How to Participate

download 2009 application (See new requirements!)

 

The path to the sanofi-aventis International BioGENEius Challenge

  1. Submit your application and research project description to the Biotechnology Institute for state judging. Submissions must be postmarked by January 23, 2009, and arrive at the Biotechnology Institute by January 30, 2009.
  2. If you are selected as a State finalist, you will be invited to compete in one of six U.S. sanofi-aventis Regional BioGENEius Challenges.
  3. If you are selected as a Regional finalist, you will receive an all-expense paid trip to compete at the sanofi-aventis International BioGENEius Challenge in Atlanta, GA (May 16-18, 2009).

Student Eligibility

1. Students enrolled in biology or science-related courses (Grade 9 to 12) in any public or private school within the United States.

2. Only individual students in the US and Western Australia may submit ONE project for this competition. THIS IS A CHANGE FROM PREVIOUS YEARS.

 

How do I apply?

Submit your application packet with your research project description to the Biotechnology Institute. Submissions must be postmarked by January 23, 2009, and arrive at the Biotechnology Institute by January 30, 2009.

A judging committee will review the research project descriptions and select two individual finalists per state to advance to the U.S. sanofi-aventis Regional BioGENEius Challenges.

 

Project Guidelines

For the purposes of this program, we will use the following definition of biotechnology:

"Biotechnology is the use of the knowledge of biological systems to produce goods and services."

1. A project is deemed relevant if its content relates to the various applications of biotechnology such as health care, agriculture and forestry, food processing, mining and the environment, and forensics; and it applies the knowledge and techniques of the current courses at school and/or other scientific studies such as biochemistry, molecular biology, cell biology, microbiology and biotechnology.

2. The project must include scientific experiments that recognize and control all significant variables and demonstrate excellent collection, analysis and presentation of raw data. All of the above must be presented in both the written application and poster presentation. Project must be completed by competition deadline. No additional research for projects submitted to BioGENEius may be conducted after January 23, 2009.

3. The project should not involve the use of any dangerous chemicals or biohazardous materials, except under the direct supervision of qualified personnel with appropriate permission and consent forms completed and on file. All required permissions and paperwork of the International Science and Engineering Fair must be completed in advance of conducting the project.

4. The project should conform in general with the guidelines for International Science and Engineering Fair Guidelines.

5. The project must be designed and completed by the student and comply with the ethics statement. The student may receive guidance from mentors and teachers but must complete the work presented.

 

2009 U.S. sanofi-aventis Regional BioGENEius Challenges
 (competition dates vary by region)

 If you are selected as a state finalist, you will be invited to compete in one of six U.S. sanofi-aventis Regional BioGENEius Challenges. Students will give 10-minute poster presentations, followed by five minutes of Q&A to panel of judges.

Click below to find out about the competition in your region.

Midwest    Northeast    Northwest    Southeast    Southwest    South Central