More than 40 teams from schools across the country will be putting their knowledge of science to the test at the University of Birmingham’s Biology Big Quiz 2008.
The event, which takes place on 12th March at the University of Birmingham’s Great Hall, is aimed at celebrating the joys of biology and raising the aspirations of young people to study and enjoy the sciences. The quiz will see over 160 students aged between 14 and 15 years old competing against each other in a number of rounds focusing on different aspects of biology.
The specialist round this year is about Genes and Genomes and these keen, young scientific minds have the opportunity to add some extra points to their scores by doing some homework before the event. The students will also be taking part in interactive activities ranging from the Skeleton Quiz to having a professional film effects make-up artist show them how diseases such as smallpox and the plague would appear on human skin.
The winning team will be presented with gold medals and a prize each, while the school will be presented with a crystal trophy celebrating their victory. The event, which is part of the University of Birmingham’s contribution to National Science Engineering and Technology Week is organised by the Outreach department and the School of Biosciences. Rounds for the quiz have been sponsored by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) and The Biochemical Society have donated a free year’s membership to the winning school.
Dr Jeremy Pritchard from the University’s School of Biosciences says: “This is all about getting young people enthused about the sciences and having fun whilst doing it. It's also a great opportunity for them to represent their school in a positive way and to work with and talk to university students."
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Notes to Editors:
Event takes place 12th March 2008 from 10am to 3 pm
The first round of the quiz starts at 10.15 am
Presentation of Prizes will commence at approximately 2.30pm
For further information
Kate Chapple, Press Officer, tel 0121 414 2772 or 07789 921164.