Elementary Division: Computer Science
The study of information processes, the structures and procedures that represent processes, and their implementation in information processing systems. It includes systems analysis and design, application and system software design, programming, and datacenter operations.
Elementary Division: Earth and Planetary Science
The study of sciences related to the planet Earth (Geology, mineralogy, physiography, oceanography, meteorology, climatology, speleology, seismology, geography, atmospheric sciences, etc.)
Elementary Division: Mathematical Sciences
The study of the measurement, properties, and relationships of quantities and sets, using numbers and symbols. The deductive study of numbers, geometry, and various abstract constructs, or structures.
Elementary Division: Medicine and Health Sciences
The science of diagnosing, treating, or preventing disease and other damage to the body or mind.
Elementary Division: Animal Sciences
Study of animals and animal life, including their structure, function, life history, interactions, classification, and evolution.
Elementary Division: Behavioral and Social Sciences
The science or study of the thought processes and behavior of humans and other animals in their interactions with the environment studied through observational and experimental methods.
Elementary Division: Cellular and Molecular Biology
The study of the structure and formation of cells.
Elementary Division: Chemistry
The science of the composition, structure, properties, and reactions of matter.
Elementary Division: Engineering
The application of scientific and mathematical principles to practical ends such as the design, manufacture, and operation of efficient and economical structures, processes, machines and systems.
Elementary Division: Environmental Sciences
The analysis of existing conditions of the environment.
Elementary Division: Physics and Astronomy
Physics is the science of matter and energy and of interactions between the two. Astronomy is the study of anything in the universe beyond the Earth.
Elementary Division: Plant Sciences
Study of plant life, including their structure and function, life history, growth, interactions with other plants and animals, classification, and evolution.
Junior Division: Animal Science
Study of animals and animal life, including their structure, function, life history, interactions, classification, and evolution.
Junior Division: Behavioral and Social Science
The science or study of the thought processes and behavior of humans and other animals in their interactions with the environment studied through observational and experimental methods.
Junior Division: Cellular and Molecular Biology
The study of the structure and formation of cells.
Junior Division: Chemistry
The science of the composition, structure, properties, and reactions of matter.
Junior Division: Computer Science
The study of information processes, the structures and procedures that represent processes, and their implementation in information processing systems. It includes systems analysis and design, application and system software design, programming, and data center operations.
Junior Division: Earth and Planetary Science
The study of sciences related to the planet Earth (Geology, mineralogy, physiography, oceanography, meteorology, climatology, speleology, seismology, geography, atmospheric sciences, etc.)
Junior Division: Engineering
The application of scientific and mathematical principles to practical ends such as the design, manufacture, and operation of efficient and economical structures, processes, machines, and systems.
Junior Division: Environmental Science
The analysis of existing conditions of the environment.
Junior Division: Mathematics
The study of the measurement, properties, and relationships of quantities and sets, using numbers and symbols. The deductive study of numbers, geometry, and various abstract constructs, or structures.
Junior Division: Medicine and Health Sciences
The science of diagnosing, treating, or preventing disease and other damage to the body or mind.
Junior Division: Physics and Astronomy
Physics is the science of matter and energy and of interactions between the two. Astronomy is the study of anything in the universe beyond the Earth.
Junior Division: Plant Sciences
Study of plant life, including their structure and function, life history, growth, interactions with other plants and animals, classification, and evolution.
Senior Division: Animal Sciences
This category includes all aspects of animals and animal life, animal life cycles, and animal interactions with one another or with their environment. Examples of investigations included in this category would involve the study of the structure, physiology, development, and classification of animals, animal ecology, animal husbandry, entomology, ichthyology, ornithology, and herpetology, as well as the study of animals at the cellular and molecular level which would include cytology, histology, and cellular physiology.
Subcategories:
Animal Behavior
Cellular Studies
Development
Ecology
Genetics
Nutrition and Growth
Physiology
Systematics and Evolution
Other
Senior Division: Behavioral and Social Sciences
The science or study of the thought processes and behavior of humans and other animals in their interactions with the environment studied through observational and experimental methods.
Subcategories:
Clinical & Developmental Psychology
Cognitive Psychology
Neuroscience
Physiological Psychology
Sociology and Social Psychology
Other
Senior Division: Biochemistry
The study of the chemical basis of processes occurring in living organisms, including the processes by which these substances enter into, or are formed in, the organisms and react with each other and the environment.
Subcategories:
Analytical Biochemistry
General Biochemistry
Medicinal Biochemistry
Structural Biochemistry
Other
Senior Division: Biomedical and Health Sciences
This category focuses on studies specifically designed to address issues of human health and disease. It includes studies on the diagnosis, treatment, prevention or epidemiology of disease and other damage to the human body or mental systems. Includes studies of normal functioning and may investigate internal as well as external factors such as feedback mechanisms, stress or environmental impact on human health and disease.
Subcategories:
Cell, Organ, and Systems Physiology
Genetics and Molecular Biology of Disease
Immunology
Nutrition and Natural Products
Pathophysiology
Other
Senior Division: Biomedical Engineering
Projects that involve the application of engineering principles and design concepts to medicine and biology for healthcare purposes including diagnosis, monitoring and therapy. Prominent biomedical engineering applications include the development of biocompatible prostheses, various diagnostic and therapeutic medical devices ranging from clinical equipment to micro-implants, common imaging equipment such as MRIs and EEGs, regenerative tissue growth, pharmaceutical drugs and therapeutic biologicals.
Senior Division: Cellular and Molecular Biology
This is an interdisciplinary field that studies the structure, function, intracellular pathways, and formation of cells. Studies involve understanding life and cellular processes specifically at the molecular level.
Subcategories:
Cell Physiology
Cellular Immunology
Genetics
Molecular Biology
Neurobiology
Other
Senior Division: Chemistry
Studies exploring the science of the composition, structure, properties, and reactions of matter not involving biochemical systems.
Subcategories:
Analytical Chemistry
Computational Chemistry
Environmental Chemistry
Inorganic Chemistry
Materials Chemistry
Organic Chemistry
Physical Chemistry
Other
Senior Division: Computational Biology and Bioinformatics
Studies that primarily focus on the discipline and techniques of computer science and mathematics as they relate to biological systems. This includes the development and application of data-analytical and theoretical methods, mathematical modeling and computational simulation techniques to the study of biological, behavior, and social systems.
Subcategories:
Computational Biomodeling
Computational Epidemiology
Computational Evolutionary Biology
Computational Neuroscience
Computational Pharmacology
Genomics
Other
Senior Division: Earth and Environmental Sciences
Studies of the environment and its effect on organisms/systems, including investigations of biological processes such as growth and life span, as well as studies of Earth systems and their evolution.
Subcategories:
Atmospheric Science
Climate Science
Environmental Effects on Ecosystems
Geosciences
Water Science
Other
Senior Division: Embedded Systems
Studies involving electrical systems in which information is conveyed via signals and waveforms for purposes of enhancing communications, control and/or sensing.
Subcategories:
Circuits
Internet of Things
Microcontrollers
Networking and Data Communications
Optics
Sensors
Signal Processing
Other
Senior Division: Energy: Sustainable Materials & Design
Studies/processes involving the production and/or storage of energy.
Subcategories:
Biological Process and Design
Solar Process, Materials, and Design
Energy Storage
Wind and Water Movement Power Generation
Hydrogen Generation and Storage
Thermal Generation and Design
Triboelectricity and Electrolysis
Other
Senior Division: Engineering Technology: Statics and Dynamics
Studies that focus on the science and engineering that involve movement or structure. The movement will be a result of forces; the structure will be stable due to the equilibrium of forces.
Aerospace and Aeronautical Engineering
Civil Engineering
Computational Mechanics
Control Theory
Ground Vehicle Systems
Industrial Engineering-Processing
Mechanical Engineering
Naval Systems
Other
Senior Division: Environmental Engineering
Studies that engineer or develop processes and infrastructure to solve environmental problems in the supply of water, the disposal of waste, or the control of pollution.
Subcategories:
Bioremediation
Land Reclamation
Pollution Control
Recycling and Waste Management
Water Resources Management
Other
Senior Division: Materials Science
The study of the integration of various materials forms in systems, devices, and components that rely on their unique and specific properties. It involves their synthesis and processing in the form of nanoparticles, nanofibers, and nanolayered structures, to coatings and laminates, to bulk monolithic, single-/poly-crystalline, glassy, soft/hard solid, composite, and cellular structures. It also involves measurements of various properties and characterization of the structure across length scales, in addition to multi-scale modeling and computations for process-structure and structure-property correlations.
Subcategories:
Biomaterials
Ceramic and Glasses
Composite Materials
Computation and Theory
Electronic, Optical, and Magnetic Materials
Nanomaterials
Polymers
Other
Senior Division: Mathematics
The study of the measurement, properties, and relationships of quantities and sets, using numbers and symbols. The deductive study of numbers, geometry, and various abstract constructs, or structures.
Subcategories:
Algebra
Analysis
Combinatorics, Graph Theory, and Game Theory
Geometry and Topology
Number Theory
Probability and Statistics
Other
Senior Division: Microbiology
The study of micro-organisms, including bacteria, viruses, fungi, prokaryotes, and simple eukaryotes as well as antimicrobial and antibiotic substances.
Subcategories:
Antimicrobial and Antibiotics
Applied Microbiology
Bacteriology
Environmental Microbiology
Microbial Genetics
Virology
Other
Senior Division: Physics and Astronomy
Physics is the science of matter and energy and of interactions between the two. Astronomy is the study of anything in the universe beyond the Earth.
Subcategories:
Atomic, Molecular, and Optical Physics
Astronomy and Cosmology
Biological Physics
Condensed Matter and Materials
Mechanics
Nuclear and Particle Physics
Theoretical, Computational, and Quantum Physics
Other
Senior Division: Plant Sciences
Studies of plants and how they live, including structure, physiology, development, and classification. Includes plant cultivation, development, ecology, genetics and plant breeding, pathology, physiology, systematics and evolution.
Subcategories:
Agriculture and Agronomy
Ecology
Genetics and Breeding
Growth and Development
Pathology
Plant Physiology
Systematics and Evolution
Other
Senior Division: Robotics and Intelligent Machines
Studies in which the use of machine intelligence is paramount to reducing the reliance on human intervention.
Subcategories:
Biomechanics
Cognitive Systems
Control Theory
Machine Learning
Robot Kinematics
Other
Senior Division: Systems Software
The study or development of software, information processes or methodologies to demonstrate, analyze, or control a process/solution.
Subcategories:
Algorithms
Cybersecurity
Databases
Human/Machine Interface
Languages and Operating Systems
Mobile Apps
Online Learning
Other
Senior Division: Technology Enhances the Arts
The use of technology to ignite new concepts, visualization tools and/or media to enhance our enjoyment of the arts.
Senior Division: Translational Medical Sciences
Projects that aim to improve human health and longevity by translating novel discoveries in the biomedical sciences into effective activities and tools for clinical and public health use. Bi-directional in concept, projects can be those developed through basic research moving toward clinical testing (bench-to-bedside) or projects that provide feedback about the applications of new treatments and how they can be improved (bedside-to-bench).