The Science Olympiad events, happening this weekend in Bryan, are a unique opportunity for students to showcase their skills and knowledge in science, engineering, and technology. On Friday, open to the public, build/design-themed events will take place at the Brazos County Expo Complex from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. The competition is aimed at improving the quality of science education in schools and testing students’ problem-solving skills and teamwork abilities.
On Saturday, laboratory and knowledge-based competitions will be held on the Texas A&M campus but are restricted to participants only. Each competing school can enter one team of 15 students in either Division B (grades 6-9) or Division C (grades 9-12). Students will showcase their skills by constructing the longest-flying gliders, tallest towers, most efficient boom and battery-powered cars, launching indoor bottle rockets, detecting diseases, and discerning potions and poisons. Over 200 Texas A&M and Blinn College faculty, staff, and students along with local coordinators from the Brazos Valley will be present to set up and judge the 56 events of the competition. Additionally, organizers and judges from NASA as well as business and industrial representatives from Houston and Austin communities are volunteering their expertise.
The competition concludes with an awards ceremony on Saturday evening at 6:30 p.m., in Texas A&M’s Rudder Auditorium where winners will be recognized for their hard work and dedication towards science education.