The 7th annual Young Scientists of the Year Award competition is now open!
Students from primary schools across Australia can enter for a chance to win $3,000 for their school and $500 for the winning student or group.

Entries close on Friday 20 September 2013.

About the award

The NATA Young Scientists of the Year Award started in 2007 to foster an interest in science among schoolchildren, and in response to concerns that Australia's scientific expertise is in decline. Now in its seventh year, the competition encourages students to look at how science impacts on people's lives.

Every school across Australia is invited to submit a science project in the competition to win cash prizes. This year’s theme is “Water in our lives”.   

The NATA Young Scientists of the Year Award initiative to encourage young scientists has been strongly supported by the Commonwealth and state governments.

The aims and purpose of the competition are:

• to promote to children the benefits and value of science.
• to provide students with the opportunity to participate in science on a national platform.
• to encourage students to apply their creativity to scientific solutions.
• to demonstrate the importance of good presentation skills in science.

The Competition Rules

Entry to the NATA Young Scientists of the Year Award is free and open to individuals and class groups in primary schools across Australia.

There are three age groups eligible for this competition (birthdays as at 30 June 2013):  7 & 8 year olds; 9 & 10 year olds and 11 & 12 year olds.

Since this year is the International Year of Water, children are requested to carry out an experiment around this year’s theme of “Water in our lives” – this should allow plenty of scope for the experiment to be part of your planned class work.

All submitted materials must be wholly designed and produced by the entrant(s). There is no limit to the number of entries that can be submitted to the Award from one school.

However each entry MUST be accompanied by an entry form downloaded from the NATA website and the student name(s) clearly written on the entry form.

The children can document their experiment and then present their findings. Their submission should contain a title, a written element and a visual element.

• Pictures and words in a scrap book 
• A video or DVD presentation (maximum five minutes)
• Computer graphics or other digital media
• Poster 841mm x 591mm in landscape or portrait

The entries will be judged by a team of NATA scientists from a range of scientific disciplines. The judges’ decision will be final.

Entry

Entries should be sent to NYSYA 2013, NATA Communications Department, PO Box 7507, Silverwater NSW 2128 for receipt no later than 20 September 2013. The entries MUST be accompanied by an official NATA entry form, which can be downloaded from the NATA website www.nata.com.au
 
All entries will be acknowledged by email once received by the Marketing Department. At the conclusion of the competition, all entrants will receive a certificate. 
 
NATA cannot accept any responsibility for postal costs or damage to submitted entries.  Entries received after the closing date will not be considered.

Announcement of the winners
Winners will be informed by telephone to the contact shown on the entry form, usually a teacher or Principal. The names of the winners will also be posted on the NATA website at www.nata.com.au
 
The winners will also be announced to national, regional and local media. NATA will liaise fully with winning schools prior to any announcement to media. No names, addresses or other information connected to the school or its pupils will be disclosed to media without prior consent of the school. NATA will seek to provide full cooperation with the schools, if required, in handling media enquiries.
 
Winning schools (with permission of their Department's media unit) may like to use award results to promote themselves to the local media. As well as raising the profile of individual schools, publicity of this nature provides an opportunity to highlight the practical and fun side of science.

The Awards Presentation
Winners will be chosen by a panel of judges. The total prize pool is valued at $10,500 which is made up as follows:  $3,000 to the winning school in each age group of 7 & 8 year olds; 9 & 10 year olds and 11 & 12 year olds plus $500 to be given directly to the winning student or group.
 
Prizes will be presented to the winning schools at an appropriate school event.  NATA’s Communications Department will liaise directly with the winning schools to determine when this will take place.  
 
For any enquiries about the NATA Young Scientists of the Year Award, please contact Diane Lyons, Marketing & Communications Coordinator on (02) 9736 8255 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it