About 400 middle school and high school students from two dozen schools in southwest New Mexico will compete during the Southwest Regional Science Olympiad Competition at Western New Mexico University on Saturday, January 25, 2020.
The defending champions from Socorro High and Socorro’s Cottonwood Valley Charter [Middle] School will be returning to defend their titles.
The Southwest Regional Science Olympiad Competition runs from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Winners will be announced at the awards ceremony in the Fine Arts Center Theatre at 4 p.m.
All of the events are held on campus in the Intramural Gym, Harlan Hall and the Phelps/Dodge-Martinez building.
“The active events in the gym are likely to be the most interesting, and the public is invited to spectate at any of them,” Southwest Regional Science Olympiad Tournament Director Eric Casler said.
The Science Olympiad teams compete in categories such as Earth and Space Science; Physical Science and Chemistry; Technology and Engineering; and Inquiry and Nature of Science. The individual events — 25 percent of which are new or different this year — have names like Gravity Vehicle, Boomilever, Mission Possible, Mousetrap Vehicle, Ping Pong Parachute and Wright Stuff.
“This is part of a nationwide competition. The top teams from this event will progress to the state tournament, and likewise to national,” Casler said.