It’s time for kids to get ready and show off their creativity and problem-solving skills at the 2026 APEGA Science Olympics! Do you have a budding young geoscientist or engineer in your house? They are invited to join some of Alberta’s brightest young minds and take learning beyond the classroom. The APEGA Science Olympics is an interactive, interschool event for students in grades 1–12. This year’s event will take place at the University of Alberta Butterdome on February 22, 2026.
Through a series of fun, problem-solving challenges and real-life applications, students will learn about engineering and geoscience and see firsthand how these professions impact our daily lives. Remember, there is no right or wrong way for participants to find a solution! The challenges have been developed by professional engineers and geoscientists, as well as local teachers, and cover a range of scientific topics relating to the Alberta school curriculum.
Teams will consist of five students and one coach (a teacher or parent/guardian). Registered students will be separated into four divisions based on their grade levels:
- Division 1 | Grades 1–3
- Division 2 | Grades 4–6
- Division 3 | Grades 7–9
- Division 4 | Grades 10–12
The Challenges
There are typically two types of challenges at an APEGA Science Olympics event:
- Classroom challenges are built and completed by student teams before the event and brought to the venue for on-site testing and judging. This gives the students an opportunity to work through the engineering design process, with plenty of teamwork, communication, and time to problem-solve.
- Mystery challenges are assigned to student teams on the day of the event. This enables them to further test their newfound engineering knowledge and skills in a quick-thinking, exciting challenge.
Volunteers, members from the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Alberta (APEGA), will evaluate participant prototypes against a given list of criteria.
Teams should register early to ensure they have plenty of time to complete their project. The event package with the Classroom Challenge details will be emailed upon registration.
Awards
All prototypes will receive feedback, and all participants will receive a small memento of their participation in the 2026 APEGA Science Olympics. Projects will be evaluated using the challenge rubric, and teams will be given a numerical score for each challenge.
Register your Future Science Olympian Now
Talk to your kids, talk to their teachers, and don’t miss out on this incredible opportunity for hands-on learning, creativity, and discovery! The registration deadline is January 12, 2026, and spots are limited. Registration for the APEGA Science Olympics can be completed online at apega.ca/science-olympics.
APEGA Science Olympics 2026:
Date: February 22, 2026 (Registration closes on January 12, 2026)
When: 9 AM – 6 PM
Venue: Universiade Pavilion (Butterdome), University of Alberta
Address: 11440 87 Avenue NW, Edmonton
Website: www.apega.ca/scienceolympics
