A Science Communicator's Guide to the Breakthrough Junior Challenge
If you're passionate about science and hoping for a chance to showcase your creativity on a global stage, the Breakthrough Junior Challenge might be the avenue you've been looking for. The Challenge invites students from across the globe to unravel the wonders of physics, mathematics, and life sciences and bring their topic to life in a way that captivates the audience. Read on to learn more about the Breakthrough Junior Challenge, explore its history and application process, and learn to craft a winning entry.
An Overview of the Breakthrough Junior Challenge
The Breakthrough Junior Challenge is an annual competition to inspire creative thinking about science for students across the globe; Julia and Yuri Milner founded this challenge as a part of their Giving Pledge to support science and science communication. It is also sponsored by foundations established by Sergey Brin, Priscilla Chan, Mark Zuckerberg, and Anne Wojcicki and partnered with Kahn Academy, National Geographic, and the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory.
To compete in the Breakthrough Junior Challenge, students between the ages of 13-18 submit a short (~2 minute) video that brings an innovation in physics, mathematics, or the life sciences to life. The aim is to present complex scientific concepts in a simple, engaging manner through the powerful medium of video. Winning this challenge isn't just about prizes; it's about sharing your passion for science with the world.
If you are chosen as the winner, you will receive a $250,000 post-secondary scholarship, a $50,000 prize for your teacher, and your school will receive $100,000 for the creation/renovation of a science lab.
Breakthrough Junior Challenge Application and Timeline
The Breakthrough Junior Challenge welcomes submissions from all students between the ages of 13 and 18 across the globe, though the submission must be in English. To apply, you will fill out a short application form with a questionnaire about you, your school, and your Challenge topic. Along with your application, you will need to submit a YouTube video link, and you will need to join and share your YouTube video on the Breakthrough Facebook page.
Applications for the Breakthrough Junior Challenge typically open in early April and close in late June. Once you have shared your video on their Facebook page, you will need to view and score submissions from five other contestants by mid-July in the Peer-to-Peer Review phase. Once these phases are wrapped up, the winner and the finalists will be announced, usually in November.
The most crucial aspect of your Breakthrough Junior Challenge application will be the creativity of your video – so spend some time working on it! You will want to choose a topic that is important but difficult to explain so that you are really stretching your science communication abilities. Consider using tools like animations, simulations, or physical demonstrations to showcase your topic in the most engaging way possible.
3 Tips for Excelling in the Breakthrough Junior Challenge
Pay attention to the time limit
To excel in the Breakthrough Junior Challenge, you must ensure you abide by the rules – you can’t win if you are disqualified! For most people, trying to think of what you will say on the spot will lead to pauses and filler words, which is time not spent discussing your topic. Consider writing a script to eliminate these time sinks, but be sure to keep your energy up as you deliver it! A monotone delivery is not going to get you very far.
Find your inspiration
One of the great things about the Breakthrough Junior Challenge is the abundance of inspiring examples you have to work with. Videos from the winners and finalists going back to 2015 are posted on their website here, so study them closely to see what you can learn from them. Remember, these winners were chosen by the judges and by popular vote, so they will be strong examples to go off of for successful submissions.
Keep the end in mind
Finally, remember that the Breakthrough Junior Challenge judges are telling you exactly what they are looking for already: creativity, engagement, illumination, and difficulty. So, as you work on each phase of the submission, from brainstorming to creating your visuals to filming, you want to keep these goals in mind. Start early so that, if you ever feel like your video is not meeting these criteria, you can have plenty of time to rework your submission.
If you are interested in submitting your work to the Breakthrough Junior Challenge, consider applying to the 1:1 Mentorship Program at InspiritAI! Some of the most fascinating developments in math, physics, and the life sciences have stemmed from Artificial Intelligence, and our mentors – hailing from the world's top research institutions and tech companies – will walk you through an entire research project from start to end. Whether you are a coding novice or a virtuoso, our individualized mentorship program will help you develop an exceptional research project. For more information, do not hesitate to contact InspiritAI with questions.
