Challenge during the same convention. Both phases of the competition are held concurrently with the annual BIO International Convention.
Since its inception in 1992, over 11,000 students annually participate in Toshiba’s Exploration competition. Students work in teams where they identify and select a technology, exploring all aspects of it – how it works, when, and why it was invented. The team then imagines and determines how a futuristic (20 years into the future) model of the technology would work. Finally, each team prepares an in-depth report and 5 web page graphics to convey their vision. The top 10% of submissions receive an Honorable Mention Award and six teams in the nation win a Regional Award to then compete for a National Award.
The Lexus Eco Challenge is a life-changing opportunity for teens across the nation to make a difference in the environmental health of planet Earth, one community at a time. Students identify a specific environmental issue via a specific environmental topic that affects their local community. Challenge #1 included a variety of topics dealing with Land/Water issues, from waste management and recycling to water conservation. Challenge #2 incorporated Air/Climate issues, with topics such as fossil fuels sustainability and identifying new sources of renewable energy. The Regional Winners from each challenge receive $10,000 and participate in the Final National Challenge for a prize of $30,000 for the top rated teams.
Project Green Challenge (PGC) is a global call to action for college and high school students to transition from conventional to conscious living. PGC engages youth by uniting them in a commitment to cultivate a healthy and just planet and is composed of 30 sustainability-themed challenges in a 30 day period throughout the month of October. Each challenge delves into a different theme (body, food, labeling, paper, fair trade, energy, etc.) and offers up to four challenge opportunities at varying levels of engagement. Participants receive points based upon completing the challenges and the top 20 daily submissions are awarded prizes. Since its inception in 2011, PGC has given many thousands of powerful, dynamic, passionate young leaders from around the world an opportunity to step up to "be the change" in their own lives, school campuses, and local communities. Runs throughout the month of Oct.
Breakthrough Junior Challenge encourages students to think of fundamental topics in Physics, Life Sciences, Mathematics as an innovative process and explained in a 90-second video. The entries of the competition offer a new perspective, fresh thinking, or an innovative approach to understanding a given topic. This undoubtedly inspires young researchers to develop outstanding explanations towards clarifying difficult to understand topics in a simple and effective format. Due: Late June
