economics essay competitions for high school students

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10 Economics Competitions for High School Students

In the last few decades, there’s been a steady increase in the number of economics majors.

For those looking to study economics at a top university, competing and winning economics-oriented competitions is one way to stand out. You’ll expose yourself to incredible problem-solving opportunities, network with high-caliber peers and have a shot at impressing admissions officers.

In this blog, we list out 10 economics competitions for you to consider. We’ve included investment challenges, essay writing competitions, and Olympiads.

1. Harvard Pre-Collegiate Economics Challenge (HPEC)

One of the most prestigious economics challenges in the world, Harvard's Pre-Collegiate Economics Challenge (HPEC) invites talented students from around the world to learn, engage, and analyze their knowledge of microeconomics, macroeconomics, and global economics. You can participate in teams of 1-4, in the following rounds - the written exam round, and the Quiz Bowl round.

Alongside the competition, you also have the chance to interact with professors, graduate students, and leading economists, and learn about economics and its applications in a real-world setting. The final round for HPEC is held at Harvard University, with finalists receiving an all-expense-paid trip to the University.

Note : There is a $125 registration fee for each team

Dates: April 8, 2023

Application Deadline: March 10, 2023

Location: Virtual

Prizes: Awards, prizes

Eligibility: All high school students

2. Wharton Global High School Investment Competition

Hosted by the Wharton School of Business, one of the country's most prestigious undergraduate business schools, the Global High School Investment Competition is an exciting, engaging, and rewarding challenge. As part of the competition, you are required to build a portfolio with $100,000 in virtual cash, on a simulator. You must use your financial and business analysis skills to invest and make profits.

The best part about this challenge? Winners are not chosen simply based on profits, but also on the strength of the strategies they chose to make decisions. The competition also involves a 10-week crash course on investing, business analysis, pitch creation, and portfolio building.

You participate in a team of 4-7 students from your school and send in 2 deliverables that will be shortlisted for a semifinal round. At the Global Finale, the top 10 teams pitch their ideas for funding at Wharton. Here are some free learning resources and case studies from previous years!

Dates: September 26 - April 22, 2023

Application Deadline: September 16, 2023 (based on last year's timetable)

Location: Virtual pitching rounds with a final presentation at UPenn

Prizes: Certificates, a complimentary spot in the Wharton Online Summer Program for winning teams

Eligibility: High school students residing in the US

3. The International Economics Olympiad

Aimed at furthering literacy in the subjects of finance and economics, the IEO, or International Economics Olympiad is an opportunity you should consider. The Olympiad tests students on their logical thinking, creative application, and problem-solving skills in economics and finance, along with a business case presentation.

Tip : IEO's study materials make for an excellent reference while prepping for the Olympiad.

Dates: July 26 - August 1, 2023 (based on last year's timetable)

Application Deadline: 31 May 2023 (based on last year's timetable)

Location : Virtual

Prizes: Medals, statutes, special prizes

Eligibility: The competition is open to students from all around the world, make sure to check your eligibility here !

4. World Economics Cup

An international competition aimed at fostering better engagement with economics and its development in a global society, the World Economics Cup tests students on a variety of topics across various formats. The competition is a great way to understand pure economics and solve problems using economics concepts.

You must register for the WEC as a team from a school and go through 3+ rounds of MCQs on basic concepts of micro and macroeconomics, material-based objective questions, as well as team presentations.

The WEC does not merely test students on the basis of pre-learned information, which varies from country to country, but provides enough academic guidance and background knowledge in the competition beforehand.

Dates: November 12-13, 2023 (based on last year's timetable)

Application Deadline: Applications are currently open on the WEC website

Prizes: Medals

5. The National Economics Challenge

Sponsored by the Council for Economic Education, the National Economics Challenge (NEC) sees participation from almost 10,000 students every year!

Apart from key micro and macroeconomic principles, you are also tested on your knowledge of global economics. Once you qualify for the First Round National Challenge and National Semi-Final Level after participating in the NEC in your state, your team is rewarded with a fully-funded trip to NYC, where you will challenge teams from other states.

Dates: State-wise dates vary, the National Semifinals is from April 24-28, 2023 and the National Finals is from May 20-22, 2023

Application Deadline: Varies from state to state

Location: State-wise, National Semifinals, and Finals are held in NYC

Prizes: Cash prizes of up to $1,000, awards

Eligibility: All high school students residing in the US

6. The National Personal Finance Challenge

Another prestigious event organized by the Council for Economic Education, the National Personal Finance Challenge aims to educate students on financial literacy and test their application of personal finance concepts and skills in their day-to-day lives.

The NPFC sees over 20,000 students participate every year! As part of the competitions, you will be taught about earning income, spending, saving, investing, managing credit, and managing risk. Once you qualify for state-level rounds, the National Finals will be as follows - your team will be given a fictitious family scenario, and you have to prepare and present a personal finance plan to a panel of judges.

If you're just starting out as a finance enthusiast or budding economist, feel free to check out this free toolkit offered by the CEE.

Dates: Varies from state to state, National Finals will be held on June 4-5, 2023

Application Deadline: Varies from state to state, you can access state-wise applications here

Location: Varies for state-level rounds, National Finals will be held in Cleveland, Ohio

Prizes: Cash prizes of up to $2,000 for each team member

7. InvestWrite

InvestWrite is geared at testing students' understanding of financial concepts and clearly communicating them to an audience of industry experts. As a participant, you are required to submit an essay (of not more than 1000 words) based on the Stock Market Game program, a tool to help the student learn the basics of investing and financial markets.

You are judged based on how clear your understanding of the topic is, how concisely you've delivered it, as well as how sound the critical analysis of your essay topic is. This can be a great choice for you if your strength is in written research and articulating findings on paper!

If selected, your essay is sent for a National Round and an International Round.

Dates: To be announced in January 2023

Application Deadline: Early January 2023 for Spring entries

Location: Virtual submission

Prizes: Certificates, gift cards

Eligibility: Students from Grades 9-12 can participate

8. Northwestern Economics Tournament (NET)

An annual challenge held at Northwestern University, the Northwestern Economics Tournament (NET) challenges students on their knowledge of AP level Microeconomics and Macroeconomics, economic history, current events, and modern economic research through both individual and team-based rounds.

The NET invites hundreds of bright high schoolers from around the country, and is divided into two rounds - an asynchronous, team-based Power Round, and an in-person Econ Bowl. Alongside the challenge, you will also engage with professors and students from NWU, and attend lectures. Students are encouraged to participate in the NET, regardless of their prior exposure to economics!

Dates: March 28 - April 2, 2023

Application Deadline: January 17, 2023

Location: Virtual/NWU Campus

Prizes: Cash Prizes

Eligibility: Open to all high-school students

Note : Here are some sample questions that can help you prepare for the challenge!

9. High School Fed Challenge

A highly prestigious economics competition hosted by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, the High School Fed Challenge challenges students to author research in economics and gives them a chance to get published in the Journal of Future Economists.

Students are encouraged to work as a team and focus on honing their teamwork, research, data literacy, and analytical writing. The competition is as follows - every year, participants are given a theme and must pursue research and analysis on any topic related to the theme. Submissions of their academic papers will be judged by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.

The winning team will have its papers published in one of the most coveted Economics journals in the country, as well as recognition.

Dates: March 15, 2023

Application Deadline: February 15, 2023

Prizes: Publication and recognition in the Journal of Future Economists.

Eligibility: All high school students are eligible to apply

10. Global Stock Pitch Competition

Hosted by the Young Investors Society, the Global Stock Pitch Competition challenges students on their knowledge financial analysis and investment. It also provides students mentoring on these topics. In a team of two or individually, you evaluate a publicly traded firm and develop a "best stock idea", occasionally meeting with management.

Each team or student creates a report on their chosen firm with a "Buy" or "Sell" recommendation, and you then present and defend your analysis to a panel of university professors and business professionals in a written report and brief format.

All state-level winners move up to compete regionally in events for the East Coast, Midwest, West Coast, Asia, Access Initiative & International Open.

Note : All registered students will receive a lifetime subscription to TIP Finance, a collection of investment tools developed by The Investor’s Podcast Network!

Dates: May 19, 2023 - Global Stock Pitch Round, April 3, 2023 - state-wise submissions

Application Deadline: April 3, 2023

Location: State-level submissions are virtual, while the Global Stock Pitch Competition will be held at The University of Utah -Eccles School of Business

Prizes: Awards

You can also check out other competitions open to high school students, such as the Economics Poster Competition , Pirates Pitch Competition for High School Students , Capitol Hill Challenge , and University of Texas at Dallas Top Trader Competition .

If you’re interested in writing an economics research paper, consider applying to Lumiere’s Research Scholar Program . We’ve had hundreds of students work with economics researchers from places like Harvard, Stanford, and MIT. Lumiere is a selective online high school program for students that I founded with researchers at Harvard and Oxford. Last year, we had over 2100 students apply for 500 spots in the program! You can find the application form here.

Stephen is one of the founders of Lumiere and a Harvard College graduate. He founded Lumiere as a PhD student at Harvard Business School. Lumiere is a selective research program where students work 1-1 with a research mentor to develop an independent research paper.

Working with a professional thesis writer has been a transformative experience for my academic journey. What sets this collaboration apart is the exceptional expertise and commitment to excellence. The writer not only understood the intricacies of my research but also guided me through the entire thesis process, offering insights and solutions that elevated the quality of my work.

Top 10 Economics Competitions for High School Students

By Surya Ramanathan

Johns Hopkins University, B.S. in Applied Mathematics and Statistics, B.S. in Economics, and M.S. in Applied Economics

6 minute read

Testing your knowledge at an economics competition is a great way to go beyond a traditional classroom’s offerings, allowing you to showcase your understanding of economic theory, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills. The experience gained can not only sharpen your academic competition prowess but it can also provide you with a sneak peek into the intricate web of global economic dynamics. Today, we’ll be looking at the ten best economics competitions for you to partake in to boost your college application and enhance your economic understanding. 

#1 Federal Reserve High School Challenge

Hosting Institution: US Federal Reserve

Location: Virtual

Awards: Submission to Federal Reserve Bank of NY Journal of Future Economists

Entry Deadline: February 15

Competition Date: March 15

The Fed Challenge is a dynamic competition hosted by the Federal Reserve, inviting high school students to act and think as economists. Every year, the Fed will choose a competition theme, and each team will write a 1,500-2,500 word paper on the topic. The best submissions to the essay contest are chosen to be published in the Journal of Future Economists by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. Participants will have the chance to analyze economic data, create forecasts, and present their findings to a panel of expert judges. 

#2 National Economics Challenge

Hosting Institution: Council for Economic Education

Location: Varies by location

Awards: Cash prizes

Entry Deadline: March 1

Competition Date: June 1 - June 3

The National Economics Challenge, organized by CEE, is a premier competition testing high school students on microeconomics, macroeconomics, and current events. Students begin by participating at the local state level and then moving on to a sem-final national challenge. Finally, the top eight teams proceed to the final national challenge in NYC. The NEC encourages academic excellence and cultivates teamwork and critical thinking. 

#3 International Economics Olympiad

Hosting Institution: International Economics Olympiad

Awards: Trophies and medals

Entry Deadline: Typically in January

Competition Date: July

The International Economics Olympiad is a prestigious global competition that draws together the brightest minds in economics. Hosted by various countries on a rotating basis, the IEO challenges participants with rigorous theoretical and applied problems. Students can choose to participate in one of three competitions: financial literacy (an online simulation game where participants need to create personal financial plans), economics (a blend of open-ended and multiple choice questions), or business case (presentation of case solutions to a panel of judges).

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#4 The Stock Market Game

Hosting Institution: Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association (SIFMA)

Awards: Bragging rights

Entry Deadline: Rolling

Competition Date: Ongoing

The Stock Market game is a great way for students to get involved in financial markets without taking on the risk of losing real money. This nationwide competition simulates real-world trading scenarios, allowing participants to make strategic investment decisions within a risk-free environment. Beyond recognition, the game provides an immersive learning experience, bridging the gap between economic theory and practical application. As teams navigate the complexities of financial markets, they develop a nuanced understanding of economic forces. 

#5 Harvard Pre-Collegiate Economics Challenge

Hosting Institution: Harvard College

Location: Virtual or in-person on Harvard campus

Awards: Trophies

Entry Deadline: March 10

Competition Date: April 8

The Harvard Pre-Collegiate Economics Challenge (HPEC) is a student-run competition hosted at Harvard University. The challenge has two main phases: an initial written exam that all participants must complete, and quiz bowl rounds which consist of questions on topics ranging from microeconomics to modern research topics. In addition to the challenge, students gain the opportunity to network with Harvard economists and students, giving it a unique advantage when compared to other competitions on this list. 

#6 Euro Challenge

Hosting Institution: EU Delegation to the United States

Location: TBA

Awards: Networking opportunities, trophies, certificates

Entry Deadline: January

Competition Date: March 18-29 (Preliminary Round)

The Euro Challenge invites high school students to focus on European economic issues. With nationwide competitions across the United States, the challenge goes beyond traditional economics contests. Winners earn recognition and a coveted trip to the national competition, as well as the opportunity to meet the Ambassador of the European Union to the United States. This is a unique opportunity for students to compete in a challenge that takes on an economics view from a different country’s viewpoint. 

#7 National Personal Finance Challenge

Location: Depends on state

Awards: Cash prize

Entry Deadline: Depends on state

Competition Date: June 4-5 (National Level)

The National Personal Finance Challenge, organized by the Council for Economic Education, focuses on financial literacy for high school students. Although the competition varies slightly state-by-state, the general premise involves participants tackling real-world personal finance issues, including budgeting, saving, investing, and financial planning. Trophies, medals, cash prizes, and the chance to compete at the national level make this challenge a great opportunity for those interested in the intersection of economics and personal finance. 

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#8 InvestWrite

Awards: Cash prize, recognition

Cost: Free (must have participated in Stock Market Game)

Entry Deadline: December 20

Competition Date: N/A

For students who took part in the stock market game (mentioned earlier on this list), the accompanying InvestWrite competition is a great way to get some additional economics experience and work on your critical thinking skills. This year’s prompt is: “Which of your Stock Market Game investments performed well or not and why? Using at least one of your Stock Market Game investments, how would you build a $10,000 diversified portfolio of stocks, bonds, and/or mutual funds to save for a personal, family or community goal in the year 2033. Be sure to mention what your goal is.”

#9 Young Economist of the Year

Hosting Institution: Royal Economic Society

Location: England, Wales

Awards: Cash prize, certificate, and recognition

Entry Deadline: Typically July

Competition Date: September

Young Economist of the Year stands as a prestigious competition open to students worldwide but typically attracts those in the United Kingdom. This challenge, held annually in the UK, encourages participants to explore a specific economic research question or topic. Beyond certifications and recognition, top participants receive a cash prize, making this competition a great opportunity for young economists to showcase their research and analytical skills, both qualities important for a job in economics. 

#10 Global Youth Economics Forum Competitions

Hosting Institution: Global Youth Economics Forum

Location: Dependent on competition

Awards: Typically scholarships or cash prize

Cost: Typically free

Entry Deadline: Dependent on competition

Competition Date: Dependent on competition

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The Global Youth Economics Forum is a community aimed at any high schooler and early collegiate student who has an interest in economics, finance, and business. This community organizes many forums and competitions to test students' economics knowledge. Some examples of past competitions include an essay writing competition, a stock market competition, and a quiz bowl. This is a great place to go to look for informal competitions to get some experience and a chance at scholarships/cash prizes while you practice. 

As you take on these competitions, remember that the experience you gain and the skills you hone will not only set you apart academically but will also help prepare you for the dynamic challenges of the real world. 

GYEF Competitions

We host gyef competitions to give our members an opportunity to apply their knowledge of various business/finance/economics theories while enhancing their knowledge of current events. this information can be gained through the weekly news updates, videos, and content curated by the gyef team.  in addition to the competition itself, it is a great opportunity for high school and college students to learn/engage with others, forge new friendships, and learn about the wider field of economics/finance/business beyond the classroom.   winners of our gyef competition also receive a monetary prize (small financial incentive) for being in the top place. all participants also receive a certificate of participation  want to attend our upcoming competitions please be sure to become a member today by filling out our member application in our "get involved" page. , active competitions, dreams fund scholarship: june 1, 2023, the global youth economics forum is excited to present our first ever scholarship grant open to current high school and college students. this grant package is designed to assist students in making their dream of attending college a reality. recipients are picked on both a merit and need basis and will be awarded based on school achievements, leadership ability, and dedication to community service. funds are to be spent solely on academic, artistic, or personal endeavors including but not limited to: conference expenses, technology fees, personal projects, school supplies, etc. the winner will receive further information about the grant disbursement process but it will most likely be a gift card, digital check, or prepaid card in the amount of $250 usd sent directly to the winner. , eligibility:  - high school or college student., - current college/undergraduate seniors for the 2022-2023 academic year are not eligible to apply. - c urrent or past gyef executives are not eligible to apply. , application:  bit.ly/gyef-dreamfund   , past competitions, global essay writing competition: august 31st 2022 - october 15th 2022 - members are able to participate in a global essay writing competition giv ing students the opportunity to practice their application of economic theory, analysis, and written argumentation  - winners will have their work published on our website (with the candidate’s consent), earning recognition for their efforts and substantiating their achievements in an international contest. additionally, the first place will win a $50 monetary incentive and 2 runner-ups will receive honorary mentions on our website with links to their work. - competition summary: (see submissions to their work in our blog linked here ).

1st place - Saanvi Tripuramallu, Ireland, Rockford Manor, 6th year, 16 Years Old

2nd place - Nguyen Thi Thanh Thuy, Vietnam, École Puginier High School, 11th Grade, 16 Years Old

3rd place - Oceana Zhu, USA, The Bronx High School of Science, 11th Grade, 16 Years Old

Second Annual Stock Market Competition: July 7th 2022 - August 15th 2022 

- Members were able to participate in our second annual (virtual cash) stock market stimulation. 

- Competition Summary:

1st place: Elvis Eziokwu, Loyola Jesuit College 2nd place: Fiona Zheng, Townsend Harris High School  3rd place: Carl Lu, Eleanor Roosevelt High School

Quiz Bowl - August 13, 2022

 Members were able to participate in our first quiz bowl that tested students' knowledge of basic microeconomics, macroeconomics, financial literacy, and current news in the world of busIness, finance, and economics.

 Competition Summary: 

Camila Pierre, Manhattan Hunter Science High School

November 1st 2021 - January 10th 2022 

 Members were able to participate in our first annual (virtual cash) stock market stimulation. 

1st place: Melvin Joseph, Milton Academy 2nd place: Allen Li, Stuyvesant High School  3rd place: Gavin Chi, Kingsway School

• Harvard Economics Review
• Mar 9, 2021

Announcing Our 2020 HIEEC Finalists and Highly-Commended

We are pleased to announce the finalists and highly-commended essays of our 2020 Harvard International Economics Essay Contest, co-sponsored by the Harvard Undergraduate Economics Association .

The 2020 Harvard International Economics Essay Contest is sponsored by the Harvard Undergraduate Economics Association (HUEA) in conjunction with the Harvard College Economics Review (HCER). This essay competition is open to high school students of any year and is a fantastic opportunity to demonstrate an accomplished level of writing and understanding of economic theory. Through the contest, student competitors hone their academic and professional skills and exhibit their knowledge to future employers and academic programs.

Competitors must construct a convincing argument using economic theory and real-world examples. Winning essays will be published in the Harvard Economics Review and will be available for the greater Harvard community to read.

2020 Finalists

Hana O’Looney-Goto

Hyungsoon Kim

Julia Massa

Nitheesh Velayan

Sarah Ouyang

Vikas Nibhanupudi

2020 Highly Commended Essays

Ameya Dixit

Connor Greenwood-Cribbin

Hannah Cifuentes

Jingzhao Ma

Kangzi Chan

Ki Myoung Cheon

Nandini Jha

Ngoc Lan Ho

Riku Kubota

Sakshi Modi

Sofia Faghihy

Tiara Siregar

Udeshna Srimal

Vidula Mannem

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Harvard Pre-Collegiate

Economics challenge (hpec).

HPEC challenges students through a series of individual and team rounds on economics knowledge at the Advanced Placement Microeconomics and Macroeconomics levels.

The date for HPEC 2024 has been finalized. Please see below for details. 

Each year, HUEA organizes the Harvard Pre-Collegiate Economics Challenge (HPEC), a prestigious international competition for high school students passionate a bout economics and its role in the world around us. HPEC challenges students through a series of individual a nd team rounds on economics knowledge at the Advanced Placement Microeconomics and Macroeconomics levels as well as economic news, history, recent research, and applications in a wide variety of fields such as education and the environment. 

In the past, students have found this competition to be fun and helpful preparation for the AP Economics exams. In addition to the Challenge itself, comp etitors and coaches will have the opportunity to build friendships with their peers, hear presentations from and interact with professors, graduate students, and real-world economists, and learn about the wider world of economics beyond the hig h s chool classroom. 

HPEC 2024  is scheduled for April 13, 2024. This year, teams can only  compete in-person on Harvard's campus, as the board has decided to not hold a virtual version of HPEC this year. See the coaches' manual linked below for details on the c ompetition from last year. A manual with any updates for this year's competition will be uploaded soon, but aside from a few (if any) minor tweaks, the rules and coaches manual will remain the same. Teams will be able register for the competition soon (details and a registration form will be posted below soon) . However, note that the Challenge is subject to space constraints, so space may fill up prior to the above deadline. Thus, it is best for teams to register well in advance to ensure they can reserve space for their team.

Images from  HPEC 2023

Registration Fe e

Each team requires a registration fee of $125. See the registration form for specific payment details and options. Teams based in the US m ust pay via Zelle. There is no option to pay via PayPal due to issues with our PayPal account. Thus, US-based  teams  should  make a rrangements before the  registration deadline (which will be updated here soon) to pay via Zelle. International teams should email HUEA to discuss additional payment options, though Zelle is preferred if at all possible.

All payments are final, as we start making preparations given current understanding of competition attendance; withdrawal for any reason will not be refunded.

Competition Informatio n ​

The (tentative) HPEC 20 24 Coaches Manual can be found here . 

Compet ition registration ​, the official hpec 2024 registration form can be found here . please review this form carefully as there is a lot of information here, including payment details..

Imp ortant Forms

The 2024 Photo Consent F orm can be found here .

The 2024 Liability Release  and Contact Form can be found here .

How many people can be on one team?

Teams consist of 1-4 people. Teams of 3 or fewer can still compete, but the quiz bowl rounds will likely be more challenging with fewer team members.​

How many teams can one school bring?

Depending on space availability and with priority registration given to the first team, each school may be able to bring additional teams total if space allows. For now, schools can register 1 team, and indicate interest in sending a 2nd team.

What if my school is unable to bring a teacher as a coach?

We require that a coach be present​ with the team. You are allowed to bring a parent as a coach if your teacher is not able to attend the competition--please reach out to us by email.

What COVID-19 restrictions will HPEC participants be subject to?

At this time, HPEC will not require participants to provide proof of vaccination or a negative test before arrival. However, participants must not come to campus if they are exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19, have been diagnosed with COVID-19, or have otherwise been instructed to quarantine or isolate. 

Practice Questions & Answers ​

PDFs: 

2011 MC Questions

2011 MC Answers

2012 MC Questions

2012 MC Answers

2013 MC Questions

2013 MC Answers

2014 MC Questions

2014 MC Answers

2015 MC Questions

2015 MC Answers

2016 MC Questions

2016 MC Answers

2019 MC Questions

2019 MC Answers

Quiz Bowl (Questions from 2012)

Quiz Bowl (Sample Questions - General)

National Economics Challenge

Ages: High School

Type: Tournament

Scope: National

212-730-7007

Participate

The National Economics Challenge (NEC) is the nation’s most prestigious high school economics competition. Each year, over 10,500 students across the U.S. participate in the competition. The Challenge recognizes exceptional high school students for their knowledge of economic principles and their ability to apply problem-solving and critical-thinking skills to real-world events.

• The Adam Smith Division for Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate and Honors Students.
• The David Ricardo Division for students participating for the first time.

Website: http://councilforeconed.org/national-economics-challenge/

Managing Organization: Council for Economic Education

Contact: 212-730-7007

Eligibility: Students must be enrolled for credit in a qualifying public high school, private high school, or home-based high school course at some time during the year of entry.

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Essay  COMPETITION

2024 global essay prize, registrations are now open all essayists must register  here  before friday 31 may, 2024.

The John Locke Institute encourages young people to cultivate the characteristics that turn good students into great writers: independent thought, depth of knowledge, clear reasoning, critical analysis and persuasive style. Our Essay Competition invites students to explore a wide range of challenging and interesting questions beyond the confines of the school curriculum.

Entering an essay in our competition can build knowledge, and refine skills of argumentation. It also gives students the chance to have their work assessed by experts. All of our essay prizes are judged by a panel of senior academics drawn from leading universities including Oxford and Princeton, under the leadership of the Chairman of Examiners, former Cambridge philosopher, Dr Jamie Whyte.

The judges will choose their favourite essay from each of seven subject categories - Philosophy, Politics, Economics, History, Psychology, Theology and Law - and then select the winner of the Grand Prize for the best entry in any subject. There is also a separate prize awarded for the best essay in the junior category, for under 15s.

Q1. Do we have any good reasons to trust our moral intuition?

Q2. Do girls have a (moral) right to compete in sporting contests that exclude boys?

Q3. Should I be held responsible for what I believe?

Q1. Is there such a thing as too much democracy?

Q2. Is peace in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip possible?

Q3. When is compliance complicity?

Q1. What is the optimal global population?  

Q2. Accurate news reporting is a public good. Does it follow that news agencies should be funded from taxation?

Q3. Do successful business people benefit others when making their money, when spending it, both, or neither?

Q1. Why was sustained economic growth so rare before the later 18th century and why did this change?

Q2. Has music ever significantly changed the course of history?

Q3. Why do civilisations collapse? Is our civilisation in danger?

Q1. When, if ever, should a company be permitted to refuse to do business with a person because of that person’s public statements?

Q2. In the last five years British police have arrested several thousand people for things they posted on social media. Is the UK becoming a police state?

Q3. Your parents say that 11pm is your bedtime. But they don’t punish you if you don’t go to bed by 11pm. Is 11pm really your bedtime?

Q1. According to a study by researchers at four British universities, for each 15-point increase in IQ, the likelihood of getting married increases by around 35% for a man but decreases by around 58% for a woman. Why?

In the original version of this question we misstated a statistic. This was caused by reproducing an error that appeared in several media summaries of the study. We are grateful to one of our contestants, Xinyi Zhang, who helped us to see (with humility and courtesy) why we should take more care to check our sources. We corrected the text on 4 April. Happily, the correction does not in any way alter the thrust of the question.

Q2. There is an unprecedented epidemic of depression and anxiety among young people. Can we fix this? How?

Q3. What is the difference between a psychiatric illness and a character flaw?

Q1. “I am not religious, but I am spiritual.” What could the speaker mean by “spiritual”?

Q2. Is it reasonable to thank God for protection from some natural harm if He is responsible for causing the harm?

Q3. Does God reward those who believe in him? If so, why?

JUNIOR prize

Q1. Does winning a free and fair election automatically confer a mandate for governing?

Q2. Has the anti-racism movement reduced racism?

Q3. Is there life after death?

Q4. How did it happen that governments came to own and run most high schools, while leaving food production to private enterprise? 

Q5. When will advancing technology make most of us unemployable? What should we do about this?

Q6. Should we trust fourteen-year-olds to make decisions about their own bodies? 

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS & FURTHER DETAILS

Please read the following carefully.

Entry to the John Locke Institute Essay Competition 2024 is open to students from any country.

Registration  

Only candidates who registered before the registration deadline of Friday, 31 May 2024 may enter this year's competition. To register, click here .  

All entries must be submitted by 11.59 pm BST on  the submission deadline: Sunday, 30 June 2024 .  Candidates must be eighteen years old, or younger, on that date. (Candidates for the Junior Prize must be fourteen years old, or younger, on that date.)

Entry is free.

Each essay must address only one of the questions in your chosen subject category, and must not exceed 2000 words (not counting diagrams, tables of data, endnotes, bibliography or authorship declaration). 

The filename of your pdf must be in this format: FirstName-LastName-Category-QuestionNumber.pdf; so, for instance, Alexander Popham would submit his answer to question 2 in the Psychology category with the following file name:

Alexander-Popham-Psychology-2.pdf

Essays with filenames which are not in this format will be rejected.

The candidate's name should NOT appear within the document itself. 

Candidates should NOT add footnotes. They may, however, add endnotes and/or a Bibliography that is clearly titled as such.

Each candidate will be required to provide the email address of an academic referee who is familiar with the candidate's written academic work. This should be a school teacher, if possible, or another responsible adult who is not a relation of the candidate. The John Locke Institute will email referees to verify that the essays submitted are indeed the original work of the candidates.

Submissions may be made as soon as registration opens in April. We recommend that you submit your essay well in advance of th e deadline to avoid any last-minute complications.

Acceptance of your essay depends on your granting us permission to use your data for the purposes of receiving and processing your entry as well as communicating with you about the Awards Ceremony Dinner, the academic conference, and other events and programmes of the John Locke Institute and its associated entities.  

Late entries

If for any reason you miss the 30 June deadline you will have an opportunity to make a late entry, under two conditions:

a) A late entry fee of 20.00 USD must be paid by credit card within twenty-four hours of the original deadline; and

b) Your essay must be submitted  before 11.59 pm BST on Wednesday, 10 July 2024.

To pay for late entry, a registrant need only log into his or her account, select the relevant option and provide the requested payment information.

Our grading system is proprietary. Essayists may be asked to discuss their entry with a member of the John Locke Institute’s faculty. We use various means to identify plagiarism, contract cheating, the use of AI and other forms of fraud . Our determinations in all such matters are final.

Essays will be judged on knowledge and understanding of the relevant material, the competent use of evidence, quality of argumentation, originality, structure, writing style and persuasive force. The very best essays are likely to be those which would be capable of changing somebody's mind. Essays which ignore or fail to address the strongest objections and counter-arguments are unlikely to be successful .

Candidates are advised to answer the question as precisely and directly as possible.

The writers of the best essays will receive a commendation and be shortlisted for a prize. Writers of shortlisted essays will be notified by 11.59 pm BST on Wednesday, 31 July. They will also be invited to London for an invitation-only academic conference and awards dinner in September, where the prize-winners will be announced. Unlike the competition itself, the academic conference and awards dinner are not free. Please be aware that n obody is required to attend either the academic conference or the prize ceremony. You can win a prize without travelling to London.

All short-listed candidates, including prize-winners, will be able to download eCertificates that acknowledge their achievement. If you win First, Second or Third Prize, and you travel to London for the ceremony, you will receive a signed certificate. 

There is a prize for the best essay in each category. The prize for each winner of a subject category, and the winner of the Junior category, is a scholarship worth US$2000 towards the cost of attending any John Locke Institute programme, and the essays will be published on the Institute's website. Prize-giving ceremonies will take place in London, at which winners and runners-up will be able to meet some of the judges and other faculty members of the John Locke Institute. Family, friends, and teachers are also welcome.

The candidate who submits the best essay overall will be awarded an honorary John Locke Institute Junior Fellowship, which comes with a US$10,000 scholarship to attend one or more of our summer schools and/or visiting scholars programmes. 

The judges' decisions are final, and no correspondence will be entered into.

R egistration opens: 1 April, 2024.

Registration deadline: 31 May, 2024. (Registration is required by this date for subsequent submission.)

Submission deadline: 30 June, 2024.

Late entry deadline: 10 July, 2024. (Late entries are subject to a 20.00 USD charge, payable by 1 July.)

Notification of short-listed essayists: 31 July, 2024.

Academic conference: 20 - 22 September, 2024.

Awards dinner: 21 September, 2024.

Any queries regarding the essay competition should be sent to [email protected] . Please be aware that, due to the large volume of correspondence we receive, we cannot guarantee to answer every query. In particular, regrettably, we are unable to respond to questions whose answers can be found on our website.

If you would like to receive helpful tips  from our examiners about what makes for a winning essay or reminders of upcoming key dates for the 2024  essay competition, please provide your email here to be added to our contact list. .

Thanks for subscribing!

The John Locke Institute's Global Essay Prize is acknowledged as the world's most prestigious essay competition. 

We welcome tens of thousands of submissions from ambitious students in more than 150 countries, and our examiners - including distinguished philosophers, political scientists, economists, historians, psychologists, theologians, and legal scholars - read and carefully assess every entry. 

I encourage you to register for this competition, not only for the hope of winning a prize or commendation, and not only for the chance to join the very best contestants at our academic conference and gala ceremony in London, but equally for the opportunity to engage in the serious scholarly enterprise of researching, reflecting on, writing about, and editing an answer to one of the important and provocative questions in this year's Global Essay Prize. 

We believe that the skills you will acquire in the process will make you a better thinker and a more effective advocate for the ideas that matter most to you.

I hope to see you in September!

Best wishes,

Jamie Whyte, Ph.D. (C ANTAB ) 

Chairman of Examiners

Q. I missed the registration deadline. May I still register or submit an essay?

A. No. Only candidates who registered before 31 May will be able to submit an essay. 

Q. Are footnote s, endnotes, a bibliography or references counted towards the word limit?

A. No. Only the body of the essay is counted. 

Q. Are in-text citations counted towards the word limit? ​

A. If you are using an in-text based referencing format, such as APA, your in-text citations are included in the word limit.

Q. Is it necessary to include foo tnotes or endnotes in an essay? ​

A. You  may not  include footnotes, but you may include in-text citations or endnotes. You should give your sources of any factual claims you make, and you should ackn owledge any other authors on whom you rely.​

Q. I am interested in a question that seems ambiguous. How should I interpret it?

A. You may interpret a question as you deem appropriate, clarifying your interpretation if necessary. Having done so, you must answer the question as directly as possible.

Q. How strict are  the age eligibility criteria?

A. Only students whose nineteenth birthday falls after 30 June 2024 will be eligible for a prize or a commendation. In the case of the Junior category, only students whose fifteenth birthday falls after 30 June 2024 will be eligible for a prize or a commendation. 

Q. May I submit more than one essay?

A. Yes, you may submit as many essays as you please in any or all categories.

Q. If I am eligible to compete in the Junior category, may I also (or instead) compete in another category?

A. Yes, you may.

Q. May I team up with someone else to write an essay?  

A. No. Each submitted essay must be entirely the work of a single individual.

Q. May I use AI, such as ChatGPT or the like, in writing my essay?

A. All essays will be checked for the use of AI. If we find that any content is generated by AI, your essay will be disqualified. We will also ask you, upon submission of your essay, whether you used AI for  any  purpose related to the writing of your essay, and if so, you will be required to provide details. In that case, if, in our judgement, you have not provided full and accurate details of your use of AI, your essay will be disqualified. 

Since any use of AI (that does not result in disqualification) can only negatively affect our assessment of your work relative to that of work that is done without using AI, your safest course of action is simply not to use it at all. If, however, you choose to use it for any purpose, we reserve the right to make relevant judgements on a case-by-case basis and we will not enter into any correspondence. 

Q. May I have someone else edit, or otherwise help me with, my essay?

A. You may of course discuss your essay with others, and it is perfectly acceptable for them to offer general advice and point out errors or weaknesses in your writing or content, leaving you to address them.

However, no part of your essay may be written by anyone else. This means that you must edit your own work and that while a proofreader may point out errors, you as the essayist must be the one to correct them. 

Q. Do I have to attend the awards ceremony to win a prize? ​

A. Nobody is required to attend the prize ceremony. You can win a prize without travelling to London. But if we invite you to London it is because your essay was good enough - in the opinion of the First Round judges - to be at least a contender for First, Second or Third Prize. Normally the Second Round judges will agree that the short-listed essays are worth at least a commendation.

Q. Is there an entry fee?

A. No. There is no charge to enter our global essay competition unless you submit your essay after the normal deadline, in which case there is a fee of 20.00 USD .

Q. Can I receive a certificate for my participation in your essay competition if I wasn't shortlisted? 

A. No. Certificates are awarded only for shortlisted essays. Short-listed contestants who attend the award ceremony in London will receive a paper certificate. If you cannot travel to London, you will be able to download your eCertificate.

Q. Can I receive feedba ck on my essay? 

A. We would love to be able to give individual feedback on essays but, unfortunately, we receive too many entries to be able to comment on particular essays.

Q. The deadline for publishing the names of short-listed essayists has passed but I did not receive an email to tell me whether I was short-listed.

A. Log into your account and check "Shortlist Status" for (each of) your essay(s).

Q. Why isn't the awards ceremony in Oxford this year?

A. Last year, many shortlisted finalists who applied to join our invitation-only academic conference missed the opportunity because of capacity constraints at Oxford's largest venues. This year, the conference will be held in central London and the gala awards dinner will take place in an iconic London ballroom. 

TECHNICAL FAQ s

Q. The system will not accept my essay. I have checked the filename and it has the correct format. What should I do?  

A. You have almost certainly added a space before or after one of your names in your profile. Edit it accordingly and try to submit again.

Q. The profile page shows my birth date to be wrong by a day, even after I edit it. What should I do?

A. Ignore it. The date that you typed has been correctly input to our database. ​ ​

Q. How can I be sure that my registration for the essay competition was successful? Will I receive a confirmation email?

A. You will not receive a confirmation email. Rather, you can at any time log in to the account that you created and see that your registration details are present and correct.

TROUBLESHOOTING YOUR SUBMISSION

If you are unable to submit your essay to the John Locke Institute’s global essay competition, your problem is almost certainly one of the following.

If so, please proceed as indicated.

1) PROBLEM: I receive the ‘registrations are now closed’ message when I enter my email and verification code. SOLUTION. You did not register for the essay competition and create your account. If you think you did, you probably only provided us with your email to receive updates from us about the competition or otherwise. You may not enter the competition this year.

2) PROBLEM I do not receive a login code after I enter my email to enter my account. SOLUTION. Enter your email address again, checking that you do so correctly. If this fails, restart your browser using an incognito window; clear your cache, and try again. Wait for a few minutes for the code. If this still fails, restart your machine and try one more time. If this still fails, send an email to [email protected] with “No verification code – [your name]” in the subject line.

SUBMITTING AN ESSAY

3) PROBLEM: The filename of my essay is in the correct format but it is rejected. SOLUTION: Use “Edit Profile” to check that you did not add a space before or after either of your names. If you did, delete it. Whether you did or did not, try again to submit your essay. If submission fails again, email [email protected] with “Filename format – [your name]” in the subject line.

4) PROBLEM: When trying to view my submitted essay, a .txt file is downloaded – not the .pdf file that I submitted. SOLUTION: Delete the essay. Logout of your account; log back in, and resubmit. If resubmission fails, email [email protected] with “File extension problem – [your name]” in the subject line.

5) PROBLEM: When I try to submit, the submission form just reloads without giving me an error message. SOLUTION. Log out of your account. Open a new browser; clear the cache; log back in, and resubmit. If resubmission fails, email [email protected] with “Submission form problem – [your name]” in the subject line.

6) PROBLEM: I receive an “Unexpected Error” when trying to submit. SOLUTION. Logout of your account; log back in, and resubmit. If this resubmission fails, email [email protected] with “Unexpected error – [your name]” in thesubject line. Your email must tell us e xactly where in the submission process you received this error.

7) PROBLEM: I have a problem with submitting and it is not addressed above on this list. SOLUTION: Restart your machine. Clear your browser’s cache. Try to submit again. If this fails, email [email protected] with “Unlisted problem – [your name]” in the subject line. Your email must tell us exactly the nature of your problem with relevant screen caps.

READ THIS BEFORE YOU EMAIL US.

Do not email us before you have tried the specified solutions to your problem.

Do not email us more than once about a single problem. We will respond to your email within 72 hours. Only if you have not heard from us in that time may you contact us again to ask for an update.

If you email us regarding a problem, you must include relevant screen-shots and information on both your operating system and your browser. You must also declare that you have tried the solutions presented above and had a good connection to the internet when you did so.

If you have tried the relevant solution to your problem outlined above, have emailed us, and are still unable to submit before the 30 June deadline on account of any fault of the John Locke Institute or our systems, please do not worry: we will have a way to accept your essay in that case. However, if there is no fault on our side, we will not accept your essay if it is not submitted on time – whatever your reason: we will not make exceptions for IT issues for which we are not responsible.

We reserve the right to disqualify the entries of essayists who do not follow all provided instructions, including those concerning technical matters.

Summer 2024 Admissions Open Now. Sign up for upcoming live information sessions here (featuring former and current Admission Officers at Havard and UPenn).

Discourse, debate, and analysis

Cambridge re:think essay competition 2024.

Competition Opens: 15th January, 2024

Essay Submission Deadline: 10th May, 2024 Result Announcement: 20th June, 2024 Award Ceremony and Dinner at the University of Cambridge: 30th July, 2024

We welcome talented high school students from diverse educational settings worldwide to contribute their unique perspectives to the competition.

Entry to the competition is free.

About the Competition

The spirit of the Re:think essay competition is to encourage critical thinking and exploration of a wide range of thought-provoking and often controversial topics. The competition covers a diverse array of subjects, from historical and present issues to speculative future scenarios. Participants are invited to engage deeply with these topics, critically analysing their various facets and implications. It promotes intellectual exploration and encourages participants to challenge established norms and beliefs, presenting opportunities to envision alternative futures, consider the consequences of new technologies, and reevaluate longstanding traditions. 

Ultimately, our aim is to create a platform for students and scholars to share their perspectives on pressing issues of the past and future, with the hope of broadening our collective understanding and generating innovative solutions to contemporary challenges. This year’s competition aims to underscore the importance of discourse, debate, and critical analysis in addressing complex societal issues in nine areas, including:

Religion and Politics

Political science and law, linguistics, environment, sociology and philosophy, business and investment, public health and sustainability, biotechonology.

Artificial Intelligence 

Neuroengineering

2024 essay prompts.

This year, the essay prompts are contributed by distinguished professors from Harvard, Brown, UC Berkeley, Cambridge, Oxford, and MIT.

Essay Guidelines and Judging Criteria

Review general guidelines, format guidelines, eligibility, judging criteria.

Awards and Award Ceremony

Award winners will be invited to attend the Award Ceremony and Dinner hosted at the King’s College, University of Cambridge. The Dinner is free of charge for select award recipients.

Registration and Submission

Register a participant account today and submit your essay before the deadline.

Advisory Committee and Judging Panel

The Cambridge Re:think Essay Competition is guided by an esteemed Advisory Committee comprising distinguished academics and experts from elite universities worldwide. These committee members, drawn from prestigious institutions, such as Harvard, Cambridge, Oxford, and MIT, bring diverse expertise in various disciplines.

They play a pivotal role in shaping the competition, contributing their insights to curate the themes and framework. Their collective knowledge and scholarly guidance ensure the competition’s relevance, academic rigour, and intellectual depth, setting the stage for aspiring minds to engage with thought-provoking topics and ideas.

We are honoured to invite the following distinguished professors to contribute to this year’s competition.

The judging panel of the competition comprises leading researchers and professors from Harvard, MIT, Stanford, Cambridge, and Oxford, engaging in a strictly double blind review process.

Keynote Speeches by 10 Nobel Laureates

We are beyond excited to announce that multiple Nobel laureates have confirmed to attend and speak at this year’s ceremony on 30th July, 2024 .

They will each be delivering a keynote speech to the attendees. Some of them distinguished speakers will speak virtually, while others will attend and present in person and attend the Reception at Cambridge.

Why has religion remained a force in a secular world? 

Professor Commentary:

Arguably, the developed world has become more secular in the last century or so. The influence of Christianity, e.g. has diminished and people’s life worlds are less shaped by faith and allegiance to Churches. Conversely, arguments have persisted that hold that we live in a post-secular world. After all, religion – be it in terms of faith, transcendence, or meaning – may be seen as an alternative to a disenchanted world ruled by entirely profane criteria such as economic rationality, progressivism, or science. Is the revival of religion a pale reminder of a by-gone past or does it provide sources of hope for the future?

‘Religion in the Public Sphere’ by Jürgen Habermas (European Journal of Philosophy, 2006)

In this paper, philosopher Jürgen Habermas discusses the limits of church-state separation, emphasizing the significant contribution of religion to public discourse when translated into publicly accessible reasons.

‘Public Religions in the Modern World’ by José Casanova (University Of Chicago Press, 1994)

Sociologist José Casanova explores the global emergence of public religion, analyzing case studies from Catholicism and Protestantism in Spain, Poland, Brazil, and the USA, challenging traditional theories of secularization.

‘The Power of Religion in the Public Sphere’ by Judith Butler, Jürgen Habermas, Charles Taylor, and Cornel West (Edited by Eduardo Mendieta and Jonathan VanAntwerpen, Columbia University Press, 2011)

This collection features dialogues by prominent intellectuals on the role of religion in the public sphere, examining various approaches and their impacts on cultural, social, and political debates.

‘Rethinking Secularism’ by Craig Calhoun, Mark Juergensmeyer, and Jonathan VanAntwerpen (Oxford University Press, 2011)

An interdisciplinary examination of secularism, this book challenges traditional views, highlighting the complex relationship between religion and secularism in contemporary global politics.

‘God is Back: How the Global Rise of Faith is Changing the World’ by John Micklethwait and Adrian Wooldridge (Penguin, 2010)

Micklethwait and Wooldridge argue for the coexistence of religion and modernity, suggesting that religious beliefs can contribute to a more open, tolerant, and peaceful modern world.

‘Multiculturalism’ by Tariq Modood (Polity Press, 2013)

Sociologist Tariq Modood emphasizes the importance of multiculturalism in integrating diverse identities, particularly in post-immigration contexts, and its role in shaping democratic citizenship.

‘God’s Agents: Biblical Publicity in Contemporary England’ by Matthew Engelke (University of California Press, 2013)

In this ethnographic study, Matthew Engelke explores how a group in England seeks to expand the role of religion in the public sphere, challenging perceptions of religion in post-secular England.

Gene therapy is a medical approach that treats or prevents disease by correcting the underlying genetic problem. Is gene therapy better than traditional medicines? What are the pros and cons of using gene therapy as a medicine? Is gene therapy justifiable?

Especially after Covid-19 mRNA vaccines, gene therapy is getting more and more interesting approach to cure. That’s why that could be interesting to think about. I believe that students will enjoy and learn a lot while they are investigating this topic.

The Hall at King’s College, Cambridge

The Hall was designed by William Wilkins in the 1820s and is considered one of the most magnificent halls of its era. The first High Table dinner in the Hall was held in February 1828, and ever since then, the splendid Hall has been where members of the college eat and where formal dinners have been held for centuries.

The Award Ceremony and Dinner will be held in the Hall in the evening of  30th July, 2024.

Stretching out down to the River Cam, the Back Lawn has one of the most iconic backdrop of King’s College Chapel. 

The early evening reception will be hosted on the Back Lawn with the iconic Chapel in the background (weather permitting). 

King’s College Chapel

With construction started in 1446 by Henry VI and took over a century to build, King’s College Chapel is one of the most iconic buildings in the world, and is a splendid example of late Gothic architecture. 

Attendees are also granted complimentary access to the King’s College Chapel before and during the event. 

Confirmed Nobel Laureates

Dr Thomas R. Cech

The nobel prize in chemistry 1989 , for the discovery of catalytic properties of rna.

Thomas Robert Cech is an American chemist who shared the 1989 Nobel Prize in Chemistry with Sidney Altman, for their discovery of the catalytic properties of RNA. Cech discovered that RNA could itself cut strands of RNA, suggesting that life might have started as RNA. He found that RNA can not only transmit instructions, but also that it can speed up the necessary reactions.

He also studied telomeres, and his lab discovered an enzyme, TERT (telomerase reverse transcriptase), which is part of the process of restoring telomeres after they are shortened during cell division.

As president of Howard Hughes Medical Institute, he promoted science education, and he teaches an undergraduate chemistry course at the University of Colorado

Sir Richard J. Roberts

The nobel prize in medicine 1993 .

F or the discovery of split genes

During 1969–1972, Sir Richard J. Roberts did postdoctoral research at Harvard University before moving to Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, where he was hired by James Dewey Watson, a co-discoverer of the structure of DNA and a fellow Nobel laureate. In this period he also visited the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology for the first time, working alongside Fred Sanger. In 1977, he published his discovery of RNA splicing. In 1992, he moved to New England Biolabs. The following year, he shared a Nobel Prize with his former colleague at Cold Spring Harbor Phillip Allen Sharp.

His discovery of the alternative splicing of genes, in particular, has had a profound impact on the study and applications of molecular biology. The realisation that individual genes could exist as separate, disconnected segments within longer strands of DNA first arose in his 1977 study of adenovirus, one of the viruses responsible for causing the common cold. Robert’s research in this field resulted in a fundamental shift in our understanding of genetics, and has led to the discovery of split genes in higher organisms, including human beings.

Dr Aaron Ciechanover

The nobel prize in chemistry 2004 .

F or the discovery of ubiquitin-mediated protein degradation

Aaron Ciechanover is one of Israel’s first Nobel Laureates in science, earning his Nobel Prize in 2004 for his work in ubiquitination. He is honored for playing a central role in the history of Israel and in the history of the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology.

Dr Ciechanover is currently a Technion Distinguished Research Professor in the Ruth and Bruce Rappaport Faculty of Medicine and Research Institute at the Technion. He is a member of the Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities, the Pontifical Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, the Russian Academy of Sciences and is a foreign associate of the United States National Academy of Sciences. In 2008, he was a visiting Distinguished Chair Professor at NCKU, Taiwan. As part of Shenzhen’s 13th Five-Year Plan funding research in emerging technologies and opening “Nobel laureate research labs”, in 2018 he opened the Ciechanover Institute of Precision and Regenerative Medicine at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen campus.

Dr Robert Lefkowitz

The nobel prize in chemistry 2012 .

F or the discovery of G protein-coupled receptors

Robert Joseph Lefkowitz is an American physician (internist and cardiologist) and biochemist. He is best known for his discoveries that reveal the inner workings of an important family G protein-coupled receptors, for which he was awarded the 2012 Nobel Prize for Chemistry with Brian Kobilka. He is currently an Investigator with the Howard Hughes Medical Institute as well as a James B. Duke Professor of Medicine and Professor of Biochemistry and Chemistry at Duke University.

Dr Lefkowitz made a remarkable contribution in the mid-1980s when he and his colleagues cloned the gene first for the β-adrenergic receptor, and then rapidly thereafter, for a total of 8 adrenergic receptors (receptors for adrenaline and noradrenaline). This led to the seminal discovery that all GPCRs (which include the β-adrenergic receptor) have a very similar molecular structure. The structure is defined by an amino acid sequence which weaves its way back and forth across the plasma membrane seven times. Today we know that about 1,000 receptors in the human body belong to this same family. The importance of this is that all of these receptors use the same basic mechanisms so that pharmaceutical researchers now understand how to effectively target the largest receptor family in the human body. Today, as many as 30 to 50 percent of all prescription drugs are designed to “fit” like keys into the similarly structured locks of Dr Lefkowitz’ receptors—everything from anti-histamines to ulcer drugs to beta blockers that help relieve hypertension, angina and coronary disease.

Dr Lefkowitz is among the most highly cited researchers in the fields of biology, biochemistry, pharmacology, toxicology, and clinical medicine according to Thomson-ISI.

Dr Joachim Frank

The nobel prize in chemistry 2017 .

F or developing cryo-electron microscopy

Joachim Frank is a German-American biophysicist at Columbia University and a Nobel laureate. He is regarded as the founder of single-particle cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM), for which he shared the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2017 with Jacques Dubochet and Richard Henderson. He also made significant contributions to structure and function of the ribosome from bacteria and eukaryotes.

In 1975, Dr Frank was offered a position of senior research scientist in the Division of Laboratories and Research (now Wadsworth Center), New York State Department of Health,where he started working on single-particle approaches in electron microscopy. In 1985 he was appointed associate and then (1986) full professor at the newly formed Department of Biomedical Sciences of the University at Albany, State University of New York. In 1987 and 1994, he went on sabbaticals in Europe, one to work with Richard Henderson, Laboratory of Molecular Biology Medical Research Council in Cambridge and the other as a Humboldt Research Award winner with Kenneth C. Holmes, Max Planck Institute for Medical Research in Heidelberg. In 1998, Dr Frank was appointed investigator of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI). Since 2003 he was also lecturer at Columbia University, and he joined Columbia University in 2008 as professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics and of biological sciences.

Dr Barry C. Barish

The nobel prize in physics 2017 .

For the decisive contributions to the detection of gravitational waves

Dr Barry Clark Barish is an American experimental physicist and Nobel Laureate. He is a Linde Professor of Physics, emeritus at California Institute of Technology and a leading expert on gravitational waves.

In 2017, Barish was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics along with Rainer Weiss and Kip Thorne “for decisive contributions to the LIGO detector and the observation of gravitational waves”. He said, “I didn’t know if I would succeed. I was afraid I would fail, but because I tried, I had a breakthrough.”

In 2018, he joined the faculty at University of California, Riverside, becoming the university’s second Nobel Prize winner on the faculty.

In the fall of 2023, he joined Stony Brook University as the inaugural President’s Distinguished Endowed Chair in Physics.

In 2023, Dr Barish was awarded the National Medal of Science by President Biden in a White House ceremony.

Dr Harvey J. Alter

The nobel prize in medicine 2020 .

For the discovery of Hepatitis C virus

Dr Harvey J. Alter is an American medical researcher, virologist, physician and Nobel Prize laureate, who is best known for his work that led to the discovery of the hepatitis C virus. Alter is the former chief of the infectious disease section and the associate director for research of the Department of Transfusion Medicine at the Warren Grant Magnuson Clinical Center in the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in Bethesda, Maryland. In the mid-1970s, Alter and his research team demonstrated that most post-transfusion hepatitis cases were not due to hepatitis A or hepatitis B viruses. Working independently, Alter and Edward Tabor, a scientist at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, proved through transmission studies in chimpanzees that a new form of hepatitis, initially called “non-A, non-B hepatitis” caused the infections, and that the causative agent was probably a virus. This work eventually led to the discovery of the hepatitis C virus in 1988, for which he shared the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 2020 along with Michael Houghton and Charles M. Rice.

Dr Alter has received recognition for the research leading to the discovery of the virus that causes hepatitis C. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal, the highest award conferred to civilians in United States government public health service, and the 2000 Albert Lasker Award for Clinical Medical Research.

Dr Ardem Patapoutian

The nobel prize in medicine 2021 .

For discovering how pressure is translated into nerve impulses

Dr Ardem Patapoutian is an Lebanese-American molecular biologist, neuroscientist, and Nobel Prize laureate of Armenian descent. He is known for his work in characterising the PIEZO1, PIEZO2, and TRPM8 receptors that detect pressure, menthol, and temperature. Dr Patapoutian is a neuroscience professor and Howard Hughes Medical Institute investigator at Scripps Research in La Jolla, California. In 2021, he won the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine jointly with David Julius.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why should I participate in the Re:think essay competition? 

The Re:think Essay competition is meant to serve as fertile ground for honing writing skills, fostering critical thinking, and refining communication abilities. Winning or participating in reputable contests can lead to recognition, awards, scholarships, or even publication opportunities, elevating your academic profile for college applications and future endeavours. Moreover, these competitions facilitate intellectual growth by encouraging exploration of diverse topics, while also providing networking opportunities and exposure to peers, educators, and professionals. Beyond accolades, they instil confidence, prepare for higher education demands, and often allow you to contribute meaningfully to societal conversations or causes, making an impact with your ideas.

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As long as you’re currently attending high school, regardless of your location or background, you’re eligible to participate. We welcome students from diverse educational settings worldwide to contribute their unique perspectives to the competition.

Is there any entry fee for the competition? 

There is no entry fee for the competition. Waiving the entry fee for our essay competition demonstrates CCIR’s dedication to equity. CCIR believes everyone should have an equal chance to participate and showcase their talents, regardless of financial circumstances. Removing this barrier ensures a diverse pool of participants and emphasises merit and creativity over economic capacity, fostering a fair and inclusive environment for all contributors.

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Three high school students receive scholarships from Kansas Department of Insurance

TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW) - Three high school students received scholarships for a financial literacy essay contest from the Kansas Department of Insurance.

Kansas Insurance Commissioner Vicki Schmidt announced on Thursday, May 9, the overall winner of the financial literacy essay contest sponsored by the Securities Division of the Kansas Department of Insurance.

According to the Kansas Department of Insurance , earlier this year, the Department granted $10,000 each to three organizations for a financial literacy essay contest. Jobs for America’s Graduates Kansas (JAG-K), Junior Achievement of Kansas and the Kansas Council for Economic Education each entered a selection of essays from Kansas students who participated in their financial literacy programs offered in over 200 high schools across Kansas. The students with the top three essays from each organization were awarded a share of $10,000 in scholarships. The first-place essay from each organization then advanced to compete for an overall contest winner and a share of an additional $10,000.

The contest finalists and their awards are:

• 1st Place: $5000 – Morgan Allen, (Kansas Council for Economic Education), Centralia High School
• 2nd Place: $3000 – Maggie Lesmeister, (Junior Achievement of Kansas), Seaman High School
• 3rd Place: $2,000 – Steven Nguyen, (Jobs for America’s Graduates Kansas), Wichita Southeast High School

“This year’s winners demonstrated the ability to make an investment plan that builds upon their personal goals while evaluating risk and the threat of fraud,” said Schmidt. “Congratulations to all the winners this year, and I encourage them to apply their financial knowledge as they further their education.”

Kansas Department of Insurance said the winning students receive their scholarships in addition to the $5,000 scholarship they won in the first round of the contest. The students receive the award money in the form of a 529 savings account to use for the advancement of their education.

Kansas Department of Insurance previously announced winners from each participating organization can be found online at insurance.kansas.gov/news . For more information about the Kansas Insurance Department or to learn more about making smart investment decisions, visit insurance.kansas.gov and SmartInvestKS.com .

Copyright 2024 WIBW. All rights reserved.

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Angara village , an open-air museum in some distance from Bratsk featuring Russian houses, the church and utensils of XVII—XX centuries as well as Evenk chums .

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Bratsk city, Russia

The city of Irkutsk oblast .

Bratsk - Overview

Bratsk is a city in Russia located in the north-west of the Irkutsk region, in the center of Angarsky mountain-ridge. It stands on the shores of the Bratsk and Ust-Ilim reservoirs formed on the Angara River.

Today, this city, formed in 1956 due to the construction of Bratsk hydro power station, is an agglomeration of dispersed residential areas separated by forests and water areas. Residential areas, different in size, are former settlements constructed near industrial enterprises.

The population of Bratsk is about 222,500 (2022), the area - 428 sq. km.

The phone code - +7 3953, the postal codes - 665700-665783.

Bratsk city flag

Bratsk city coat of arms.

Bratsk city map, Russia

History of bratsk.

In 1631, a group of 40 Cossacks headed by Panteley Demidov Penda founded a small fortress on the Angara River, in the mouth of the Oka River, and called it Bratsky ostrog. The name is derived by assimilating “Buryaty” (local native people) into “braty”, that is “bratya” (brothers).

When the fortress lost its military importance, the settlement received the name Bratsko-Ostrozhnoye, sometimes simply Bratskoye, later Bratsk.

The present city was formed due to the construction of Bratsk power station, to the north of the old settlement of Bratsk which was flooded by waters of the reservoir.

On July 15, 1955, the construction of Bratsk hydro power station and the city of Bratsk was announced as an All-Union construction. On July 26, 1961, the reservoir began to be filled with water. September 1, 1961, is considered the date of the Bratsk Sea coming into being.

Bratsk views

Bratsk Hydropower Station

Author: Sergeev Vitaliy

Lenin Square in Bratsk

Author: Vitaliy Alt

Bratsk street

Bratsk - Features

The city was formed from several settlements. Today, it consists of several districts located pretty far away from each other. The residential districts were built around preserved taiga forests. The length of the city along the shore of the reservoir is about 65 km. The distance to Irkutsk is 983 km by railway, and 618 km by highway.

The climate is continental with long severe winter (up to minus 35-40 degrees Celsius) and short hot summers (up to plus 25-30 degrees C). The heating season lasts 246 days. The average temperature in January is 22.7 degrees C below zero, in July - plus 18-19 degrees C. Despite the harsh climate, Bratsk economic and geographical location is quite favorable.

Bratsk plays a role of an important support base in the development of the northern regions of Eastern Siberia and the Far East. The city is located at the intersection of important communications connecting the European and Asian continents with the north of Eastern Siberia and Yakutia. This is the basis for its economic, social and cultural development.

Bratsk is one of the largest industrial centers in the region and Eastern Siberia: metallurgy; pulp, timber mass and carton producing; timber processing and wood working; chemical and food industries. It has access to electricity generated by Bratsk power station, unlimited water resources, navigable and timber-rafting ways, etc. Also, private gold miners working on the Angara tributaries and pearl divers (the Oka River) play significant role in the local economy.

Bratsk airport offers flights to Irkutsk, Krasnoyarsk, Novosibirsk, Moscow, Tyumen, Yakutsk. The city is connected by railway lines with central Russia, Siberia, Yakutia, Transbaikalia, the Far East.

One of the essential problems of present Bratsk is an adverse environment. The main sources of pollution are the enterprises of ferrous metallurgy, timber processing, energy, transport.

60 km east of Bratsk, there is a climatic resort “Bratsk seaside” located on the coast of the Bratsk reservoir. Patients with diseases of the circulatory and nervous systems are treated there.

Museums of Bratsk

• “Angara Village” - an architectural and ethnographical open-air museum (Komsomolskaya Street, 38),
• Bratsk museum of Angara assimilation history (Komsomolskaya Street, 38),
• The museum of Bratsk city and power station history (Gidrostroiteley Street, 54),
• The museum of history of political exile (Parkovaya Street, 3),
• Bratsk art exhibition hall (Komsomolskaya Street, 77).

Bratsk city of Russia photos

Bratsk places.

Monument to Pushkin in Bratsk

Hotel in Bratsk

Author: Isaev S.V.

Bratsk Palace of Arts

Author: Yulia Zolotovskaya

Pictures of Bratsk

Fountain in Bratsk

Church of the Dormition in Bratsk

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