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 ALIC will consist of 30 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 90 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, but challenge-pursuing high school students of all ages are welcome to compete.

The top three participants with the highest scores will be broadcast on SF social media. Monetary prizes are TBD.

Online testing is a simple way for a STEM Fellowship to coordinate and implement the contest.
The tentative date for ALIC 2021 is between April 5th and April 9th, 2021. Stay tuned!
There will be a 24-hour window to complete the test. Once you click start, you will have 90 minutes to complete the test. Please ensure to give yourself enough time before the 24-hour window closes. There are no second attempts, however, if you encounter severe technical difficulties please let us know.

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