STEM

2018 ACT-SO STEM Categories Description and Requirements Points.pdf

Biology / Microbiology

The science of life or of the origin, structure, reproduction, growth and development of living organisms collectively.

REQUIREMENTS:

• Projects in this category could involve the biology of organisms from the macroscopic scale to the microscopic scale (e.g., bacteria, viruses, protozoa, fungi, yeast, genes, etc.)

Chemistry / Biochemistry

he science that deals with the composition, structure and properties of chemical processes and phenomena of substances and the transformation that they undergo.

REQUIREMENTS:

• Projects in this category could involve physical chemistry, organic chemistry, inorganic chemistry, materials, plastics, fuels, pesticides, metallurgy, soil chemistry, etc. This category also includes the chemistry of life processes such as molecular biology, molecular genetics, enzymes, photosynthesis, blood chemistry, protein chemistry, food chemistry, hormones, etc.

Computer Science

The science that deals with the theoretical aspects of computers including storage and the transformation of data using computers.

REQUIREMENTS:

• This category pertains to the study and development of computer hardware, software engineering, Internet networking and communications, graphics(including human interface), simulations/virtual reality or computational science(including data structures, encryption, coding and information theory).

Earth / Space Sciences

The body of sciences that include geology, mineralogy, physiography, oceanography, meteorology, climatology, astronomy, speleology, seismology, geography, etc.

REQUIREMENTS:

• Projects in this category could also be concerned with environmental science such as the study of pollution (air, water, and land) sources and their control as well as ecology.

Engineering

Technology. Projects that directly apply scientific principles to manufacturing and practical uses.

REQUIREMENTS:

• Projects in this category could involve civil, mechanical, aeronautical, chemical, electrical, photographic, sound, automotive, marine, heating, refrigerating, transportation, and environmental engineering; electronics; etc.

Mathematics

he science of numbers and their operations, interrelations, combinations, generalizations, and abstractions of spaced configurations and their structure. Development of formal logical systems or various numerical and algebraic computations, and the application of these principles..

REQUIREMENTS:

• Projects in this category could involve calculus, geometry, number theory, statistics, complex analysis, probability, etc.

Physics

Theories, principles, and laws governing energy and the effect of energy on matter.

REQUIREMENTS:

• Projects in this category could involve solid state physics, optics, acoustics, particle physics, nuclear physics, atomic energy, superconductivity, fluid and gas dynamics, thermodynamics, semiconductors, magnetism, quantum mechanics, biophysics, etc.