For release: Jan. 18, 2000
Contacts:
Steve Karsjen, Science Bowl coordinator, (515) 294-5643
Susan Dieterle, Public Affairs, (515) 294-1405
10th annual Ames Lab/ISU Regional Science Bowl will be biggest ever
Teams representing 48 Iowa high schools will compete in daylong event
on ISU campus
AMES, Iowa -- A record number of schools will compete in the 10th annual regional Science
Bowl sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy's Ames Laboratory and Iowa State
University on Jan. 29.
The Ames Lab/ISU Science Bowl begins at 8 a.m. in the ISU Memorial Union. The 48
participating Iowa high schools will each send a team of up to five students to the
fast-paced, daylong competition to answer questions from a broad range of science and math
topics.
The event is one of more than 60 regional Department of Energy competitions throughout the
nation. Regional champions will advance to DOE's National Science Bowl on May 5-8 in Chevy
Chase, Md.
In the past, the Ames Lab/ISU competition was limited to 40 schools. But as an increasing
number of schools expressed interest in the event, organizers decided to add slots for
another eight teams.
"Even though we expanded the competition, we had more schools apply than ever before
and so we still had to place several on the waiting list," said Steve Karsjen,
coordinator of the Ames Lab/ISU Science Bowl. "Science Bowl has proved to be a
top-notch academic competition over the years, and the schools in Iowa are eager to
participate."
The competing students answer questions from categories such as astronomy, biology,
physics, chemistry, computer science, earth science, general science and current events in
the scientific and technical community. The 16 teams that fare the best in the morning
rounds advance to the double-elimination competition in the afternoon.
Approximately 90 faculty and staff members from Ames Laboratory and ISU will serve as
moderators, judges, timekeepers and scorekeepers during the event.
"Many of our volunteers work at Science Bowl year after year because they enjoy
interacting with these high school students and seeing how well they understand
science," Karsjen said. "We enjoy the opportunity to reward the
students for their academic skills."
Since the inception of the DOE Science Bowl in 1991, more than 60,000 students have
participated in the regional and national competitions.
High schools participating in the 2000 Ames Lab/ISU Science Bowl are (in alphabetical
order):
1. Ames
2. Ankeny
3. Bellevue
4. Bishop Heelan, Sioux City
5. Boone
6. Burlington
7. Cascade
8. Cedar Falls
9. Chariton
10. Clarion-Goldfield, Clarion
11. Clear Lake
12. Clinton
13. Corwith-Wesley-LuVerne, Corwith
14. Dallas Center-Grimes, Dallas Center
15. Davenport Assumption
16. Davenport West
17. Des Moines Central Academy
18. Dowling, West Des Moines
19. East Union Community, Afton
20. Fort Dodge
21. Hempstead, Dubuque
22. Hull Western Christian, Hull
23. Humboldt
24. Iowa City West
25. Kennedy, Cedar Rapids
26. Manson-Northwest Webster, Manson
27. Mason City
28. Mount Pleasant
29. Newton
30. North Scott, Eldridge
31. Northwood-Kensett, Northwood
32. Ogden
33. Ottumwa
34. Pella
35. Regina, Iowa City
36. St. Ansgar
37. Saydel, Des Moines
38. Sioux City East
39. South O'Brien, Paullina
40. Southeast Polk, Runnells
41. Tipton
42. Unity Christian, Orange City
43. Wahlert, Dubuque
44. Washington, Cedar Rapids
45. Washington, Vinton
46. Washington
47. Waverly-Shell Rock, Waverly
48. Western Dubuque, Epworth
Schedule of events for the Ames Lab/ISU Science Bowl (all events take place in the
Memorial Union):
8 a.m. -- Registration (Great Hall)
8:15 a.m. -- Welcoming remarks from Ames Laboratory Director Tom Barton (Great Hall)
8:30 a.m.-noon -- Round-robin competition (various rooms)
Noon-1 p.m. -- Lunch break
1-4:30 p.m. -- Double-elimination competition for the top 16 teams (various rooms)
4:30-5:30 p.m. -- Championship match and awards ceremony (Sun Room)
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Last updated: 1/14/2000