14th Annual Blue Lobster Bowl to Take Place Sat, Feb 5 at MIT

Students from 15 Massachusetts High Schools to Compete in the 14th ANNUAL BLUE LOBSTER BOWL, a Regional Competition of the National Ocean Sciences Bowl at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, February 5th~Cambridge, MA, Massachusetts high school students with a with a strong interest in marine science will convene at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) on February 5th, 2011, for the 14th annual Blue Lobster Bowl. One of the 25 academic tournaments that comprise the National Ocean Sciences Bowl (NOSB), the 2011 Blue Lobster Bowl will feature 130 students from 15 Massachusetts high schools. The event will take place from 9 AM to 5 PM at MIT Buildings 16, 56, and 26, all accessible from the main MIT entrance at 77 Massachusetts Avenue in Cambridge. The tournament is free and open to the public.Blue Lobster Bowl questions are presented in “buzzer” rounds (rapid-fire multiple-choice or short-answer) and the “team challenge,” that gives students an opportunity to apply their critical thinking skills to questions involving real-time data and cutting-edge research and policy issues. The Blue Lobster Bowl questions cover marine biology, chemistry, geology, physics, navigation, geography, and related ocean history, literature and public policy. This year will be the first year that a team from Acton-Boxborough will be competing. With coaching provided by Acton-Boxborough marine biology teacher, Michael Romano, the team includes the following students: Skye Alvarez, Samantha Brown, Tim Cesarini, Dan Sharfarz and Griffin Siegel.The complete list of confirmed Massachusetts High Schools for the 2011 Blue Lobster Bowl is as follows: 1. Acton-Boxborough Regional High School2. Bedford High3. Belmont High School 4. Brookline High 5. Chelmsford High School6. Cambridge Rindge and Latin High School7. English High School (Boston)8. Lexington High9. Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School10. Marblehead High School11. Milton Academy12. Newton North High School13. Newton South High School14. North Andover Academy15. Phillips Academy (Andover) The winning team will compete against 24 other regional champions in the 14th Annual National Ocean Sciences Bowl (NOSB’) April 29 ¤ May 1, 2011 at Texas A&M University in Galveston, Texas. In addition to the opportunity to travel to the National Finals, teams vie for a variety of prizes, including scholarships, internships, and educational trips. Thanks to funding from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), all participating students are eligible to apply for the Coastal and Ocean Science Training (COAST) internship program, a four-week summer program in Olympic National Park, and the National Ocean Scholar Program, a two-year, $6,000 scholarship for students studying marine and coastal sciences. In addition, Blue Lobster Bowl participants are eligible to apply for two six-week paid summer internships at the MIT Sea Grant College Program. Students from Lincoln-Sudbury High School took home the first place prize at the 2010 Blue Lobster Bowl held at MIT on February 6. Second place went to Lexington High School (2009 Blue Lobster Bowl champs), with Newton North coming in third.About NOSBThe NOSB mission is to enrich science teaching and learning across the United States through a high-profile national competition that increases high school students¡ knowledge of the oceans and enhances public understanding and stewardship of the oceans. Each year approximately 2,000 students from 300 schools across the nation compete in their regional tournament. The four primary objectives of NOSB are to:1. Broaden students¡ and teachers¡ awareness of the latest scientific research on the oceans and the critical impact of the oceans on global climate, weather, economic well-being, history, and culture;2. Help teachers use the oceans as a tool for cross-disciplinary science education and as a vehicle for teaching biology, physics, chemistry, geology, and mathematics by giving them access to the latest marine science education and science professionals;3. Give oceanographic research programs the opportunity to develop new links with their local pre-college community and open students¡ eyes to ocean-related career options; and4. Reach out to new students and communities to boost participation by minorities, women, and disadvantaged students.Related LinksMIT Sea Grant: /Blue Lobster Bowl: https://bluelobsterbowl.mit.edu/National Ocean Sciences Bowl: https://ww.nosb.org MIT Center for Ocean Engineering: https://oe.mit.edu/Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution: https://www.whoi.edu/About MIT Sea GrantThe mission of the MIT Sea Grant College Program is to employ innovative research, education and outreach strategies to responsibly use and sustain the vital marine resources of Massachusetts. The issues we address manifest locally but many are global in nature. Compelling challenges demand our attention as a solo entity and in partnership with other groups living and working on the coasts and at sea. MIT Sea Grant brings the substantial intellectual abilities of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and our sister universities to bear on ocean-related challenges requiring an extraordinary technical contribution. In meeting these challenges, we expand human understanding of the ocean and establish the infrastructure to sustain the initiatives and talent pool needed to address complex issues of critical and fragile marine resources.###MIT Sea Grant College ProgramMail to: 77 Massachusetts Avenue, E38-300, Cambridge, MA 02139To visit: 292 Main Street, Cambridge, MA 02140/