TORONTO, May 3, 2006 – More than 1,000 high school students from 65 schools across Ontario will vie for scientific gold at York University’s Engineering & Science Olympics on Friday, May 5, 2006.
The games will take place on York’s Keele campus from 8:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
“It’s a fantastic way to get high school students thinking about a career in science,” says event organizer Keith Aldridge, Professor of Geophysics in York’s Faculty of Science and Engineering. “They really look forward to this throughout the year. It’s a great opportunity for them to have some fun and enjoy some good old fashioned rivalry while putting their scientific skills to work.”
The games feature six events, designed by professors in the faculty. “We’ve created some challenges this year with sustainability in mind,” says Aldridge. “The environment, particularly energy conservation and alternative sources, is certainly on many people’s minds.”
One event, dubbed “future fuel,” will require teams to develop a formula to maximize the production of ethanol, a green energy source.
Teams will also be challenged to boil water for tea without using one single kilowatt of electricity – in other words, by mechanical means only. “And the tea has to be drinkable,” Aldridge adds.
Gold, silver and bronze prizes will be awarded for each event, and a trophy will be presented to the overall winning school. A school may enter only one team for each event.
Aldridge says that students enjoy the objectivity of the judging criteria and the chance to take science out of the classroom and into a laboratory setting.
“They get one shot, just like in the real world,” he says.
Overview of events:
Fermi Questions: Teams give approximate answers to questions such as, “how many roofing shingles are replaced annually in Canada?”
Future Fuel: Teams will develop a mixture of ingredients and organisms that maximizes BioFuel (ethanol) production, to be tested during a three-hour fermentation at room temperature.
Planet Rover: Teams will build a car designed to travel as far as possible using a single elastic band.
Tea Making: Teams heat a cup of water by mechanical means only and use it to make tea. Tea must be drinkable.
Water Rocket: Teams will design a water-powered rocket for maximum range of flight.
York Lander: Students will design and build a small lander. An egg inside the lander must be protected from the impact arising from the lander being hurled from a predetermined height.
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Media contact:
Melissa Hughes, Media Relations, York University, 416-736-2100, ext. 22097 or mehughes@yorku.ca
