Plate Tectonics, Earthquakes on the Agenda for All Science Challenge

Grade 6 and 7 students from across the lower mainland are poised to compete against each other in an intense one-day science knowledge competition held at UBC’s Vancouver campus on Friday, May 13.

Hosted by UBC Science students, the All Science Challenge is an exciting, fun-filled day of competition and camaraderie that's part of the nationwide Let’s Talk Science Outreach program.

“The All Science Challenge at UBC as become a highly anticipated annual event by both competitors and event organizers,” says Jennifer Choo, the Let's Talk Science coordinator at UBC.

"For the potential budding scientists who participate, they are guaranteed to have some fun while fine tuning their study skills and engaging in a bit of scientific self-discovery. As for the organizing team of Let's Talk Science volunteers at UBC, we just have a blast!"

In the morning, teams will battle it out to win the most points in an exciting quiz show that tests their knowledge in a number of science fields, such as earth sciences, engineering, biology, chemistry and physics.

Students will then get to participate in a presentation by UBC Earthquake Engineering Research Institute Student Chapter on plate tectonics, the effects of earthquakes on buildings and bridges and the role of engineers in building earthquake-proof structures.

Later in the afternoon, the teams will compete in a top secret hands-on design activity, where they are challenged to build an object with only the materials supplied to them. During past All Science Challenges, students were tasked with building a bridge capable of holding a bottle full of water with only plastic cups, post-it notes and duct tape.

After the design challenge, the All Science Challenge Champions will be announced.

"Participating in the Challenge hopefully plants that initial seed of curiosity, which leads to a continued interests in science," says Choo.

The All Science Challenge was developed in 2004 by Let's Talk Science Outreach volunteers at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, and is currently being held at 19 universities across Canada this year. Shaw Cablesystems, 3M, Honda Canada Foundation, Canada Foundation for Innovation and the BC Year of Science are supporters of this year's competition at UBC.