Thousands of students from middle- and high-schools across the country have committed themselves to extra study hours as they prepare to compete in the Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) 32^nd National Science Bowl® (NSB). These students are hard at work now-studying, practicing, and strategizing-to win their regional competitions, hoping to advance to the final competition.

The competitions start this month, with teams facing off in a fast-paced, question-and-answer format. (More information about regionals can be found through the NSB Homepage.) These competitions test students’ knowledge in all areas of science and mathematics.

The winning teams from each of the middle and high school regional competitions will move on to compete in the NSB Virtual National Finals, where the top eight middle school and top eight high school teams will be determined.

For all middle school regional winners, the Virtual National Finals will take place on Saturday, May 7, 2022. For all high school regional winners, the Virtual National Finals will take place on Saturday, May 21, 2022.

The top eight middle school and the top eight high school teams will compete in-person at the NSB Championship Tournament to be held in Washington, DC, from Friday, July 8, - Tuesday, July 12, 2022. Media are invited and encouraged to attend the in-person championship. For press inquiries, please contact the media outreach manager, Nathan Clark at nathan.clark@science.doe.gov.

Teams will receive at least $500 and up to $3,000 for first place, to use for their school’s STEM activities. But to many, the ultimate prize is simply the prestige of winning the National Championship.  

Today, the NSB annually draws more than 14,700 middle- and high-school competitors. Since the first competition in 1991, approximately 325,000 students have faced off in the National Science Bowl® Finals. The knowledge that former competitors have acquired and, more importantly, the collaborative skills and study habits that they learned along the way have led them to successes in a variety of fields. Many have become researchers; others are science and math professors. 

The 2022 competitors will follow in the footsteps of previous National Science Bowl® contestants and will blaze a trail for students in science, math, and engineering.

Middle- and high-school student teams come from all across the country: large and small schools, urban and rural settings. Each team is composed of four students, one alternate, and a teacher who serves as an advisor and coach. The competition tests the students on a range of science disciplines including biology, chemistry, Earth science, physics, energy, and math. The Department of Energy Office of Science manages the National Science Bowl® and sponsors the finals competition.

The Office of Science is the single largest supporter of basic research in the physical sciences in the United States and is working to address some of the most pressing challenges of our time. For more information, please visit www.energy.gov/science.