Welcome to the 2010 RCSU Science Challenge Website!
Fancy winning £4,000 by writing 800 words? Feel like being part of an event that is changing the face of Science Communication amongst the young? For more information about our prizes click here
The Science Challenge is back. To read more about the Science Challenge click here
The questions have now been released and you can find them here.
This year, the questions have been set by a panel of prominent judges: Andrew Harrison (Fuel Innovations Manager, Shell), Professor Athene Donald FRS (Winner of the 2009 Women in Science Award), Mark Henderson (Science Editor of the Times) and Sir Keith O'Nions FRS (Rector of Imperial College)You will be able to answer any of the questions below. To find out more about each judge, click on their names. You can enter the challenge by clicking here.
"How will genetic advances change medicine and society by 2020?"
- Mark Henderson, Science Editor of The Times
"The Climate Change Act 2008 commits the UK to an 80% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2050- can technology alone deliver road transports' share of this reduction?"
- Andrew Harrison, Fuel Innovations Manager, Shell
"Can renewable energy sources solve the UK's energy problems?"
- Athene Donald, FRS, UNESCO 2009 Woman scientist of the year
"What are the prospects for finding life on other planets?"
- Sir Keith O'Nions, Acting Rector of Imperial College
This year there are two ways in which you can participate in the Challenge. As per the other years, you can answer any of the questions in an essay format (800 words limit). This year however, you may also answer the questions with an audiovisual entry. This can be anything from a video (i.e. journalistic piece) to an animation, neither longer than 6 minutes. For more information on entrance format and Terms and Conditions of entry, click here
You may not enter both categories. The prize pool for both formats is the same. The overall Winner will be either an Essay entrant or a Media entrant. This is true for both Imperial and the Schools competitions.
More prizes will be revealed in time (you will find out about it through our mailing list), but below are our main prizes:
Imperial College Students Competition
First Prize
- £4,000 Cash Prize
- Guided tour of Shell
- BBC/ITV behind the scenes tour
- Dinner/VIP ticket to the Summer Ball/p>
Runner Up (x3)
- £500 Cash Prize
- Guided tour of Shell
- BBC/ITV behind the scenes tour
- Entertainments ticket to the Summer Ball
Secondary School Students Competition
First Prize
- Tuition Fee Bursary to Imperial College (£3290)
- Guided tour of Shell
- BBC/ITV behind the scenes tour
Runner Up (x3)
- £500 Bursary to Imperial College
- Guided tour of Shell
- BBC/ITV behind the scenes tour
This year's winners will be announced at our annual Grand Final. This year, the Final will take place at the prestigious Institute of Directors, located on historic Pall Mall.
The IoD is Europe's largest and most prominent membership organisation for corporate leaders, representing members since for over 100 years.
Our esteemed judges will say a few words before presenting their awards, followed by a speech by our much-loved guest speaker (to be announced). A sumptuous three course meal will follow. Each diner will also be entitled to half a bottle of wine.
Ticket-holders will have significantly discounted entrance to the Imperial College Union's Easter Carnival.
To purchase your ticket, click here.
This website will be updated with the winners once they are announced.
Principal Sponsor
The principal sponsor of the 2010 Science Challenge is Shell
Shell is a worldwide group of oil, gas and petrochemical companies with interests in biofuels, wind and solar power and hydrogen. We help meet global energy demand in economically, environmentally and socially responsible ways.
Host and major sponsor
Rated as the world's fifth best university in the 2007 Times Higher Education Supplement University Rankings, Imperial College London is a science-based institution with a reputation for excellence in teaching and research that attracts over 12,000 students and 6,000 staff of the highest international quality.
Innovative research at the College explores the interface between science, medicine, engineering and management and delivers practical solutions that improve quality of life and the environment - underpinned by a dynamic enterprise culture
Other Sponsors
Apple Computer is one of the world's most prominent computer manufactuers.
Apple are offering up to 15% discounts on the higher education store here. Marc Kerstein is Imperial College's Apple on campus representative, and can be contacted at aoc.imperial@me.com for any sales support, technical help or any queries with your Mac, iPod or iPhone.
What is the Science Challenge?
The Science Challenge is an 800-word essay competition run by volunteers of the Royal College of Science Union at Imperial College London. The challenge aims to promote scientific communication and creative thinking amongst some of the country's most talented young individuals; the same individuals that will eventually shape our future over the years to come
How did the Science Challenge all start?
Back in 2005, the faculties of life and physical science at Imperial College were re-merged to form the faculty of natural sciences . To commemorate this fact, John Sanderson, (president of the Royal College of Science Association), Kilian Frensch (president of the Physical Sciences Union) and Miss Mariko Tavernier (president of the Life Sciences Union) came up with the idea of a science challenge, an essay competition that would:
- encourage creative thinking beyond the confines of taught courses,
- raise awareness of current scientific topics, and
- encourage imperial students to communicate science better
The pilot year in 2006 asked students to consider methods of colonising Mars. It was led by Kejia Zhu, with the £1000 first prize being donated entirely from Mr. Sanderson's own pocket!
How did the schools competition start?
Following the successful 2006 competition and the formation of the Royal College of Science Union, going after sponsors became easier, and with their support the competition could be taken to new levels. The first president of the reformed RCSU, Jad Marrouche, decided to work with the Imperial College Outreach office to create a new arm of the competition, initially open to all London schools.
Who is behind the Science Challenge?
In 2010, the Science Challenge Committee is
- Afonso Campos - Chair
- Ravi Pall - Website and Branding
In 2009, the Science Challenge Committee was
- Jad Marrouche - Chair
- Ashley Brown - Live Streaming
- Katherine Gray - Schools Liason
- Shuangzi Guo - Sponsorship
- Neil Monteiro - Graphics
- Tim Moran - Technical Wizard
With special thanks to the RCSU team, David Charles and Shray Amar, the Outreach office team, Melanie Thody, Paul Lockwood, Lucy Bean and Annalissa Alexander, the Imperial College support, Rector Prof. Sir Roy Anderson, Prof Julia Buckingham, Prof. Sir Peter Knight, Prof. Lord Robert Winston and Prof. Maggie Dallman.
Of course, we would also like to thank our sponsors for their support in making this competition happen.
In 2008, the Science Challenge Committee was
- Daniel Burrows - Chair
- Hannah Monaghan
- Tim Moran
- Ed Pitt-Ford
- Charlotte Thomas-Rolls
- Dionne Tse
In 2007, the Science Challenge Committee was
- Jad Marrouche - Chair
- Daniel Burrows
- Neil Monteiro
- Tim Moran
- Ray Tan
- Florencia Tettamanti
The deadline for submissions is Sunday March 7th at 23:59. Submissions can now be entered.
To read the rules and regulations, click here
If would like to submit a media entry, please email science.challenge@imperial.ac.uk with more information regarding your submission and you will receive further instructions personally.
To submit an essay, please send an email to science.challenge@imperial.ac.uk following the rules that follow.
- Subject of Email
(Please use the following format for the Subject of your email):
- IMPERIAL : FirstName LastName
- SCHOOLS: FirstName LastName
- Attachment (Please use the following format for the name of the Attachment):
- IMPERIAL_FirstName_LastName
- SCHOOLS_FirstName_LastName
As an example, John Smith, a secondary school student would submit his entry by
- 1) Addressing his email to science.challenge@imperial.ac.uk
- 2) Making his email subject: SCHOOLS: John Smith
- 3) Attaching his file which would be: SCHOOLS_John_Smith.doc
Please ensure your file is in .doc format or PDF only and does not exceed 200kb.
Mark Henderson is the current Science Editor of The Times newspaper.
He graduated in modern history from Oxford University in 1996. After a brief spell working for the Sunday Express he joined The Times as a graduate trainee. He spent time as a general reporter, a leader writer, and covering health education and social affairs, before being appointed science correspondent in August 2000. As well as covering science for the news pages, he writes the Saturday Junk Medicine column, which aims to cast an evidence-based eye over the latest health stories.
He is also the author of 50 Genetics Ideas You Really Need To Know
Professor Athene Donald FRS is a professor of Experimental Physics at the Cavendish Laboratory and Deputy Head of the Physics Department at the University of Cambridge having also had a previous stint at Cornell University in New York.
Professor Donald is an expert in the field of soft physics and her work has opened up possibilities for the formations of new biomaterials that can be used in the repair of tissue and bone. Professor Donald is the director of the Women in Science, Engineering and Technology at Cambridge. She is also a Fellow of the Royal Society.
In 2009, Professor Donald won the UNESCO Woman Scientist of the Year Award.
Andrew Harrison is a Fuels Innovation Manager for Shell based at Shell’s Technology Centre in Thornton, near Chester. He has a passion for fundamental research with a strong track record of delivering results in R&D programmes to support the development of differentiated fuels for Shell. He is a respected ambassador for Shell’s work in Innovation and Technology both within and outside the R&D community. Following completion of a PhD in Combustion Chemistry at Nottingham University, and post-doctoral research at the University of Delaware on thermal energy storage, joined Shell in 1978 as a research scientist in the combustion division at Thornton. After working in several combustion and explosion areas he joined the Fuels R&D department in 1985 working on emissions and fuels performance. Between 1990-93 he was based at one of Shell’s research centres in Canada leading R&D activities on fuels, engine lubricants and bitumen. He returned to the UK in 1993 where he became the Fuels Technical Manager for Shell UK based in London. In 1997 he returned to the North West as a resource manager in the fuels group becoming Fuels Innovation Hub manager in 2005 since when he has re-built the longer term R&D capability of the Shell Group and leads the Fuels R&D programme. He has expertise in combustion science (including the areas of chemical kinetics and ignition) and extensive knowledge of all aspects of automotive fuels technology and related engine and vehicle technology including fuels formulation, additives, emissions and performance.
Sir Keith O'Nions FRS is an earth scientist by education holding a PhD from the University of Alberta, Canda. After becoming a Lecturer at Oxford University, he became a Professor at Columbia and consequently a Professor at the University of Cambridge in 1979. In 1995 he returned to Oxford to become the Head of the Earth Sciences Department.
Between 2000 and 2004 he was the Chief Scientific Advisor to the Ministry of Defense.
He has in the past been a member of the Council of Science and Technology as well as the Chairman of the Natural Histopry Museum.
He became a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1983 and was knighted in 1999.
Sir Keith joined Imperial College in July 2008 to set up and direct the Institute for Security Science and Technology. He became the College's Acting Rector on 1 January 2010.
Terms & Conditions for Imperial Students: Read
Terms & Conditions for Secondary School Students: Read
Procedure for essay submissions:
. Submissions must NOT exceed 800 words
. All work must be yours and original
. Essays previously submitted and printed in any sort of media outlet are not acceptable
. Pictures and graphs may be used, provided they are properly labelled
. A bibliography must be included if necessary
. Appendixes may be used
. Only the main essay body will count towards the word limit
. Please send documents only in the following formats (.doc, .pdf, .txt)
Procedure for media submissions:
. Submissions must be original work and not infringe any existing copyrights
. Please keep work to a maximum of 6 minutes in length
. Be creative!
Enter the Challenge