Slide show: New Horizons of Discovery

Although they arrived from all 50 states, the thousands of students, educators and parents who are participating in the National Science Olympiad Tournament May 18–21 share a common trait: the thrill of discovery. They are flooding the UW–Madison campus for the 27th year of a competition for middle school and high school students that is considered one of the most prestigious in the fields of science, technology, engineering and math. Teams that won state-level competitions are going head to head in more than two dozen scientific and engineering events. The tournament kicks into high gear on Saturday, May 21, and the public is invited to watch and learn.

At left: Steve Narf (center), instructional program manager in UW–Madison’s physics department, gives a tour of educational exhibits in Chamberlin Hall’s Physics Museum to middle and high school students participating in the 2011 National Science Olympiad Tournament.

Photos: Bryce Richter