Do you love a good challenge that combines problem-solving with scientific knowledge?

If so, then chemistry competitions might be the perfect way for you to dive deeper into your passion and showcase your talent!

Some of these competitions also have significant prizes and recognition for those who succeed.

United Stated National Chemistry Olympiad (USNCO) The US National Chemistry Olympiad (USNCO) is a prestigious competition for high school students in the United States.

It's a challenging but rewarding opportunity to test your knowledge and problem-solving skills in chemistry.

Performing well on this competition can lead to participation in the International Chemistry Olympiad.

Competition Format: The USNCO has two levels: Local and National.

The local exam typically consists of multiple-choice questions.

Top scorers on the local exam qualify for the national level, which involves multiple-choice and free-response questions.

Topics Covered: The USNCO covers a wide range of chemistry topics, including: General chemistry Stoichiometry Acids and bases Chemical equilibrium Kinetics Thermodynamics Organic chemistry Analytical chemistry How to Prepare: Solid Foundation: Make sure you have a strong understanding of the basics covered in your high school chemistry classes.

Practice with Past Exams: Look for past USNCO exams online (a search for "USNCO past exams" should get you there).

Working through these will familiarize you with the question format and difficulty level.

Deepen Your Knowledge: Explore resources beyond your class curriculum.

Textbooks aimed at AP Chemistry or college freshman chemistry can provide additional depth.

Develop Problem-Solving Skills: Focus on not just memorizing facts, but also understanding the underlying concepts and how to apply them to solve problems.

ChemiCO ChemiCO is an international chemistry competition that lets you test your skills against high school students from around the world!

It is an olympiad-style competition that is held online.

Master the Essentials: Review your high school chemistry curriculum, focusing on topics like: Stoichiometry and chemical calculations The periodic table, atomic structure, and bonding Chemical reactions and equations Basics of laboratory practices Sharpen Your Skills: Practice makes perfect: Look for online resources with practice problems or sample ChemiCO questions (a search for "ChemiCO practice problems" should get you there).

Think deeper: Don't just memorize facts.

Try to understand the concepts behind them and how to apply them to solve problems.

Chemagination Chemagination is an competition designed to spark your creativity and explore the future of chemistry!

Unlike exam-based competitions, you will be judged primarily on your writing ability.

Understand the Challenge: Chemagination asks you to imagine yourself as a scientist 25 years in the future.

You'll write an article for a student magazine, ChemMatters, describing a groundbreaking chemical discovery that improves people's lives.

The discovery can fit into one of four categories: Alternative Energy, Environment, Medicine/Health, or New Materials.

Brainstorming and Research: Dive into the chosen category and brainstorm real-world challenges it can address.

Research current scientific advancements in that field.

What are scientists working on today that could lead to future breakthroughs?

Explore online resources, science magazines, and reputable news sites.

Crafting Your Innovation: Get creative!

Imagine a future invention or process based on your research.

Focus on the positive impact it has on society.

How does it make people's lives better, healthier, or more sustainable?

Developing Your Article: Write a clear and engaging article for ChemMatters, explaining your discovery in a way that high school students can understand.

Avoid overly technical jargon.

Highlight the chemistry behind your invention.

How do the properties of elements and compounds make your idea work?

Don't forget to design a cool and informative cover for ChemMatters to grab readers' attention!

Tips for Success: Read past Chemagination entries: This will give you a sense of what judges look for in a winning entry.

You can find examples on the American Chemical Society (ACS) website or by searching online.

Team Up: Consider collaborating with a classmate to brainstorm ideas and get feedback on your writing.

Make sure that your work is your own, however.

Practice Makes Perfect: Write multiple drafts of your article, refining your ideas and explaining your concepts clearly.

National You Be The Chemist Challenge Know the Challenge: It's for teams of 3-4 students in grades 5

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8. There are two parts: a test and a video project.

The test covers chemistry concepts you learn in school.

The video project lets you explore a sustainability challenge and propose a solution using chemistry.

Sharpen Your Skills: Review your class materials on chemistry concepts.

Focus on understanding, not just memorizing.

Practice answering multiple-choice and short-answer questions like those used in the Challenge (search for "You Be The Chemist Challenge practice questions").

Explore and Brainstorm: Think about real-world chemistry challenges related to sustainability, like clean water or alternative energy.

Research these topics and brainstorm solutions that involve chemistry concepts you've learned.

Get Creative: Plan your video project.

How will you explain the challenge and your solution in a clear and engaging way?

You can use skits, experiments, or animations (check the Challenge website for video guidelines).

Practice Makes Perfect: Work with your team on the test and video project.

Take practice tests together to identify areas for improvement.

Refine your video based on feedback from classmates or teachers (if allowed by the Challenge rules).

Challenge Resources: The You Be The Chemist Challenge website (https://www. chemed. org/programs/challenge/) has practice materials, rules, and information about the video project.

Search for "You Be The Chemist Challenge" success stories or past winning videos for inspiration.

ISC3 Innovation Challenge The ISC3 Innovation Challenge is an annual competition that focuses on sustainable solutions in chemistry.

The most recent theme is Sustainable Chemistry and Textiles.

The competition is open to innovators around the world who want to develop new ideas to make the textile industry more eco-friendly.

They are looking for ideas that could reduce the environmental impact of things like dyeing clothes or treating fabrics.

Brainstorming Ideas: Think broadly about sustainable practices in textiles.

How can we reduce environmental impact?

Consider chemical use in various stages of textile production: dyeing, finishing, etc.

Is there a way to replace harmful chemicals with more sustainable alternatives?

Explore innovations like bio-based dyes or water-saving processes.

In a future year, adapt this thought process to the topic of the competition Developing Your Solution: Once you have an idea, research the feasibility and potential impact.

Focus on the environmental benefits of your solution.

Clearly explain how your innovation addresses the challenge set by ISC

3. Crafting a Winning Application: The ISC3 website outlines the application process and judging criteria.

Pay close attention to the submission guidelines to ensure a complete application.

Tailor your application to highlight the uniqueness and impact of your solution.

Conclusions If you read this far, you are definitely interested in pursuing more STEM competitions throughout your high school career.

I would recommend that you learn about other options through Rishab’s Ultimate STEM Student Guide, which is available to anyone completely for free.

It has 50+ competitions for you to consider.

About Eashan Iyer: I am a founding member of The Qurios Institute (the company that runs this blog) and an incoming student at Brown University.

In 2023, I co-authored a research paper in the field of theoretical physics.

I am also an Eagle Scout and a senior at The Academy for Mathematics, Science, and Engineering in Rockaway, NJ.

Learn more about me at my website and LinkedIn.