Enter the “Big Bang” of STEM Competitions

Most of us will have heard of “big bang” in some form or another. For example, there’s the nerdy sitcom called the ‘The Big Bang Theory’. Then there’s the other big bang theory – a pretty epic description of how the universe may have begun. But have you heard of the Big Bang competition?

What is the Big Bang competition?

The Big Bang Competition is one of the UK’s biggest and best STEM (science, tech, engineering and maths) competitions. It’s open to all UK full-time secondary students aged 11 to 19.

According to the Big Bang Competition website, ‘finalists will compete for over £20,000 worth of amazing prizes, including top and runner-up prizes in the Junior, Intermediate and Senior categories for science and engineering, as well as the coveted titles of UK Young Engineer of the Year and GSK UK Young Scientist.’

The next finals ceremony will take place at The Big Bang Fair, 3-16 March 2019, in thriving city of Birmingham.

If you want to know what it’s like to be there on the day, read Addy Gisby’s first-hand experience from the 2016 Big Bang Competition.

What do I have to do to enter?

An article by All About STEM highlights that as long your idea or project has the principles of STEM at its core, you can investigate just about anything. If you can come up with a question or hypothesis that can be tested or investigated, or something that can be designed to solve a contemporary problem, you’re on the right track. Here’s some actual research questions from 2017:

  • Which dog food is best?
  • Which sun cream offers the best protection?
  • Does sugar and caffeine affect reaction times?

And, here’s some sample engineering projects:

  • Designing a new nuclear energy plant
  • A new design for a self-assembling table.

Interested? Here’s how to enter…

You have two options:

  1. Direct online entry – projects can be submitted via the online application form by Friday 2 November 2018.
  2. Show and tell at a local fair – students can showcase their work at selected Big Bang Near Me Fairs from March 2018 to October 2018.

So, if you have an epic STEM question or a colossal STEM invention stewing away in your encephalon, then the Big Bang Competition is for you. Or perhaps you’re already working on something that is Big Bang worthy. Be sure to enter!

Even if you miss out this time, you’d do well to store that gem away ready for next year.

Read more about this:

The Big Bang UK Young Scientists and Engineers Competition

All About STEM: The Big Bang Competition – Enter your project!

3ders: British scientists from The Big Bang Fair create 3D-printed school dinners