Great Neck South, Ward Melville Win Brookhaven Lab Regional Science Bowls

First-place teams from Long Island qualify to compete for National Science Bowl title this spring

February 10, 2026

UPTON, N.Y. — Teams of quick-thinking students from Great Neck South Middle School and Ward Melville High School earned the top spots at regional Science Bowl competitions hosted by the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Brookhaven National Laboratory on Jan. 29 and 30.

The annual quiz bowl contest tests students’ knowledge on a range of science disciplines including chemistry, biology, physics, mathematics, astronomy, earth, and computer science. The competition is fast-paced — students must quickly buzz in with their answers before their opponents or before the clock runs out.

“The Brookhaven Lab Regional Science Bowls are incredibly exciting competitions to host and watch,” said competition coordinator Amanda Horn, an educator with Brookhaven’s Workforce Development and Science Education Office (WDSE). “Long Island and New York City are home to exceptionally talented students who have a strong interest in STEM, and this competition gives them a chance to showcase their knowledge, teamwork, and problem-solving skills.”

The teams’ first place wins at Brookhaven Lab secure them a slot at the National Science Bowl, where students from schools across the United States will vie for the national title this spring near Washington, D.C.

The first-place teams also received medals, a trophy, and banner to hang at their schools. The second through fourth place teams received plaques. The second- and third-place teams also earned medals for their accomplishments. All prizes and giveaways are courtesy of the event’s sponsors, Brookhaven Science Associates and Teachers Federal Credit Union.

Middle school Science Bowl top four

The regional middle school Science Bowl on Jan. 29 invited schools from Long Island and New York City to compete.

Great Neck South Middle School’s Team 1 were the defending champions this year and brought home another first-place win for their school. Team members specialized in different topics to prepare for the contest, said team captain Zale Zhang.

“It feels great because we all studied really hard in our own subjects, so it’s nice to see that it paid off,” Zhang said of his team’s win.

Looking ahead to a return to the National Science Bowl, Zhang said one of the best parts about the competition, besides the food offerings, is meeting other students from around the country.

Great Neck South coach and science teacher Nathan Wong said the team is made up of self-motivated, talented students.

“I’m so proud of our students. They worked so hard,” Wong said. “I keep telling them, ‘Look at the scientists around here, you might be them one day.’ It’s very exciting. I love working with these kids. It’s such a privilege.”

First place: Great Neck South Middle School (Team 1)
Second place: Paul J. Gelinas Middle School
Third place: Hunter College Middle School
Fourth place: R.C. Murphy Middle School

High school Science Bowl top four

Students from Ward Melville High School also earned a repeat first-place win at the regional high school competition on Jan. 30.

Captain Harry Gao said the team practiced by participating in online competitions against the best schools in the nation.

“I think we’re looking the strongest we ever have,” Gao said. “This year, we have a new team member who is focused on biology, which used to be a weak subject for us. I think we all did pretty well today. I want extend gratitude to BNL for hosting this competition and to our coach Dr. Kula.”

This is the fourth time a team from Ward Melville will head to the National Science Bowl, noted coach Marnie Kula.

“It’s unbelievable, but the beautiful part about going to nationals is that each time they’ve been able to go, they have gotten better at what they do,” Kula said. “I’m really proud of them. It’s their sport and they’re really good at it.”

Competitors from Lynbrook Senior High School and Friends Academy each garnered a shoutout during the awards ceremony for making it to the science bowl’s double elimination rounds for the first time for their schools.

First place: Ward Melville High School
Second place: Roslyn High School
Third place: Lynbrook Senior High School
Fourth place: Friends Academy

STEM Challenge

Teams that did not move on to the Science Bowls’ final double elimination rounds further exercised their brains during a STEM Challenge. Students worked to solve a series of puzzles to ultimately unlock a box full of sweet treats. The teams with the fastest times were announced at the awards ceremony and received plaques.

“The STEM Challenge offers students an alternative way to apply their STEM knowledge, flex their competitive muscles, and engage with the science that happens here at the Laboratory,” said Jonathan Ullmann, a senior educational programs representative who organized the challenge. “This year’s puzzles included topics such as astronomy and atmospheric instrumentation — highlighting the NSF-DOE Vera C. Rubin Observatory and the DOE Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) User Facility, respectively. As the designer of the puzzles, I hope the STEM Challenge can serve as a fun introduction to some of projects and initiatives our staff are involved in.”

Middle school STEM Challenge results: First place: Long Beach Middle School; Second place: Jericho Middle School; Third place: Great Neck South (Team 2)

High school STEM Challenge results: First place: Westhampton Beach High School; Second place: Longwood Senior High School; Third place: Jericho Senior High School

A day of STEM inspiration

Beyond the competition fun, the Science Bowl hosted at Brookhaven Lab offers students a chance to connect with science educators, researchers, engineers, and support staff who volunteer as competition judges and helped keep the contests running smoothly.

Representatives from the DOE-Brookhaven Site Office and Brookhaven’s WDSE team encouraged students to stay curious and explore careers in science, technology, engineering, and math. They highlighted the many pathways and opportunities available to help students turn their interest into impactful STEM careers.

“Brookhaven is a multidisciplinary research lab, which means we tackle a wide range of scientific challenges,” said Bernadette Uzzi, WDSE manager of K-12 programs. “Our programs are designed to reflect the cutting-edge work happening here and across the DOE national lab complex, creating real-world opportunities for the next generation of researchers and innovators."

During a STEM Expo, students and their teachers learned about year-round educational opportunities with the DOE Office of Science and Brookhaven Lab, and they met with scientists and engineers who offered hands-on demonstrations that connected to their work and unique research facilities.

Science Bowl competitors also toured the National Synchrotron Light Source II, a DOE Office of Science user facility at Brookhaven.

At the start of each competition day, early-career scientists at Brookhaven Lab who participated in a recent Research SLAM — a contest that challenges researchers to share their work in short, easy-to-understand talks — were among the many who shared their STEM pathways.

Preetha Sakar, who won Brookhaven’s 2025 Research SLAM, presented highschoolers with overview of her work at the Center for Functional Nanomaterials — a DOE Office of Science user facility — developing new materials for quantum computers that will be key to making a quantum revolution a reality.

Wenjie Liao of the Chemistry Division, who is developing machine learning frameworks to discover better catalysts, told middle schoolers that when he was conducting experiments in class at their age, one question inspired him to become a chemist: Why did that happen?

Liao urged students to protect their curiosity as he wished them luck in the Science Bowl.

“I hope you leave today not only with points on the scoreboard but with one question you cannot stop thinking about,” he said.

Brookhaven National Laboratory is supported by the Office of Science of the U.S. Department of Energy. The Office of Science is the single largest supporter of basic research in the physical sciences in the United States and is working to address some of the most pressing challenges of our time. For more information, visit science.energy.gov.

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