The Blog

ASHG is proud to support National DNA Day through the Annual DNA Day Essay Contest. DNA Day commemorates the completion of the Human Genome Project in April 2003 and the discovery of the double helix of DNA in 1953. This contest is open to students in grades 9-12 worldwide and asks students to examine, question, and reflect on important concepts …

What’s new in the 2021 USABO? Welcome to the 2021 USABO competition! The 2021 changes reflect the continued development and recognition of USABO where students who are passionate about biology find like-minded colleagues in the USA and abroad. 2021 USABO Changes Exams All exams will be online at one time and on one day administered by the Art of Problem …

Do you ever wonder what determines intelligence? How male and female brains differ? Why we need sleep? Join the Arizona Regional Brain Bee competition and test your knowledge of the brain against other high school students.  The Brain Bee will take place virtually on Wednesday, March 3. It begins at 5:00 PM and will include semifinal and final rounds. High …

Theme: CONNECTIONS DEADLINE: December 24th, 2020 at 11:59 PM EST Requirements There is no rubric. We just want you to think outside the box! Incorperate the theme of “Connections” in any way you interpret it. Be Creative! A single page PDF document (portrait, NOT landscape) of normal dimensions (8.5″ by 11″) Include a 2-4 sentence caption tying your work to the …

To all high-school students interested in research in the life sciences: We are accepting applications to the School of Molecular and Theoretical Biology 2021. At the school, students will have a unique opportunity to work on authentic research projects with real scientists. Due to the current pandemic situation, we are not sure if SMTB-2021 is possible offline or is going to …

On September 22, 2020 the Center for Excellence in Education (CEE) hosted an outreach webinar which can be accessed below. This informed participants on CEE Programs, including the USA Biolympiad. As the premiere biology competition for high school students in the United States, the USA Biolympiad (USABO) enriches the life science education of nearly 10,000 talented students annually. It provides …

The Original Species (TOS) is hosting the Biology Bowl on August 8th via Zoom. This competition will be a 32 round, double elimination, Quiz Bowl-styled competition modeled after the National Science Bowl and includes a $50 USD prize for the champion team. The competition will only test Biology topics and will range in difficulty from AP-level to USABO-level based off …

IMDO, the International Medicine Olympiad, is an international biology competition that strives to bring together the best high school biology students from around the world for a friendly but intense competition in the spirit of the Olympic Games. IMDO tests competitors’ knowledge in medicine-related fields of biology, namely molecular and cell biology and human physiology, as well as human disease. …

The Neuroethics Essay Contest aims to promote interest in neuroethics among students and trainees early in their academic careers. The contest is held annually and is open to any student in high school or secondary school, any post-secondary student, and any postdoctoral fellow or similar early-career trainee. The contest is organized by the members of the INS Student/Postdoc Committee and leadership from the International Youth …

In light of the current worldwide COVID-19 pandemic, one of our options was to cancel IBO2020 and take no further actions. However, as an alternative plan, the IBO2020 Organizing Committee would like to introduce a remotely-conducted competition where we can still provide selected students with opportunities to showcase their abilities and encounter new aspects of biology. However, since we cannot …

The International Neuroethics Society (INS) and the International Youth Neuroscience Association (IYNA) are pleased to announce a call for submissions for the Neuroethics Essay Contest in 2020. Now in its seventh year, the contest aims to promote interest in neuroethics among students and trainees around the world. Essays must be submitted by July 10. More information on requirements can be found at https://www.neuroethicssociety.org/essay-call. …

Due to the rapidly evolving situation with COVID-19, the 2020 IBB World Championship has been postponed indefinitely. Please check the official website for additional updates.

Official Statement from the IBO2020 Organizing Committee:Regarding the Status of the Event March 26th, 2020 The 31st International Biology Olympiad 2020 NagasakiOrganizing Committee2-1 Kitanomaru-koen, ChiyodaTokyo 102-0091 JAPAN Dear IBO Community:  Thank you for your support and patience through the uncertainty and challenges that COVID-19 has caused IBO2020. After a series of discussions following the official postponement of the Tokyo 2020 …