High School Robotics Competition

The PghTech Women advisory board is looking for high school girls who are gifted in mechanics or mathematics and who are interested in participating in a robotics competition to be held at the Petersen Events Center in March 2011. Working with acclaimed industry experts and several CMU students, the girls will build a robot at the Field Robotics Center on campus beginning the second week in January. Interested students should download an application online. Email girls-first@ri.cmu.edu with any questions. Apply now.

These brainy battles allow you to flex your thinking caps rather than your muscles. With competitions for middle and high school students, these contests make great extra credit opportunities and enrichment activities to supplement your classroom curricula. Call 412.237.3400 for more info about these special Carnegie Science Center offerings.

Choose from the following:

Chain Reaction Contraption Contest
Powered by Westinghouse Electric Company
This spirited competition fosters an interest in engineering by challenging students to create a machine that will accomplish a simple task by using a series of steps. Past challenges have been to tie a shoe and wrap or unwrap a present in 20 steps or more. The Chain Reaction Contraption Contest can be a great senior project or a unique way to learn and win fabulous awards like behind-the-scenes tours of some of Pittsburgh’s most interesting places. Go to ChainReactionContest.org for more info and to find out this year’s task, or call 412.237.1534. For grades 9–12.

Registration deadline: October 4, 2010
Orientation: September 22, 2010
Competition: December 10, 2010

Future City Competition
Carnegie Science Center is your host for the National Engineers Week Future City Competition, an innovative, hands-on program for 6th, 7th, and 8th grade students. In teams of three, students work under the guidance of engineer mentors and teacher sponsors to create a “City of the Future” by using award-winning SimCity™ software. Students build a scale model of their city, write an essay on an engineering-related topic, and present their creation in the local competition. Winners move on to compete in the national finals in Washington, D.C. Go to FutureCityPittsburgh.org to find out more, or call 412.237.1640. For grades 6–8.

Registration Deadline: October 15, 2010
Date: January 22, 2011, Carnegie Music Hall

C.A.U.S.E. Challenge™ High School Film Festival
Flex your filmmaking muscles, and explore the world of environmental science as you compete for cash and prizes. Working individually or in teams of up to four, students write, produce, and edit a video or film on the theme “Mutual Impact: The Environment and You.” Films are judged by an independent panel of scientists, environmentalists, and filmmakers based on their message, creativity, relevance to the southwestern Pennsylvania region, use of available technology, and accuracy. Presented with Bayer Corporation and Pittsburgh Filmmakers, Call 412.237.1821 for more info. For grades 9–12.

Submission deadline: TBD
Awards Ceremony: TBD

Pittsburgh Regional Science & Engineering Fair
Since it began in 1940, more than 40,000 middle and high school students from 28 counties in western Pennsylvania,West Virginia, and Maryland have competed in the annual Pittsburgh Regional Science & Engineering Fair. Each year, hundreds of students take on the challenge of designing, implementing, and communicating about an original experiment. Students present their research on poster boards, discuss their findings with judges, and compete for more than $20,000 in cash prizes and nearly $1 million in college scholarships. Go to PittsburghScienceFair.org, or call 412.237.1534 for more info. You can also email KosickL@CarnegieScienceCenter.org. For grades 6 and up.

School registration deadline: November 15, 2010
Student registration deadline: February 12, 2011
Competition: April 1–2, 2011, at Heinz Field