This year, middle and high school students in Miami-Dade County Public Schools (M-DCPS) are competing in the museum’s first-ever STEM Challenge. These students are using the engineering design process to create and model a solution to a current science issue. For the 2024-2025 STEM Challenge, their solutions will address a wide range of climate issues, from combating coral bleaching to reducing the carbon footprint of telescopes and rockets. As students complete their projects in the spring, their finished projects will be submitted for a rigorous, two-round judging process.

Frost Science is currently seeking judges for both rounds of judging. These judges will help determine which students earn college scholarships. Up to 37 scholarships will be distributed through the STEM Challenge, and each scholarship will cover 1-4 years of tuition at a Florida public university.

Judges participating in round one will attend a one-hour virtual training session before virtually reviewing a portion of the STEM Challenge project submissions. After reviewing student projects, judges will meet in groups to discuss which students will be moving on to round two of judging. As a token of our appreciation, all round one judges will receive four admission passes to Frost Science.

The second round of judging will occur during the STEM Challenge Expo at Frost Science on May 10, 2025. During this round of judging, groups of judges will review student projects and presentations in person. Judges will then deliberate and determine the STEM Challenge winners. In-person judges will receive free parking in our onsite garage on the day of the expo, four admission passes to Frost Science, and complimentary refreshments and lunch during the event.

Does this sound like something you’re interested in? We want to hear from you! All STEM Challenge judges must have at least a bachelor’s degree. Judges are also encouraged to have experience in education and/or any STEM discipline. Ideally, judges are knowledgeable about one of the four focal disciplines of the STEM Challenge: astronomy, paleontology, marine science, or health.

If you are interested in becoming a judge or would like more information, please refer to the judging application form. The deadline to complete the form is March 1, but we’d love to hear from you sooner!

The STEM Challenge is generously funded by the Glenn W. Bailey Foundation.