Real World Design Challenge
Posted on June 25th, 2012 by Mary Lord
Registration has opened for the 2012-2013 Real World Design Challenge (RWDC), an annual national competition in which teams of high school students in grades 9 to 12 work on real-world engineering challenges. Participating teachers receive $1 million in professional engineering software, plus training, curriculum materials, and access to mentors.
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Tags: Competitions for Students, Contest, Grades 9-12, Real World Design Challenge
The Potato Chip Challenge from Wondergy is a nationwide K-12 engineering challenge that has students designing a package to protect a potato chip being sent through the mail. In order to win, the crunchy snack food must arrive at its destination intact and undamaged.
Angela Zhang, a high school student from Cupertino, Calif., won the 2011 Siemens Competition and a $100,000 scholarship for research that created a tiny particle she likened to a “Swiss army knife of cancer treatments” because of its precision in targeting cancer tumors. She was one of six individuals and six teams competing in this year’s annual Siemens Foundation high school science competition. The final judging took place over the weekend in Washington, D.C. with winners announced December 4. Washington, D.C.
Registration is now open for eCYBERMISSION, the U.S. Army’s free, web-based STEM competition for students in grades 6 to 9. Now in its 10th year, the competition seeks to foster student innovation, creativity, and interest in studying and pursuing STEM fields. Winners can get up to $8,000 in U.S. EE Savings Bonds. Registration for teams closes December 16, 2011.
This annual Spirit of Innovation Challenge from the Conrad Foundation invites high school student teams to use STEM skills to develop the products of tomorrow. Along the way, coaches, world-renowned scientists, engineers and entrepreneurs act as mentors to help turn their ideas into a reality.
Move aside, cute kitties and other viral video hits. A new NASA contest could turn science into the next YouTube sensation. Space Lab, the competition announced by YouTube and computer manufacturer Lenovo on Monday, offers students the chance to make video pitches for experiments to perform in the International Space Station’s zero-gravity environment. 
The Office of Naval Research provides several different outreach programs for students at different grade levels. The programs, which include competitions and afterschool engagement, range in size and mission.
The Biomimicry Youth Design Challenge is a contest for K-12 students to learn about biomimicry — design inspired by nature — and use it to create something new. Sponsored by the nonprofit Biomimicry Institute, the contest is open to students at three different levels: K-4 (submissions made by the whole class); 5-8; and 9-12. Prizes will be awarded in all three categories.
NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory recently announced the new Fall 2011 Cassini Scientist for a Day essay contest for students in grades 5-12. Winners are invited to a teleconference with Cassini scientists and engineers from the lab. The contest deadline is Oct. 26, 2011.
