Smithsonian.com

I’ve noticed quite a few science-related contests in the last few weeks and thought I’d share my favorites:

• The Florida Citizens for Science Stick Science contest:

Contest for ages 13 through adult:
Your job is to create a cartoon that can be used to educate the general public and especially decision makers (state legislators, school board members) about the truth behind one false argument. Choose an argument… and create a cartoon that corrects the record.

Contest for ages 12 and under:
Your job is to create a cartoon that tells everyone “why understanding science is important.”

Don’t worry if you can’t draw—“All entries must be drawn using stick figures.” (HT: Bad Astronomy)

• The 2009 American Association of Physics Teachers High School Physics Photo Contest:

Natural photos are those that involve everyday situations that may demonstrate a variety of physics concepts. Any spontaneous event is considered natural.

Contrived photos are those that are set up to show a particular physics concept or related set of concepts. Contrived Photos represent non-spontaneous events.

DNA in LEGO (courtesy of flickr user mknowles)

AAPT sponsors quite a few contests and competitions, but my personal favorite is the Six Flags America Roller Coaster Design Contest, which will take place at Six Flags America on April 24.

• NASA has extended the deadline for its Art Contest (the theme is The Moon: Back to the Future) for college and high school students until April 15.

• Discover magazine is looking for videos of two minutes or less explaining evolution. (HT: Pharyngula)

• The deadline for the PARSEC Science Fiction and Fantasy Short Story Contest also approaches (April 15). This year’s theme is “Dark Glass.”

• And finally, geekdad is sponsoring the LEGO builders of tomorrow contest:

Simply take a picture of your family assembling a LEGO model and upload it to the GeekDad Flickr pool. Add a 50-100 word description of why your family enjoys building with LEGO together.

Not exactly science, or even technology, but LEGOs are always fun. And who says you can’t build something with a science theme?

So which contest will you enter?