Yale Scientific Magazine

Synapse

About Synapse
Essay Contest

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Synapse is the official outreach team of Yale Scientific Magazine. As a Yale Dwight Hall member group and student organization, it is in charge of the community outreach projects of YSM. It aims to cultivate the interest in science, research, and scientific journalism in students of all ages, and to help them pursue science after high school.

Synapse is in charge of hosting the annual Resonance conference and the Yale Scientific Magazine National Essay Competition. It also co-hosts Science on Saturdays with Pathways to Science.

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Yale Scientific Magazine National Essay Competition

Welcome! At the Yale Scientific Magazine, we believe not only in spirit of cutting-edge science journalism but also in the importance of mentoring young science writers for the future. Because of this philosophy, we are now piloting an exciting new chapter in our outreach program: the annual Yale Scientific Magazine National Essay Competition!

The winning essay will be published in the fall issue of the Yale Scientific Magazine, and runner-up essays will be featured on our website.

Get started by flipping through the tabs for information detailing the guidelines of our contest — the essay prompts, word count, deadlines, and exactly how we’ll be working with and mentoring you throughout your writing process. Excited but not sure how to start? Visit this link for some tips on science writing.

Best of luck!

2019 Essay Prompt:

Choose an important but under-discussed breakthrough from the past 5 years, and describe why it is so significant.

Rules and Guidelines

Eligibility Requirements and Deadlines

To submit an entry to the essay contest, an individual must be a citizen of the United States currently enrolled in a United States high school.
All contest materials must be received by March 22, 2019 by 11:59 PM EST.

Submission Guidelines

Please submit your prompt response to the Yale Scientific Magazine Synapse email: yalesynapse@gmail.com

Essays should be double-spaced, typed in Times New Roman, size 12 font, with 1 inch document margins. Please limit responses to 1000 words.

2019 Essay Prompt

There is a moment that defines success, that “ah-ha” moment, when the barrier of your expectations of what is possible to achieve is shattered. Yet, for every Nobel Prize success story or every innovation that is deemed media frenzy worthy, there are hundreds of breakthroughs that go unnoticed by the general public.

Choose an important but under-discussed breakthrough from the past 5 years, and describe why it is so significant.

Contest Regulations

Each individual may only submit one (1) entry per category.
Each submission should reflect the contestant’s own work and original thinking. Entries that show evidence of plagarism will not be considered.
Each contestant must submit their response via email to the Yale Scientific Magazine Synapse email: yalesynapse@gmail.com .
Please include any citations in Chicago style at the end of the essay or in a separate document for multimedia submissions.

Prizes:

1^st place: $100 and a year-long subscription to the Yale Scientific Magazine. The winning magazine will be published in the fall issue of the Yale Scientific.

2^nd place: $50

Winners and honorable mentions will be announced on our website and contacted via email.

Questions or Concerns?

If you have any questions or need any clarification, please do not hesitate to contact us at yalesynapse@gmail.com.

Submission (Closed)2017 Contest Winners Past Winners

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