UMaine Hosting ‘Nor’Easter Bowl 2012′ Ocean Sciences Competition
The University of Maine is hosting the ’Nor’Easter Bowl 2012 Regional Ocean Sciences Competition , a regional ocean sciences competition on Saturday, Feb. 4 with more than 100 top-achieving math and science high school students from Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont.
From 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the UMaine D.P. Corbett Business Building on the Orono campus, students will compete in a Jeopardy-like Nor’Easter Bowl, answering a range of questions about ocean-related biology, chemistry, geology, geography and social sciences.
The annual event is hosted every third year by the UMaine School of Marine Sciences, and is intended to kindle students interest in marine sciences and in marine science careers. The event also fosters team-based camaraderie and fun with science, and it brings local and national recognition to the competing schools, according to the School of Marine Sciences. In addition, students who compete successfully in regional and national Ocean Sciences Bowl competitions receive thousands of dollars in scholarship funds each year.
Many of the questions require graduate school level knowledge and problem-solving skills. Competition rounds are fast-paced, exciting, and display the amazing knowledge and hard work students have invested to prepare for the event, according to Brenda Zollitsch, a Nor’Easter Bowl 2012 coordinator.
The winning team will be awarded an expense-paid trip to Baltimore, Md. in late April to compete in the National Ocean Sciences Bowl Competition. Second-through-sixth-place winners will receive field trip awards to ocean science laboratories with marine scientists and other prizes.
Maine teams participating include: Ashland Community High School, Belfast High School, Lewiston High School, Morse High School, Poland Regional High School, Sanford High School and Waterville Senior High School.
Contact: Brenda Zollitsch, (207) 240-0398 or bmzconsulting@aol.com George Manlove, (207) 581-3756