Augusta State hosts National Science Olympiad for the first time this summer
George Doss
Issue date: 4/28/09 Section: News
Approximately 5,000 people from around the United States will be gathering at Augusta State University May 14-18 for the 25th annual National Science Olympiad, a competition which brings middle school and high school students from around the country together to compete in multiple scientific events.
William Wellnitz, director of the Georgia Science Olympiad program and professor in the Department of Biology, put in a bid for Augusta State to host the olympiad this year, and was accepted.
"The best way to describe this is that it's an academic track meet," he said. "It's like nothing you've ever seen before."
Teams from almost all 50 states will be competing in two divisions: middle school and high school. Each division will have 23 events which will be represented by 60 schools. Each of the school teams has 15 members; however, not every team member will be in every event.
The events are varied and include everything from simple chemistry and physics to meteorology and engineering.
"They're doing hardcore science," Wellnitz said. "The emphasis here is on thinking. There's even one event where the kids are given 45 minutes to solve a crime."
Donna Hobbs, associate professor of chemistry at Augusta State, is responsible for planning where the events will take place.
"One advantage we have is that we are a smaller campus," she said. "(The olympiad) is typically held at bigger universities, but for us, everything is right here."
The events will use most of Augusta State's buildings, as well as the nearby churches. Not all of them will be used for hosting events; some will be used as bases for the different teams.
"Each team needs a place that is their space," Hobbs said. "There will be people everywhere."
An opening ceremony will be held Friday, May 15 at 6 p.m. at Augusta State. Each of the teams will have people marching dressed up in the spirit of their state, much like the Olympics' opening ceremony. Events will take place Saturday from 7 a.m. until 3:30 p.m., and an awards ceremony will be held that night starting at 6:15.
William Wellnitz, director of the Georgia Science Olympiad program and professor in the Department of Biology, put in a bid for Augusta State to host the olympiad this year, and was accepted.
"The best way to describe this is that it's an academic track meet," he said. "It's like nothing you've ever seen before."
Teams from almost all 50 states will be competing in two divisions: middle school and high school. Each division will have 23 events which will be represented by 60 schools. Each of the school teams has 15 members; however, not every team member will be in every event.
The events are varied and include everything from simple chemistry and physics to meteorology and engineering.
"They're doing hardcore science," Wellnitz said. "The emphasis here is on thinking. There's even one event where the kids are given 45 minutes to solve a crime."
Donna Hobbs, associate professor of chemistry at Augusta State, is responsible for planning where the events will take place.
"One advantage we have is that we are a smaller campus," she said. "(The olympiad) is typically held at bigger universities, but for us, everything is right here."
The events will use most of Augusta State's buildings, as well as the nearby churches. Not all of them will be used for hosting events; some will be used as bases for the different teams.
"Each team needs a place that is their space," Hobbs said. "There will be people everywhere."
An opening ceremony will be held Friday, May 15 at 6 p.m. at Augusta State. Each of the teams will have people marching dressed up in the spirit of their state, much like the Olympics' opening ceremony. Events will take place Saturday from 7 a.m. until 3:30 p.m., and an awards ceremony will be held that night starting at 6:15.
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