2024 YHSA USA Regional Oral Final
Here is the schedule for the 2024 Yau Award USA Regional Competition.
Nov 16 (Sat):
1:00pm: Computer Science
2:00pm: Chemistry
Nov 17 (Sun):
9:00am: Economics, Mathematics
12:00noon: Biology, Physics
INSTRUCTIONS For THE 2024 YHSA ORAL ROUND COMPETITION
Where. All of the YHSA oral round events will take place on the Brandeis campus at 415 South St, Waltham MA 02454. Registration and oral presentations will take place in the Goldsmith Building (Math Department) on both Saturday Nov 16 and Sunday Nov 17. An evening award banquet will take place at the Brandeis Faculty Club on Sunday. Directions to both Goldsmith and the Faculty Club can be found on the following campus map.
Registration. An oral round contestant in each subject should show up and register in Goldsmith Room 200, at least 1 hour before their oral session starts. They must bring their photo ID such as a passport or a driver's license at the time of registration. A contestant without a valid photo ID, or who shows up late for the event, may be disqualified from the oral round. A contestant must bring a thumb drive with their presentation slides on it, at the time of their registration. The slides will be pre-loaded to the oral exam room’s desktop computer by YHSA staffers.
Exam Format. Before an oral session starts, all registered contestants of that session will be asked to wait in a designated room. Members of different contestant groups should not communicate with each other in any way while waiting there. Each group will be called to their exam room when it is their turn to present. Each group will have 12 minutes to present their work using their prepared slides, followed by up to 8 minutes of Q&A. Contestants are advised to bring with them the thumb-drive with their slides, in case it is needed for re-uploading. Contestants shall leave Goldsmith right after their oral presentations are over.
Award Banquet. Results of the oral round will be announced at the Sunday award banquet. In honor of the YHSA winning contestants, an award certificate will be given to them when their name is being announced at the podium. Photos will be taken by YHSA staffers. For logistical convenience, a mock certificate may be used during the award ceremony, in which case the real one with appropriate name on it will be mailed to the contestant later. All registered oral round contestants are invited (free of charge) to attend the award banquet. A contestant who wishes to attend the banquet shall inform YHSA staffers at the time of their registration, by giving us their name and a contact phone number.
Other attendees. If a parent/guardian of a contestant wishes to attend the award banquet, they must inform us at the time of registration, by giving us at the registration desk their name and a contact phone number. The cost for each banquet attendee is $100 (cash only please) payable at the time of registration. By MA state law, a staffer is required to ID card check a person before serving them alcoholic drinks.
Food and drink. They will be provided free of charge on site to all YHSA contestants, throughout the 2-day events.