You Be The Chemist Challenge

Founded in 1989, Chemical Educational Foundation (CEF) is the most influential and authoritative academic chemistry education institution in the United States. Its mission is to inspire students to become future thinkers, inventors and scientists to create a better world through chemical science. CEF has a slightly different concept of science education than other academic institutions that value high school and university science education. CEF pays more attention to the science education of young people in the young age. Therefore, CEF has set up the “You Be the Chemist Program”, which focuses on the scientific and chemical enlightenment of students who have not received chemistry teaching in elementary and junior high schools, and stimulates students' interest in chemistry learning and scientific exploration as soon as possible. At present, CEF has become a pioneer in American youth chemistry education, and most American teenagers interested in science and chemistry will participate in the “YBTC Program”. The "You Be the Chemist Challenge" is an important academic content of the "YBTC Program."

Global website: www.chemed.org

BASF

Dow

Brenntag

Shell

IMCD

PVS

ICL

Echo

MAROON GROUP

COLGATE-PALMOLIVE

Monument

You Be the Chemist Challenge (YBTC) is aimed at students who have not systematically studied chemistry from grades 5 to 8. Therefore, the purpose of YBTC is to enlighten and inspire students' interest and confidence in chemistry learning and scientific exploration, and to inspire them to become future scientists. Every year, more than 60,000 students from 41 states in the United States participate in YBTC. YBTC has become one of the largest youth science activities in the United States. It is also a scientific activity that most American science students love to participate in in their lower grades. Global website: www.chemed.org/programs/challenge

The biggest feature of the International YBTC Challenge is for elementary school junior high school students who do not have a chemistry learning foundation, so they will provide detailed academic preparation materials (Chinese version is available in China). YBTC does not emphasize the mastery of chemistry knowledge, but also pays more attention to the interest and ability of scientific exploration. Participants will participate in a team of 4 people from the Qualifier Round and Final Round, through a multi-choice written test, on-site knowledge contest and chemical experiment research and other aspects, to experience a variety of scientific learning forms.

Based on the 21st century core competence requirements, YBTC focuses on training:

Teamwork and leadership

Autonomous learning ability

Problem solving ability

Critical thinking and innovative ability

Presentation ability

Preliminary Round

Preliminary Round

Time: December 17th, 2022 (Saturday) 14:00-14:40 (40 minutes)
Location: Paper-based in partnering school
Players: · Primary School Group - Grades 5 and 6 · Junior High School Group - Grade 7 and 8
Team: 4 players, cross-grade team is acceptable
Form: written test, multiple choice questions, Chinese and English test papers, 1 point for each question (answers are not deducted)
Remarks: This year's preparation materials for this year (Chinese version) will be provided.
Deadline：December 7th, 2022

Award

Perfect Score Award: Individuals who get full marks
Prize Award: Teams with full marks
Distinction Award: Top 30% of the national team
Qualifier Award: Top 20% of the regional team

* Note: Primary School Group and Junior High School Group are awarded separately. Participation certificates will be issued in the form of e-Certs. Teams that have won the Perfect Score Award, Prize Award, Distinction Award, and Qualifier Award are eligible to be invited to the Final Round.

Final Round

Time:14th May, 2023 (TBD)
Deadline: 5th May, 2023
Location: Online(exam computer or phone must be equipped with a camera)
Qualifications: Qualifier winners.Team participation. Team members cannot be replaced. If one person cannot participate in the remaining teams, they can continue to participate. If the two players are unable to participate in the organizing committee, they will adjust and merge.
Form: (1) Knowledge Competition (English&Chinese): On-site knowledge competition: The host reads the questions, and each team member has 30 seconds to 60 seconds to answer questions. (2) Presentation (English&Chinese): Before the competition, each team will create a video investigating the concept of forces and interactions connected to fundamental chemistry principles focused on solving the problems of tomorrow. Also, each team needs to produce a storyboard as the evidence of your team’s planning process for the judges of the video component of the Challenge.
Language: Chinese and English

Academic guidance

The CEF Organizing Committee will provide a series of videos and related study materials on how to make micro-movies and how to discover chemistry in daily life.
Each team can look for a advior who is responsible for answering the difficulties students have encountered during the experiment. If the team receives an award, the advisor will also receive the Outstanding Advisor Award.
The advisor is only responsible for answering questions and is not responsible for helping students design experiments.

Schedule(for reference only)

Date	Time	Agenda
14th May (TBD)	10:30-10:50	The first round
	10:50-11:10	The second round
	11:10-11:30	The third round
	11:30-11:50	The fourth round
	11:50-13:30	Lunch
	13:30-17:00	Team Task Show
	17:00-17:30	Closing Ceremony