Trial Events

Science Olympiad Rules Development Process

Science Olympiad is continually in the process of researching, developing and evaluating new events. We are looking for events, activities and projects that engage students in all aspects of the scientific endeavor while presenting them with exciting and challenging problems to solve and content to master. In an effort to ensure our events meet those standards, we have established a process that moves an event from a creative concept through a series of pilots and trials, with the ultimate goal of making it into rotation as a current event.

Science Olympiad encourages event submission from a wide range of stakeholders. Anyone interested in proposing a new or modified event must follow the process below; know in advance that this process is intended to be multi-step and multi-year so the events are of the highest caliber.

Stages of Science Olympiad Event Development

Creative Concepts - These events are off to a promising local start and would benefit from further student and event supervisor feedback before being considered a Promising Pilot.

Promising Pilots - These events have been successfully piloted in at least two states and would benefit from further student and event supervisor feedback before being considered a Featured Trial. 

Featured Trials - These events have been successfully piloted in two or more states and evaluations have been submitted and reviewed. These events still need additional student and event supervisor evaluation before being considered a Current Event. Featured Trials should ideally be run in at least five states before becoming a Current Event. 

Current Events -  These events are in the current year's rotation in either Division B or Division C and have met the criteria of a successful event. 

New Event Submissions

Science Olympiad is always interested in considering new events for our National Competition. We seek authors willing to create specific events with the intent to champion them through the process from a New Idea > Creative Concept > Promising Pilot > Featured Trial > Current Event. This not only requires following the steps below but also being prepared to provide workshop presentations, student/coach resources and submit evaluations.

To submit a new event please follow the process below:

  1. If you have a new idea to propose, first determine if an event already exists by reviewing the Event History Chart, the current list of Event Descriptions, and the events in development listed below.
  2. The next step is to format the proposed idea into an event rule using the Rules Template. Include the author's name and email (and the date/tournament site where the event will be run). Submit the Rule to the Science Olympiad National Office and the director (Choose from Contact List) who has agreed to run the event at an invitational, regional or state tournament. We will keep a record of events that have been successfully run in each state.
  3. After successfully running a proposed event, submit the online Participant Evaluation and online Supervisors Evaluation and any rules edits to the Science Olympiad National Office where it will be reviewed in conjunction with Rules Chairs and Committees. Your Creative Concept will be evaluated to move up the chain to a Promising Pilot.
  4. After two or more other states have successfully tried a Promising Pilot and have submitted Evaluations, the Science Olympiad National Office will determine, in conjunction with Rules Chairs and Committees, if the event is a Featured Trial that even more states should be encouraged to try.
  5. Rules Chairs and Committees with Science Olympiad will determine the best placement for an event on one of the six Event Chart Timelines and submit chart recommendations for final review.

Note: At the National Tournament, Trial or Open House events will not count for team points and any team members (regular or alternate) can participate only once in each Trial or Open House event.

To ask questions about a specific Trial Event or to find out which events will be held at your tournament, contact your Regional or State Director. To Submit a National (only) Trial Event Question, click on the FAQs page and please submit them under Trial Events.

Featured Trials

These events have been successfully piloted in two or more states and evaluations have been submitted and reviewed. These events still need additional student and event supervisor evaluation before being considered a Current Event. Featured Trials should ideally be run in at least five states before becoming a Current Event. For 2023, the Trial Events below will be included in the official Rules Manual in addition to the new rules. Certain events have archived event pages on this website, please see the links below. Official PDFs of the 2023 Rules Manuals here as of 9/6/22.

Promising Pilots

These events have been successfully piloted in at least two states and would benefit from further student and event supervisor feedback before being considered a Featured Trial.

Creative Concepts

These events are off to a promising local start and would benefit from further student and event supervisor feedback before being considered a Promising Pilot.

Other Events

Can be used for Open House events or in states which like to hold a few extra events.

Autonomous Robot (2014 Maryland Version - a SumoBots revision)

Awesome Aquifers - Division B - Archived page

Beam Building

Can You Dig It

Catch It

Chem Clue

Codes & Algorithms

Geocaching (2016 Wisconsin Version)

Model This B

Model This C

Nature Quest

Parasitology BC (2019 Version)

Science Bowl (2019 Version)

Sumo-Bots (2010 Version)

TowlineGlider