psychology essay competition

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8 Psychology and Neuroscience Competitions for High School Students

If you're a high school student working on a psychology project, are interested in the subject, or wish to gain some competitive experience in the field, this blog is for you! Competitions in psychology and neuroscience not only give you a platform to showcase your knowledge and passion but also provide an opportunity to connect with fellow curious minds.

Taking part in competitions, especially in fields like psychology or neuroscience, can really catch the eye of college admissions officers. It shows them a bunch of things:

Passion and Dedication : Your involvement demonstrates genuine interest and commitment to the field. It shows you're not just about grades; you're actively exploring and engaging in your interests.

Skills in Communication and Research : These competitions highlight your ability to explain complex ideas and present research effectively, which are essential skills in higher education.

Adaptability and Drive : Meeting competition deadlines and following submission guidelines showcases your adaptability and drive to excel, qualities that colleges highly value.

Demonstrated Success : Winning or even participating successfully in these competitions adds a tangible achievement to your application. It's proof of your abilities in a competitive setting.

So, when admissions officers see your involvement in these competitions, it paints a picture of a motivated, passionate, and capable student, which can make a significant impression on your college applications.

In this blog, let's take a look at 8 psychology and neuroscience competitions for high school students designed to engage and inspire students like you.

1. Psychology Olympiad

The IPsyO welcomes high school students from across the globe. It's crafted to be a demanding competition, so participants should view it as a chance to grow, putting their grasp of psychology, creativity, and originality to the test.

Participants are assessed on their concept clarity, real-world application, critical analysis of research scenarios, and proficiency in experimental design and quantitative data interpretation.

Application Deadline: Applications for the 2023 sessions are already closed. Based on this year’s deadlines, the applications close on the 25th of July.

Eligibility: Participation in the IPSYO is not directly open to individuals. If a student is interested in competing, the IPSYO might know teachers in their country who are willing to assist in assembling a team.

Mode/Platform: https://www.ipsyo.org/apply

Prize: Winners will receive gold, silver, and bronze medals based on aggregate scores, while the top 5 teams worldwide will be awarded based on team members' average scores.

2. TOPSS Competition for High School Psychology Students

This contest challenges students to create a concise, under 3-minute video demonstrating their grasp of a psychological concept from the Cognition Pillar of the National Standards for High School Psychology Curricula.

The video should include an accurate explanation of the chosen psychological construct, reference at least one relevant research study showcasing its potential societal benefits, and provide a practical example of how this knowledge can improve their school or local community.

Application Deadline: March 1, 2024

Eligibility: Only current high school students, including international students, can participate in the competition. Teams are not allowed, and each school can submit a maximum of five entries.

Mode/Platform: The mode/platform for video submission is YouTube. The complete set of rules for video submission can be found here .

Prize: $300 scholarship award

3. Junior Science and Humanities Symposium (JSHS)

JSHS encourages high school research and offers scholarships and recognition to support students' future STEM endeavors. Registration for JSHS is completely free for student participants, providing them with the chance to showcase their STEM research among peers and professionals from various STEM fields, including Behavioral Sciences, Neuroscience, and more.

Application Deadline: Regional symposium deadlines fall between September and December, with variations based on location.

Eligibility: Participants must select a regional symposium based on their school's address (except for the Virtual Region) and must be U.S. citizens or legal permanent residents.

Mode/Platform: Regional Symposium - https://jshs.org/students/find-your-region/

Prize: Up to $12,000 in undergraduate tuition scholarships

4. Regeneron Science Talent Search (STS)

The Regeneron Science Talent Search (STS) stands as the oldest and most prestigious science competition for high school seniors in the United States. It provides a platform for these seniors to present their original research, which is assessed by a national panel of professional scientists.

Participants can choose from a range of categories, each offering sub-categories. For instance, under Behavioral and Social Sciences, you'll find topics related to human and animal behavior, and social and community relationships, which encompass fields like psychology, sociology, and anthropology, as well as subjects like learning and perception, among others. Remarkably, alumni of this competition have gone on to make significant contributions to science, earning numerous prestigious awards including thirteen Nobel Prizes.

We have covered this competition in detail here .

Application Deadline: November 8, 2023

Eligibility: US high school seniors and US citizens living abroad are eligible to apply. Non-US citizens attending American schools abroad are not eligible.

Mode/Platform: Online Application System

Scholars receive $2,000 each

Schools supporting scholars get $2,000

Finalists receive awards ranging from $25,000 to $250,000.

5. AAN Neuroscience Research Prize

This award aims to inspire high school students to delve into the intricacies of the brain and nervous system via research endeavors. It seeks to identify and commend students who exhibit exceptional scientific prowess, indicating potential contributions to neuroscience.

Additionally, the award acknowledges science educators who have shown exceptional support for students passionate about neuroscience.

You read more about the competition here !

Application Deadline: November 2, 2023

Eligibility: U.S. high school students (grades 9-12) can apply with original research projects, conducted individually, without the need for formal lab settings. Relatives of judges, AAN Science Committee, or AAN staff are not eligible.

Mode/Platform: Website: https://www.aan.com/research/neuroscience-research-prize

Prize: Each winner will receive a $1,000 prize

6. Psychology Essay Competition — Minds Underground

The Minds Underground™ Psychology Essay Competition & Challenge welcomes Year 12 students, although younger participants are also encouraged. This competition offers students a chance to delve into university-level research, refine their writing and persuasive abilities, and get ready for university interviews.

Application Deadline: Applications for the 2023 sessions are already closed. Based on this year’s deadlines, the applications close on 16 April 2023

Eligibility: Open to Year 10-13 students (ages 16-18) worldwide. Essays must be in English.

Mode/Platform: Essays should be submitted in PDF or Microsoft Word format on Online Form .

Prize: Winners receive a £30 voucher for educational resources and a custom Resource Pack for university applications.

7. Thermo Fisher Scientific Junior Innovators Challenge (JIC)

These competitions are widespread, spanning almost every U.S. state and over 70 countries, regions, and territories worldwide. They operate at various tiers, including local, regional, state, and even national levels, with some being associated with the International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) and the Thermo Fisher Scientific Junior Innovators Challenge.

To qualify for ISEF, participants must first secure a victory at a fair affiliated with the Society. Each affiliated fair is allotted a specific number of projects, either individual or team-based, that they can sponsor to participate in ISEF.

Application Deadline: Applications for the 2023 sessions are already closed. Based on this year’s deadlines, the applications close on June 14, 2023.

Eligibility: To participate in ISEF, students in grades 9-12 must first win at an affiliated fair.

Mode/Platform: Submission to an Affiliated fair .

Prize: Winners receive the $25,000 Thermo Fisher Scientific ASCEND Award, along with scientific trips and cash rewards for finalist teachers and schools.

8. International Brain Bee World Championship

Established in 1998 by Dr. Norbert Myslinski, the International Brain Bee aims to enhance our understanding of the brain and combat brain disorders. Over the years, it has motivated numerous students to delve into neuroscience and consider it as a career path.

The competition unfolds in three stages: participants begin with a Local Brain Bee, with the victors progressing to their nation's National Brain Bee. Ultimately, the winner of each National Brain Bee competes in the prestigious IBB World Championship.

Eligibility: Brain Bees typically accept high school students aged 13-19, with eligibility based on school enrollment or neuroscience knowledge. Participants need to qualify through a National Brain Bee.

Mode/Platform: This year, it was held virtually.

Prize: Up to $3000

If you are looking to start your own research journey in psychology with 1-1 mentorship from a top PhD scholar, check out the Lumiere Research Scholar Program , a selective online high school program for students that I founded with researchers at Harvard and Oxford. 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.

Image Source: ISEF logo

competitions

Top Psychology Competitions For High School and Middle School Students

By Logan Pearce

PhD candidate in Social Psychology at Princeton University

8 minute read

If you are currently conducting a research project in psychology or just completed one, you should consider participating in a psychology competition! While it may seem intimidating in the beginning, there are many benefits to participating in psychology competitions. Here are a few:

Develops your ability to explain complex ideas and your research to a new audience

Gives you a deadline, which in turn provides motivation for you to complete your research project

Provides opportunities to practice following guidelines and submission requirements, which are skills you will need in high school, college, and beyond

Looks great on a college application

You might win! (Don’t sell yourself short!)

In assessing each competition, I considered the academic rigor of its hosting institution, its relevance to psychology, and its accessibility for students. Accessibility of course comes in many forms. I considered whether the competition was accessible to students of different ages and in different geographical areas. None of the competitions required an entry fee, which is something else I looked for. (If you ever have to pay a lot of money for a competition, that’s a bad sign.)

What are the Top 8 Psychology Competitions For Students?

1. junior science and humanities symposium (jshs).

Hosting institution : United States Department of Defense

Format : Written Research Report

Application deadline : The regional symposiums vary by region, but the deadlines are usually between September and December. The regional symposiums are actually held from January through March. The national symposium is held sometime in April or May.

Individual or team : Either, but in the case of a team project, only one person presents/submits the work. That person will be presented with any scholarships/awards that they win.

Eligibility : Citizens or permanent residents of the United States only

This competition is for high school students (grades 9 - 12) who have conducted original research in a STEM field. First, students submit a written research report detailing their findings. Judges select a portion of those submissions to be considered in the appropriate regional symposium based on the applicant’s location. Winners from the regional round move on to the national symposium.

This is a great competition since students of many different ages can compete. One difficulty is that students generally have to travel to the regional symposium to present their work (a few are online). While there is at least one symposium in all 50 United States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and Department of Defense Schools in Europe and the Pacific, in some states there is only one symposium.

2. International Psychology Olympiad

Hosting institution: International Psychology Olympiad Association

Format: Academic Test

Application deadline: TBA

Individual or team: Individual or team

Eligibility: Worldwide; over 35+ countries have participated in the past

This competition has an academic test format with 3 different sections: concept understanding, application and analysis, and research design. In preparing for this test you should have a good understanding of psychology concepts and be able to apply this theory to actual problems. After registration, students will receive study materials to help prepare them for the test. You register for this competition through your school or an organization, so try to find classmates who might be interested as well, and reach out to school teachers or administrators early so they can sign you up!

3. Minds Underground Psychology Essay Competition

Hosting institution: Minds Underground

Format: Essay

Application deadline: Passed for this year, but based on last year’s date should be April 2024 for the upcoming year

Individual or team: Individual

Eligibility: Worldwide

This essay competition offers three essay prompts to choose from every year (you can submit one essay per category prompt). Past essay prompts have included questions like “Can we think without language?” and “How can the mind be altered by changes in the brain?” These profound questions are quite open-ended, so it forces you to do a good amount of research to support your perspective. As a result, you can learn quite a bit about psychology in the process while also developing your own opinions about the space.

Research and Prepare for your Competition or Fair

Polygence pairs you with an expert mentor in your area of passion. Together, you work to create a high quality research project that is uniquely your own. Our highly-specialized mentors can help guide you to feel even more prepared for an upcoming fair or competion. We also offer options to explore multiple topics, or to showcase your final product!

4. Thermo Fisher Scientific Junior Innovators Challenge (JIC)

Hosting institution: Society for Science in partnership with Thermo Fisher Scientific

Format: Submission to a local science fair

Application deadline: Varies depending on the local fair, but most fairs take place between January and April

Individual or team: Either. Up to three people can form a team, but each student must submit an individual application. Students on the same team are judged separately. Students can complete a team project and submit their application even if the other team members do not submit one.

Eligibility: The only criteria is that the student competes in an affiliated fair in the U.S. or a U.S. territory. You will have to check the fair’s rules to see if you are eligible to compete.

I like this competition because it is only for middle school students (6th, 7th, and 8th grades) - many opportunities are only for high school students. These students first compete in a local fair that is affiliated with Thermo Fisher. Judges at the local fair can then nominate up to 10% of the students to participate in the national competition. The Top 300 students receive awards, and the finalists chosen from the Top 300 travel to Washington, D.C., to compete for awards with even bigger prizes.

One drawback of this competition is that students must compete in a local fair first, which has the same transportation costs as I discussed earlier. Additionally, the site says that there is a fair “in nearly every state and territory in the U.S.,” which means there are a few states or territories that do not have a fair.

5. TOPSS Competition for High School Psychology Students

Hosting institution: TOPSS (American Psychological Association Teachers of Psychology in Secondary Schools)

Format: Video

Application deadline: The deadline for this year has passed, but check back soon!

Individual or team: Individual, although competitors also “must work with a teacher prior to submitting the entry to ensure the submitted content follows competition guidelines and rules.”

Eligibility Worldwide

In this competition, high school students submit a three-minute video that demonstrates their grasp of a psychological concept and how this concept can be used to make people’s lives better in the “real world”. The video should fall into one of the following categories: social psychology, personality, multiculturalism and gender, or motivation and emotion. To be eligible to compete, students must have completed or be currently enrolled in a psychology course. Each video submission must include a reference to at least one reputable outside source. You can check out this article to learn how to skim research papers effectively while looking for your outside source(s). Pro-tip: A major part of this competition is explaining the psychological concept and all research that you cite in your own words!

This competition is accessible for a variety of students, which is great. Even though it is hosted by the American Psychological Association, international students can compete. Applicants don’t have to pay for common research expenses (e.g., getting materials, paying participants) since the competition focuses on students’ understanding of existing research. However, I think this is also a potential limitation of the competition. Some students may not be as interested in reading articles and instead prefer to conduct their own research.

Also note that the video format may feel awkward for some students, but the 2022 competition submission was an essay, so perhaps that changes from year to year.

6. Regeneron Science Talent Search (STS)

Hosting institution: Society for Science

Format: Research Paper

Application deadline: The 2024 application opens on June 1, 2023. Check back on their website for the 2024 deadline.

Eligibility: United States citizens and students (of any citizenship) studying in the U.S. can compete.

This competition goes back to 1942 and is the oldest science and math competition in the United States! Since it has that background, it is very prestigious and academically rigorous. Applicants complete original scientific research projects and submit their findings in a formal research paper. Experts in the appropriate scientific field carefully review each project, leading to the Top 300 and Top 40 finalists. The Top 40 finalists compete in an in-person Finals Week in Washington, D.C., for the Top 10 awards. Each Top 40 scholar receives at least $25,000! ($25,000 seems like a typo, but don’t worry, I double-checked!)

Read our article about How to Write a Research Paper

The downside of this competition is that only high school seniors can compete. Applicants can conduct their research in any year of high school; however, it still limits younger students who want to compete earlier in their academic careers.

Check out our Ultimate Guide to the Regeneron Science Talent Search for more information about this competition

7. United States Army’s eCybermission Competition

Hosting institution: United States Army

Format: Scientific Report

Application deadline: Currently closed, but the previous deadline was in early 2023. Registration for the 2023-2024 competition opens in the fall.

Individual or team: Team

Eligibility: U.S. Citizens or Lawful Permanent Residents of the U.S.

This entirely virtual competition ranked high on the list because it is another rare opportunity for younger students. It is a team-based STEM competition for U.S. students in the 6th - 9th grades. Students form a group with 2 - 4 members total, along with an adult advisor. The team then completes a scientific research project or designs an engineering prototype to solve a problem in their community. Teams submit a paper describing their experimental research or engineering design process. They can win awards at the state, regional, and national levels.

The requirement to have 2 - 4 team members can be a pro or a con depending on the student and their goals and resources. On the one hand, it develops key collaboration skills which are useful in many different areas and can provide a sense of community. Each team member will also bring unique strengths to the project. On the other hand it might be challenging to find team members who have similar interests and vision for the project.

8. Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF)

Format: Submission to a local science fair

Application deadline: Varies depending on the local fair

Individual or team: Either. Students can form teams with up to three members total. Unlike the Theromo Fisher competition, in ISEF teams compete as a unit.

The Society for Science also hosts this competition, which is essentially the high school version of the Thermo Fisher competition. 9th-12th grade students first compete in a local science fair that is affiliated with Regeneron, and judges at that fair nominate a certain percentage of participants for the international level. These finalists compete for over 600 individual and team awards, with substantial monetary prizes.

This competition is accessible for all high school students and for international students. There are fairs in nearly every U.S. state as well as over 70 other countries, regions and territories. Students can submit projects in one of 21 categories that span all engineering and science disciplines, including the psychology subcategory under “Behavioral and Social Sciences.” We also have an ultimate guide to competing and winning in the Regeneron International Science Engineering Fair.

How Can I Prepare for a Psychology Competition?

All of these research competitions are great and hosted by reputable organizations, so consider each one and make the best decision based on your interests, goals, and resources. You can’t go wrong! Also remember that when you are submitting research involving human subjects for competitions, you will need to get IRB approval before conducting your research. If you would like any help conducting research that you want to submit to a competition, please apply for our flagship mentorship program here . You can also check out these articles to learn about research opportunities for high school students , internship opportunities for high school students , and creative ways to explore your passions .

Have any Polygence Students Completed Psychology Projects?

We also wanted to highlight some amazing psychology research projects that Polygence student alumni have completed in the past. Whether you’re submitting the project for a competition or not, the process of working on one is a great way to learn and explore your passions!

Janani’s project assessed how emotional intelligence affects a person’s lifestyle and wellbeing . Janani developed a questionnaire to assess people’s emotional intelligence and after completing the survey found some interesting insights about what provokes human anger and the connections between memories and emotions experienced. Janani also wrote a research paper to share her findings!

Valeria’s project explored the neglected mental health crisis and how the Covid-19 pandemic impacted minority groups and youth in the United States . Valeria researched the harmful mental health effects of the pandemic and also provided suggestions for potential solutions within healthcare and education systems. Valeria’s research paper was published in the Curieux Academic Journal!

Luke researched the topic of nepotistic hiring and how favoritism plays a role in the job market . What started for Luke as an initial survey about mental health during the pandemic eventually transitioned to a psychological study where he predicted that cultural differences and different socioeconomic status would lead to nuances in manager behavior in certain job-hiring situations. Luke’s research paper was published in Frontiers, a peer-reviewed academic journal.

Want to start a project of your own?

Click below to get matched with one of our expert mentors who can help take your project off the ground!

Summer 2024 Admissions for 1-on-1 Research Mentorship is OPEN. Watch information session recording 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

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.

Ccir Essay Competition Prompt Contributed By Dr Mashail Malik

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.

Ccir Essay Competition Prompt Contributed By Dr Mamiko Yajima

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.

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