More than 1,000 Kansas students will put their creative and scientific skills to the test Saturday, April 2, in the 29th annual Kansas Science Olympiad tournament, hosted by Wichita State University.

Through various events in scientific disciplines and many areas of engineering, the Science Olympiad promotes innovative and analytical thinking. It also inspires students to explore beyond what is taught in a classroom. This is accomplished in both a fun and competitive environment.

Science Olympiad events include:

• Designing and flying a rubber-band powered airplane that remains aloft for as long as possible
• Constructing a robot to perform a predetermined set of tasks.
• Looking at a “crime scene” and using chemistry lab techniques to determine the guilty party
• Identifying fossil specimens and determining the organisms’ living environments

Events will take place in various venues on the campus, starting at 9 a.m. Locations and times of events open to the public are:

• Air Trajectory, 9 a.m.-2:50 p.m. Heskett Center gym
• Bottle Rocket, 11 a.m.-2:50 p.m. field south of Koch Arena
• Bridge Building, 9-11:50 a.m., 1-3:50 p.m. 208 Hubbard Hall
• Elastic Launch Glider, 9-11:50 a.m. Heskett Center gym
• Electric Vehicle, 9 a.m.-2:50 p.m. Heskett Center gym
• Mission Possible, 10 a.m.-1:45 p.m. CAC Theater
• Robot Arm, 9 a.m.-2:50 p.m. 231 Hubbard Hall
• Scrambler, 9 a.m.-2:50 p.m. Heskett Center gym
• Wright Stuff, 1-3:50 p.m. Heskett Center gym
• Middle School Awards Ceremony, 4:45-6 p.m. Heskett Center gym
• High School Awards Ceremony, 4:45-6 p.m. CAC Theater

The participating teams advanced to the state contest from four regional contests. The team with the best score in the middle and high school divisions at state will qualify for the National Science Olympiad Tournament, to be held at the University of Wisconsin-Stout on May 18-21.

The Kansas Science Olympiad is supported by Wichita State University and Lubrication Engineers.

WSU's Fairmount Center for Science and Mathematics Education coordinates the competition and provides training to coaches each fall.

More information about the Science Olympiad can be found at the Kansas Science Olympiad website or the National Science Olympiad website, or follow Kansas Science Olympiad happenings with #ksscioly on Twitter.