The National Ocean Sciences Bowl (NOSB) is a national high-school science competition currently hosted by the Center for Ocean Leadership, a University Corporation for Atmospheric Research Community Program beginning 10/3/2022. It follows a quiz-bowl format, with lockout buzzers and extended team challenge questions to test students on their knowledge of oceanography. Questions cover the fields of biology, chemistry, geology, geography, social science, technology, and physics. The purpose of the event is to increase knowledge of the ocean among high school students and, ultimately, magnify public understanding of ocean research.
The annual competition was first held in 1998, the International Year of the Ocean. Twenty-five U.S. regions compete in the NOSB, each with its own regional competitions. The regional competitions are coordinated by Regional Coordinators, who are typically affiliated with a university in their region. Each year, approximately 2,000 students from 300 schools across the nation compete for prizes and a trip to the national competition. Students who participate are eligible to apply for the National Ocean Scholar Program.[1]
The NOSB is a creation of oceanographer Rick Spinrad[2] and Admiral James D. Watkins, USN Ret.[3]
Toss-up: These are multiple choice questions that can be answered by any of the 4 active players on either team in play. Teams have 5 seconds to buzz in and answer the question. If the first team's answer is incorrect, the opposing team will get another 5 seconds to answer. The team that buzzes in first gets to answer the question. A correct answer wins the team 4 points and the right to attempt a bonus question. No conferring is allowed on toss-ups. If a player buzzes in before a moderator finishes reading the question, the buzz is called an interrupt. An incorrect answer will cause the team to lose 4 points and the question to be re-read to the opposing team. This is the only situation in which a team can lose points. However, no points are lost for incorrect answers that are not interrupts. If a player begins an answer before being verbally recognized by the moderator, this is called a blurt. The answer is ignored (not indicated correct or incorrect by the moderator) and the question is re-read to the opposing team. There is no point penalty for a blurt, but the team that blurted is disqualified from answering that question.
Bonus: These are short answer questions that only the team that correctly answered the previous toss-up may answer. Teams have 20 seconds to confer and answer this question. The team captain must begin the team's answer before time is called. A correct response is awarded with an additional 6 points.
Team Challenge Question (TCQ): Each Team Challenge Question is a multi-part question worth up to 20 points, with partial credits possible. Time ranges from 2 to 5 minutes for a team challenge question, and the topics can be anything related to oceanography.
A single NOSB match consists of two 6-minute buzzer segments with two Team Challenge Questions in between. Each round is made up of 20 question pairs. After the break, the second half begins with the first toss-up that was not read in the first half and continues until time expires or all questions have been read. The most points a team can earn each round is 240 points (20 toss-ups and bonuses each plus full-credit on the two TCQs), but earning 100 or more points is considered very impressive. Teams may make substitutions only during the break.
With the exception of articles such as "a","an", and "the", answers to toss-up, multiple-choice questions must be exactly as those on the written page. Prefacing answers with phrases such as "My answer is" is not acceptable for toss-up questions.
Science Expert Briefing (SEB)
The SEB is a mock congressional hearing where students present science recommendations on a piece of legislation, enhancing the critical thinking elements of the competition and focusing on real-world skills. Regional bowl winners must participate in the SEB to be eligible for in-person national finals.
Roles of Officials
Moderator: Reads questions and interprets responses by comparing with the answer sheet.
Science Judge: If the official answer is challenged by a team, the moderator may consult the Science Judge to come to a verdict.
Rules Judge: Oversees activity in the event room and addresses any issues or misbehavior.
Scorekeeper: Records the current score of a progressing match, including rewards and penalties. Generally a copy is saved for later reference.
Timekeeper: Tracks the time throughout the round. In charge of stopping, starting, and resetting the clock. Also notifies teams of time benchmarks (such as 5 seconds left to answer a bonus or 45 and 15 seconds left to answer a Team Challenge Question).
Runner: Primarily used for retrieving documents, such as the official testing material. Also brings Team Challenge Questions to and from the grading center for official scoring.
Locations
The National competition is held in one of the participating colleges that holds a regional bowl. These colleges draw from high schools in their areas and run the regional competitions, often naming the regional according to the characteristics of the region. For example, the region encompassing Colorado and the surrounding area is called the "Trout Bowl." The annual themes, since 2008, are also listed below.
Nationals
2023 & 2024 - None took place.
2022- Virtual - Climate Change: Ocean Science and Solutions
2021- Virtual - Plunging into Our Polar Seas
2020- Virtual - Understanding Human, Economic and Environmental Resiliency in the Gulf of Mexico
2019- Washington, DC - Observe the Ocean, Secure the Future
The prizes for placing at the national competition vary from year to year. In recent years, the top two teams have received week-long experiential trips while many of the other teams at the national competition have received smaller prizes.[1]
2016
1st: Monaco (Courtesy of Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation)
2nd: University of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, School of Freshwater Sciences
2015
1st: NOAA Auke Bay Laboratory, Juneau, Alaska, and Sitka Sound Science Center, Sitka, Alaska
2nd: University of Texas Marine Science Institute, Port Aransas, Texas, and Harte Research Institute for Gulf of Mexico Studies, Corpus Christi, Texas
2014
1st: Shoals Marine Lab, Portsmouth, New Hampshire, University of Maine Darling Marine Center, Walpole, Maine, Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences, East Boothbay, Maine, and Gulf of Maine Research Institute, Portland, Maine
2nd: Smithsonian, Washington DC, NOAA Oxford Laboratory, Oxford, Maryland, Khaled bin Sultan Living Oceans Foundation, Annapolis, Maryland
2013
1st: University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, North Dartmouth, Massachusetts, Hoods Hole Oceanographic Institute, Falmouth, Massachusetts, University of Rhode Island, South Kingston, Rhode Island, and Connecticut Sea Grant, Groton, Connecticut
2nd: University of Georgia Marine Extension Service, Savannah, Georgia, Skidaway Institute of Oceanography, Savannah, Georgia, and Savannah State University, Savannah, Georgia
