The countdown to choosing the nation’s top young scientist entered its final phase today as Discovery Communications announced the 40 middle school students from around the country selected as finalists in the 2006 Discovery Channel Young Scientist Challenge (DCYSC). The DCYSC is the nation’s premier science contest for students in grades 5-8. The competition, created by Discovery Communications and Science Service, gives students the opportunity to test their knowledge and push their limits as they explore the world of science.
This year’s theme, “Disease Detectives,” features a series of challenges in which selected students will investigate global health concerns, their causes, and their impact — from avian flu to obesity. This focus sparked the interest of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) which, since 1887, has helped lead the way toward important medical discoveries that improve people’s health and save lives. It was announced this morning that NIH will collaborate with DCYSC in the final round of the 2006 challenge, including hosting this year’s program. In this capacity, the Institutes also will work with the competition’s lead scientist to formulate and design the experiments, built around current health trend issues. [Note: To read the full article, click here.]