Google Science Fair 2012

Idén is megrendezésre kerül a 13-18 éves korosztálynak a Google tudományos versenye, ahol a diákok megmutathatják milyen tudományos kérdések foglalkoztatják őket.  Díjak? Pazar…Utazás a Galapagos szigetekre, ösztöndíj…stb.

Have you asked a question today? What did you do with it? Did it take you somewhere new? Did it bring you here? The Google Science Fair is an online science competition seeking curious minds from the four corners of the globe. Anybody and everybody between 13 and 18 can enter. All you need is an idea. Geniuses are not always A-grade students. We welcome all mavericks, square-pegs and everybody who likes to ask questions. Simply upload your project here to win some life changing prizes.

Everyone has a question. What’s yours?

How do I get started? All entries must be submitted by 1 April 2012. Get up and running by registering today.

Prizes

Life-changing prizes: A world-class science fair calls for world-class prizes. They include once-in-a-lifetime experiences like a scientific trip to the Galapagos Islands with National Geographic Explorer, unique scholarships and real-life work opportunities in iconic science centers of excellence like CERN in Switzerland.

New Science in Action prize: There’s also a special Science in Action prize, sponsored by Scientific American. This is a special judges’ award for projects that champion scientific projects that make a practical difference in the lives of a group or community.

Life-changing prizes: Well, a world-class science fair calls for world-class prizes. They include once-in-a-lifetime experiences like a scientific trip to the Galapagos Islands with National Geographic Expeditions, unique scholarships and real-life work opportunities in iconic science centers of excellence like CERN in Switzerland.

NEW Science in Action prize: This year there will also be a special Science in Action prize sponsored by Scientific American which will be awarded to a project that addresses a social, environmental, ethical, health or welfare issue to make a practical difference to the lives of a group or community.

So why not get started?

The Grand Prize

A National Geographic Expedition: The grand prize winner along with one parent or guardian will have the chance to visit the Galápagos Archipelago, Darwin’s living laboratory, and the home to an abundance of wildlife. Isolated from the mainland for millions of years, this rare wilderness provides opportunities to walk among colonies of animals and snorkel amid shimmering fish. The winner, along with one parent or guardian will travel aboard the National Geographic Endeavour and will have the opportunity to experience up close encounters with unique species such as flightless cormorants, blue footed boobies, and domed giant tortoises. This ten day excursion is filled with pristine National Geographic experiences that range from kayaking among secluded coves where sea lions frolic in the shallows, to skimming the water in a nimble Zodiac to spot the unusual mola mola fish.

Google will cover the cost of flights for the winner plus one parent or guardian to the Galapagos. This prize is valid for one year from winning the prize.

The Grand Prize winner will also receive:

A scholarship from Google: The Google scholarship is worth $50,000 and is intended to be used towards the Grand Prize winner’s further education costs. If the Grand Prize is won by a team, the value of the scholarship will be split equally between team members.

A once-in-a-lifetime experience:  The Grand Prize winner will have first choice of a hands-on experience at one of the following partner organizations: LEGO | CERN | GOOGLE

A personalised LEGO prize: A personal LEGO colour mosaic (one for each team member, to build her/himself) and 1 set of LEGO MINDSTORMS signed by the design team of LEGO MINDSTORMS, the CEO and the owner of LEGO.

Digital Access to Scientific American archives for your School

The winner’s school will enjoy digital access for one year, commencing in July 2012.

Finalist Winner Prizes

A Scholarship from Google: A scholarship worth $25,000, intended to be used towards each finalist’s further education costs. To be split equally between team members should a team win.

A once-in-a-lifetime experience: The Finalists will have second and third choice by random selection of one of the remaining experiences at one of the following partner organizations: LEGO | CERN | GOOGLE

A personalized LEGO Prize: A personal LEGO colour mosaic (one for each team member, to build her/himself) and 1 personal, exclusive LEGO box – specially made for the occasion.

Google Chromebooks for your classroom

Google will donate 1 Chromebook classroom kit to the winner’s school. Each kit includes:

• 30 Chromebooks
• 1 Chromebook Charging Cart
• 1 Google Cloud Print Printer

Digital access to Scientific American archives for winner’s school. The finalists’ schools will enjoy digital access for one year, commencing in July 2012.

NEW Science in Action Prize: Scientific American will be providing $50,000 USD in funding and a year’s mentoring to the winner of the special Science in Action prize. This is to assist the winner to further their research and possibly to develop the project. The winner, along with one parent or guardian will also join the 15 finalists in Mountain View, California to present their project to the judges and receive the award.

All 15 Finalists will also receive:

A LEGO Goodie Bag including:

• A LEGO MINDSTORMS set
• 2 LEGO TECHNIC sets (the 2 largest sets in the 2012 portfolio)

A Google Goodie Bag including an Android phone

A subscription to Scientific American magazine for 12 months

Prize experiences

All prize experiences include return airfare and accommodation for up to 2 nights, depending on the experience.

LEGO will offer the Grand Prize or Finalist winner(s) (plus a guardian if necessary) a 2 day trip to the LEGO HQ in Billund, Denmark. The trip will include a behind the scenes tour of the LEGO factory where the winner(s) will have the opportunity to see how LEGO bricks are produced and to spend time with the LEGO Mindstorm design team to understand how LEGO Mindstorms are developed. There will also be a visit to LEGOland Denmark and a sightseeing tour of the surroundings of Billund. This experience is valid for one year from winning the prize.

CERN, working with Fermilab, will offer the Grand Prize or Finalist winner(s) (plus guardian if necessary) the opportunity to spend up to a week living the life of a particle physicist working at the high-energy frontier, taking in two of the world’s leading particle physics research centres. The experience will begin at Fermilab, where the winner(s) will meet a scientist mentor working on the Large Hadron Collider at CERN. While at Fermilab, they will have the opportunity to run shifts in Fermilab’s remote operations centre for the CMS experiment at CERN. The winners will then transfer to CERN, accompanied by their mentor, where they will play an active role in the experiment’s control room. This experience is valid for one year from winning the prize.

Google will offer the Grand Prize or Finalist winner(s) (plus a guardian if necessary) the opportunity to spend three days at the Google research site in Zurich where they will be able to take part in a tour, workshops and get involved in some hands-on work. This experience is valid for one year from winning the prize.

*If Google is unable to ship Chromebooks to your country of residence, Google reserves the right the provide a prize of similar average retail value.

The categories: There will be 90 regional finalists who will each receive a Google Chromebook*. 15 finalists, selected from these regional finalists, will be flown to Mountain View California for a chance to compete to become a finalist winner in their age category:

• 13-14
• 15-16
• 17-18

One of the 3 finalists winners will be selected as the Grand Prize winner.

Judges

The Google Science Fair judging panel is an international team of scientific experts from a wide range of fields – from biology, physics and chemistry to computer science.

Everyone has a question. What’s yours?

It could be a new take on particle physics, or game theory. It could be a cost-effective way to provide clean water to a remote community, or maybe a project like reducing the carcinogenic properties of grilled chicken (that was one of last year’s winning entries). It should definitely be inspired.

You might already have the beginnings of an idea. Or just be hungry to get involved. Either way, you have until 1 April 2012 to work on identifying your question and building your project.

Get started right now by registering and securing parental consent.

 WEB: http://www.google.com/events/sciencefair/index.html