NESBR Student Competition 2026

The Challenge

You are a journalist working at a science news service for young adults.

Your editor wants a report on a recent biomedical research break-through (Bonus points if you are able to articulate where animal heroes have played a role in its discovery pathway). Unfortunately, there is a lot of mis- and disinformation around this discovery and it is up to you to share the real story and help your audience understand the scientific value of this work. You have to learn about this new research and present it in a way that shows you really understand what it is and what it means and that is backed by science. Your presentation should also be appealing to your audience of young adults who want to learn about science.

As a journalist, you know that there are many ways to get info about new discoveries, including science websites, TED Talks, science news blogs, research journals, newspapers, magazines, news releases from research organizations, interviews, and your teachers, parents and friends if they are credibly knowledgeable about the topic. You can use AI to help you learn and organize your ideas but you need to properly source the material. You will have to be incredibly careful about the credibility of all of your sources and make sure that you do not add to the misinformation campaign.

Your editor will accept your work as an article/essay, a poster or a website.

Success criteria

You must show that you understand the topic and can present it with originality, creativity and clarity.

Judging is based on:
(a) the quality of the information you provide
(b) how well your submission explains the biomedical research approach and why science should value the contribution
(c) credibility of sources and critical thinking approach

Create a compelling entry so that your audience will be excited to read or view it!

Prizes (in each Level)

 

All student winners also receive a book about science

Rules of engagement

Deadline

All Posters, Essays, Websites and Entry Forms for the 2026 Competition must be submitted between January 16, 2026 and May 1, 2026, inclusive.

Eligible Participants

New England students in grades 7 – 12. Every student is eligible: public, parochial, private/independent, home-school.

Submission

There should be nothing in the Essay, Poster or Website itself that specifically identifies you or your school. Put that information only in your Entry Form.

Submit via the entry form and via email as appropriate. Please follow these instructions for proper submission.

To submit an essay or poster:

• Complete and submit the 2026 NESBR Student Competition Entry Form
• PDF Notes: When you create your PDF, make sure your security settings allow copying and printing. Do not use on-line or sample PDF-creating software that puts a name, logo or other symbol anywhere on your work. Do not send files that are on-line PDFs. Entries must be “clean,” standalone PDF files.

To submit a website:

• Complete and submit the 2026 NESBR Student Competition Entry Form
• Paste the url into the entry for as indicated

Notification of Winners

Winning students and their teachers will be notified in early June. We notify by e-mail, so accurate e-mail addresses for students and teachers are essential. Winning students, their parents and their teachers are invited to the NESBR Annual Meeting in Newton, MA where they will receive their awards, on June 18, 2026. Details will be sent to winning entrants. Good luck!