Agriculture is the theme of this year's "Youth Science Showdown" science popularization competition

For students entering science competitions, science fairs are no longer the only way, and themes are not necessarily limited to textbook knowledge such as physics, chemistry and biology. In the TSMC Cup "Youth Science Showdown" science popularization competition organized by the National Taiwan University Science Education Center, any teenager aged 15 to 18 can sign up in a team of three, with listening, speaking, reading and writing as the competition format, and "Food: New Discoveries" as this year's theme. The champion receives a prize of 45,000 yuan.

Writing articles and short science talks test teenagers' communication skills

"Narrative ability is an important tool for science learning," said Chen Chuting, director of the National Taiwan University Science Education Development Center. In the past, most common science competitions in the country were science fair competitions emphasizing experiments and data, but the most important thing in science learning is expressing it through words and language. Therefore, the NTU Science Education Center planned a science competition three years ago with "listening, speaking, reading and writing" as the competition format.

In addition to writing articles and short talks as competition formats, the "Youth Science Showdown" competition also uses team PK, answering opponents' questions on the spot, and judges assess participants' critical thinking and expression skills. Chen Chuting, with flowing white hair, believes that science is not rigid, dull knowledge. "The Youth Science Showdown competition tests teenagers' communication skills, and we hope the winners can also become idols for teenagers."

Last year a series of food safety problems occurred in Taiwan, China, and this year is the United Nations International Year of Family Farming, so countries around the world are increasingly concerned about agricultural and food issues. Chen Chuting believes that agriculture is the foundation of civilization, but the development of agricultural technology and food technology has caused food safety problems, the Earth's inability to develop sustainably, and other situations. Therefore, this year's competition takes "Food: New Discoveries" as its theme.

Eight reading books on the theme of agriculture and food