Are You a Budding Scientist? Check Out the Google Science Fair

Who says science fairs have to happen in middle and high school cafeterias and gymnasiums? Especially when Google is involved. Google has just announced its own , in which they’re looking for the brightest, best young scientists from around the world to submit interesting, creative projects that are relevant to the world today. Participation is open to full-time students between the ages 13 – 18 who are enrolled in a private or public school. Home-schooled students are also eligible.

Entrants are required to use Google Sites and will be required to submit it either as a maximum two (2) minute video or maximum twenty (20) slide Google Presentation on the homepage of their Google Site (see for instructions). Using the Google Sites application, Entrants or Teams will be required to upload a synopsis video or slide presentation (but not both) and all other required information, as listed on the Competition Site. Entrants are encouraged to create their Project Entry by using Google Docs, YouTube, Maps, Google Earth, Google Search and any other Google tools which can be used in education.

Entrants can submit Projects in any one of the following categories:

• Computer Science & Math
• Earth & Environmental Sciences
• Behavioral & Social Sciences
• Flora & Fauna
• Energy & Space
• Inventions & Innovation
• Physics
• Biology
• Chemistry
• Food Science
• Electricity & Electronics

Winners of Google’s Science Fair will get more than just a ribbon to pin on their bulletin board. Check out the awards lined up for this competition:

The Grand Prize winner(s) plus one parent or guardian per winner will win an amazing 10 day trip to the Galapagos Islands with National Geographic Expeditions. Traveling aboard the National Geographic Endeavour the winner(s) will visit Darwin’s living laboratory and experience up-close encounters with unique species such as flightless cormorants, marine iguanas, and domed giant tortoises.

Grand prize winners will also receive a $50,000 scholarship, split equally between team members should a team win this prize, their first choice of an experience at CERN, Google, the LEGO Group, or Scientific American, a personal LEGO color mosaic, and digital access to Scientific American Archives for your school.

Finalists will receive a $25,000 scholarship, split equally between team members should a team win this prize, second and third choice by random selection of one of the remaining experiences at CERN, Google, the LEGO Group, or Scientific American, a personal LEGO color mosaic, and digital access to Scientific American Archives for your school.

To find out more, visit the . Deadline for entries is April 4, 2011.