Timeline

CEF’s You Be The Chemist Challenge® is a collaborative, multilevel student science competition that celebrates science and elevates STEM careers. To find out more about the Challenge, please click here. 5^th-8^th grade students are eligible to compete in teams of three (3) – four (4). To find a Regional Challenge in your area, see our list of In-person events!

August-September

Engage students for a fun and exciting STEM Challenge at the start of the school year.
There is no limit to the number of teams, and you don’t have to know team composition at this stage.

October 1, 2024

Challenge Registration and Team Submission opens.

Rules and study material released. Exciting updates this year!

Teams can begin working on their video, to be submitted by March 21, 2025.

December 20, 2024

Registration closes.

January 15, 2025

Deadline for Team Coordinators to complete Team Submission

January 18, 2025

In-person Regional Challenge events begin. In-Person Regional Challenge events will occur between Saturday, January 18 and Sunday, March 2.

March 5 & 8, 2025

Virtual Regional Challenge on one of these dates (selected during Team Submission). Teams may submit answers as a group or answer questions individually. If team members answer questions individually, their scores will be averaged.
*Virtual Regional Challenges are only for Teams that do not have an In-person Regional Challenge near them.

March 21, 2025

Video Submission deadline.
Teams collaborate throughout the year to create a video based on the year’s prompt that will be evaluated.
*All teams must create and submit a video to be considered as a State Winner and a National Finalists.