Friday, March 13, 2026
Motivation
The construction and testing of model bridges promotes the study and application of principles of physics and engineering, and it helps students develop hands-on skills. By participating, students gain insight into what it is to be an engineer: designing structures to a set of specifications and testing their functionality.
Audience for This Competition
This competition is suitable for High School students and teachers interested in mathematics, physics, research, and engineering.
Rules & Eligibility Criteria
This contest is open to High School students from Suffolk and Nassau counties, Long Island, NY.
Bridge Qualifications
Bridges must be brought to Brookhaven National Laboratory’s Science User and Support Center (Bldg. 101) between 3:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. on one of the qualification dates listed on this page. At qualifications, the bridges will be inspected by lab staff to determine if all specifications have been met and at that time, bridge numbers will be assigned.
Join the Competition
This year’s contest will be held in Berkner Hall (Bldg. 488) at Brookhaven National Laboratory on Friday, March 13, 2026, from 8:45 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. If you cannot attend the contest, a video of the bridge testing will be available on the Brookhaven Lab YouTube channel after the event.
At the conclusion of the contest, awards will be given to the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners, as well as an aesthetic award for bridge design. The first and second place bridges in this BNL regional contest will be eligible for the International Bridge Contest.
Videos
Important Dates
| December 4, 2025 | General registration opens |
| February 25, 2026 | General registration closes |
| March 4, 2026, 3-5 p.m. | Bridge Qualifications: Day 1 |
| March 5, 2026, 3-5 p.m. | Bridge Qualifications: Day 2 |