Biomaterials Education Challenge

The Biomaterials Education Challenge will encourage SFB student chapters and other student clubs or groups to develop innovative and practical approaches to biomaterials education. Student teams will be challenged to develop an educational module for middle school (6th-8th grade) science classes. Each educational module will demonstrate fundamental biomaterials concepts, with scientific principles that are understandable to a middle school audience and designed for a 45-minute class period. The education modules should have hands-on components, should be easily incorporated into typical middle school science courses, and should have materials easily obtained with clear educational and learning objectives. Winners will be identified based on their potential for educational impact, and judges will emphasize innovation, practicality, and the likelihood of widespread adoption and dissemination of the educational projects. 

The goals of this competition are to:

  • Improve widespread understanding of biomaterials-related science and careers in the middle school population;
  • Encourage SFB student chapters to participate in K-8 outreach efforts;
  • Reward the communication skills and creativity of the next generation of biomaterials researchers and educators.

To participate in the Biomaterials Education Challenge, submit an abstract that addresses the following items:

  • Statement of purpose including target age group and group size
  • Description of activity methods including materials and budget
  • Assessment method and results

Finalists will be selected based on the submitted abstracts. Projects will be presented in a poster presentation along with a brief demonstration of hands-on teaching materials/activities to a panel of judges. Prizes will then be awarded to the top three teams.

Prizes:

  • 1st place $1500
  • 2nd place $1000
  • 3rd place $500

Judging and Awards

Module presentations will be judged by educators across a spectrum of biomaterials education, including innovative K-12 educators and university professors, and will be overseen by the SFB Education and Professional Development (E&PD) Committee. There will be designated time for oral presenters to interact with the judges, who will evaluate the educational modules and provide constructive feedback to encourage adoption and dissemination. Each module will be evaluated by at least three separate judges, and the student chapter/group with the project judged to have the greatest potential for educational impact will be awarded $1500. Second and third place winners will receive $1000 and $500 respectively. Each of the winning projects will be featured in a 2025 issue of the Biomaterials Forum and featured on the Society For Biomaterials website.
 

Please submit your abstract to Shena Seppanen at sseppanen@biomaterials.org 
no later than Friday, February 28, 2025.

Questions? Please contact info@biomaterials.org!
 

 We thank the Polbionica for sponsoring this event!

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Polbionica S.A.


Awardees will be required to submit module write-ups for their activities that will be hosted on the SFB website.

Specifications:

  • The module must include some hands-on and/or web-based activity that students complete.
  • The age range and group size of the audience must be in the middle school (grade 6th -8th) range.
  • Specific learning objectives should be articulated during the presentation.
  • A complete budget and potential vendor list and/or contact information for supplies and materials should be supplied with the presentation. Affordability is important criteria.
  • College students or school teachers should be capable of giving the presentation and supervising the associated activities.
  • The presentation/activities should not violate any copyright provisions.
  • The presentation/activities should be safe, effective, educational… and hopefully, fun.
  • It is not required, but desirable, to include results/evaluations from conducting the activities with middle school children.
  • It is not required, but desirable, to include a grade-appropriate science teacher as an advisor to the competing teams.