Asadi-Lari Interdisciplinary Contest

Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics are traditionally thought of as four separate fields. Contrary to popular belief, this is far from the truth. Twenty-first-century science is moving towards the synthesis of these seemingly independent domains. Conversely, traditional high school tests and contests tend to focus heavily on content and knowledge of one particular field. At STEM Fellowship, our aim is to meet the new age demands of the ever-changing body of science. Our newest initiative combines elements of biology, chemistry, physics, and mathematics for the construction of difficult abstract and analytical questions. Our mission to equip youth with data analytical and critical thinking skills is represented by our brand-new student-led Interdisciplinary Contest. This contest, made by students for students, encourages mastery of fundamental concepts essential for all those interested in STEM careers. 

This contest encourages students to think across the boundaries of the ever-changing ecosystem of 21st-century science. We do not want students to view the discrete fields of science as unconnected parts. Rather, we want them to see how they fit together and complement each other. For instance, every living object in the universe is not only confined to the laws of biology. Chemistry, physics, and mathematics all exist within each biotic system. We want students to see how these laws all relate not only in biological systems but in chemical and physical ones. Therefore, we are creating an interdisciplinary contest that emphasizes these ideas. 

Advancements in science are made when knowledge from one field crosses over into another. Uniting ideas originally thought to belong to two different spheres of thought create a synthesis of new knowledge. Principles of mathematics merge into economics, principles of economics merge into biology, and principles of biology merge into physics. This is how new ideas, innovations, and discoveries emerge. Our interdisciplinary contest attempts to promote a mixture of ideas to enhance student intellectual development.

The STEM Fellowship Interdisciplinary Contest will consist of 36 questions, many of which will require high levels of understanding, critical thinking, and analytical skills. Many questions on the test will contain elements from multiple scientific fields. Students will have 72 minutes to individually complete the test on an online server.

We have decided to name the contest after Mohammed and Zeynab Asadi-Lari to attribute to their legacy.

The test recommends at least eleventh-grade biology, chemistry, physics, and mathematics knowledge to complete. However, challenge-pursuing high school students of all ages are welcome to compete for the 2021 version. For 2020, you must be registered as a SF executive in order to write the contest.

For 2020, a select few top participants will receive recognition and be broadcast on SF social media. Your name and bio could be on our Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and website. For 2021, The top 20% of students will receive certificates recognizing their excellent performance. Outstanding students will receive medals and monetary prizes based on their standing. Detailed prize descriptions will be posted closer to the date of the contest in 2021.

Online testing is a simple way for STEM Fellowship to coordinate and implement the contest. To write the contest in 2020, you must be enrolled as a high school SF executive. 

The Asadi-Lari Interdisciplinary Contest will be held on March 30th, stay tuned! You will have to fill out the registration form to participate: IC Sign Up Link 2020

Starting at 00:00 on March 30th, 2020 you will have a time window to fill out the test independently. The window shall close at 23:59 on March 30th, 2020. You can do the contest at home in a quiet room, in the library, or anywhere you prefer. The actual test has a specific time limit of 90 minutes, so once you click start you must complete the test. There are no second attempts.

For any technical difficulties, please contact Jacob Fine (jacob.fine@stemfellowship.org) or Aleksei Shukrin (aleksei.shkurin@stemfellowship.org).