1,500 young student scientists compete at UWM April 6 and 7

MILWAUKEE _ More than 1,500 young scientists will be experimenting, exploring, building and competing at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee during the Wisconsin Science Olympiad Friday and Saturday, April 6 and 7. The Science Olympiad involves middle and high school students from all over the state and runs from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on April 6 and 7:45 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. April 7.

A STEM (Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics) Expo featuring lectures, tours and hands-on activities in campus labs runs from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Friday, with an opening ceremony for the Olympiad at 4 p.m. in the Wisconsin Room of the UWM Student Union, 2200 E. Kenwood Blvd.  The ceremony will feature a visit from owls, turkey vultures, falcons and other raptors, courtesy of the Schlitz Audubon Center.

During the interactive activities and demonstrations on Friday, students will get a chance to speak with college student engineers in Engineers Without Borders (Union 280, 3 p.m.), get involved in metal casting in the UWM Foundry (Engineering and Mathematical Sciences Building, W 365, 1 p.m.) or get in touch with the “ooey-gooey” side of Chemistry (Chemistry Building 284, noon and 2 p.m.).  (A detailed schedule of Friday’s events is available here.)

On Saturday, students will take part in science competitions for each level, starting at 7:45 a.m. and running through 3:30 p.m. An awards ceremony will be follow at the Klotsche Center, 3409 N. Downer Ave.

It is amazing to see all these talented students engage with scientific problems and construct innovative solutions,” said Anja Blecking, assistant professor of chemistry and biochemistry and head of the team organizing the UWM event. “Science Olympiad gives them the opportunity to experience a wide range of STEM activities and practice evidence-based strategies for problem solving.”

Middle school students will compete in events ranging from Crime Busters to Battery Buggy, and high school student teams will compete in scientific categories such as sustainable energy, forensics and herpetology. Events with hovercraft, pingpong parachutes and mousetrap vehicles in the Klotsche Center and Union Ballroom are open to spectators.

Teams will be able to compete in more than 20 events in five major categories. The winning team will be the state champion and will advance to the National Science Olympiad tournament in Ft. Collins, Colo., May 18-19.

For more information, go to the Wisconsin Science Olympiad website or contact Anja Blecking, 414-229-2974 or Blecking@uwm.edu,