Ryan Chester, 2015 Breakthrough Junior Challenge winner. (Photo : Breakthrough Prize Foundation )
The Breakthrough Junior Challenge, a global student science and mathematics competition designed to inspire creative thinking about fundamental concepts in the life sciences, physics or mathematics, has been launched and is now accepting original science video submissions through Oct. 10.
The Breakthrough Prize Foundation announced the launch of the second edition of this event open to young people around the world.
Breakthrough Junior Challenge is funded by Mark Zuckerberg; his wife, Dr. Priscilla Chan, and Yuri and Julia Milner, through the Breakthrough Prize Foundation. The prize is based on a grant from Zuckerberg's fund at the Silicon Valley Community Foundation and a grant from Milner Global Foundation.
Breakthrough Junior Challenge is a global initiative to develop and demonstrate young people's knowledge of science and scientific principles; generate excitement in these fields; support STEM career choices and engage the imagination and interest of the public-at-large in key concepts of fundamental science.
"The Breakthrough Junior Challenge encourages the next generation of scientists and leaders to help us all see scientific principles in new, fresh ways," said Dr. Chan, Breakthrough Prize co-founder.
"We hope students from around the world will take part in the Breakthrough Junior Challenge, and I'm looking forward to seeing their incredible work. As we learned last year, these students' unique perspectives and innovative thinking can teach us all about the importance of complex scientific principles in our daily lives."
Students ages 13-to-18 from countries across the globe are invited to create original videos (up to five minutes in length) that illustrate a concept or theory in the life sciences, physics or mathematics.
The submissions will be judged on the students' ability to communicate complex scientific ideas in the most engaging, illuminating, and imaginative ways. The deadline for submissions is Oct. 10, 2016. Students must register to participate at www.breakthroughjuniorchallenge.org.
One winner will be recognized and awarded a $250,000 scholarship. The science teacher who inspired the winning student will win $50,000. The winner's school will also receive a state-of-the art science lab valued at $100,000.
New this year, the Breakthrough Junior Challenge will incorporate a "Popular Vote" contest.
All semifinalist videos will be posted for public viewing on the official Breakthrough Prize Facebook page, and the video that receives the most "likes" will be declared the "Popular Vote" top scorer. The "Popular Vote" top scorer will receive automatic placement into the finalist round, and will be in the running for overall challenge winner.
In 2015, the competition received more than 2,000 qualified applications from 86 countries, including the United States, India, Mexico, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, China, Japan, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Brazil, Thailand, Turkey, Vietnam, Norway, France, Israel and Peru.
Last year's winning submission was from 18 year-old Ryan Chester of North Royalton High School, Ohio.
Ryan's video, "Some Cool Ways to Understand the Special Theory of Relativity and What It Means About Time," explored Albert Einstein's theory of special relativity and was noted by judges for its wit, clarity and creativity.
The video had global appeal, and received close to four million online views. In September, Ryan will enroll at Harvard University.
"Winning the Breakthrough Junior Challenge changed my life, especially by opening up options for college. Originally, I was going to go to a state school in Ohio. That was the most affordable option. After winning the Challenge, any college became affordable. Now I am going to Harvard, which before I had never even considered," said Chester.
"My advice to current participants would be to definitely do your research. Make sure you understand the topic better than you need to. And add any kind of humor."
This year's Breakthrough Junior Challenge winner will be recognized at the Breakthrough Prize awards ceremony in Silicon Valley. The winning student and his or her teacher will be announced and the first-place film will be presented during a nationally televised show, details of which will be announced at a later date.
You can view Chester winning video here.
