The future health of the American population depends in large part upon the knowledge and ability of our upcoming health leaders, practitioners and researchers. The Young Epidemiology Scholars (YES) competition for original student research is designed to inspire talented students to investigate the many behavioral, biological, environmental and social factors that affect health and, based upon this knowledge, to identify ways to improve the health of the public. The YES Competition offers college scholarship awards to high school juniors and seniors who conduct outstanding research projects that apply epidemiological methods of analysis to a health-related issue.

Epidemiology is the science of exploring patterns of disease, illness and injury within populations, with the goal of developing methods for prevention, control, and treatment to improve health.

The basic skills required by epidemiology—framing the right question, collecting relevant information and analyzing it to answer the question—are skills that will help students succeed in any area of future work. The study and application of epidemiology promotes a way of thinking that can be used effectively in both scientific and nonscientific settings. As a science, epidemiology helps explain the world in which we live and has strong links to personal decisions that each of us makes every day. As a way of thinking, epidemiology can help explain significant historical events and inform current decision-making in a broad variety of sectors. Leaders of communities, states and countries often rely on epidemiological data when they make critical policy decisions that may affect the well-being of their residents.

The student competition is open to high school juniors and seniors who are citizens or permanent residents of the United States and enrolled in a high school in the United States, Puerto Rico, Guam, U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Midway, Wake Island, or the Mariana Islands. Home-schooled students also are eligible.

Only one project per student will be accepted. Please read About the Research Project in Research Project Guidelines.

To enter the competition, you will submit a written report summarizing your research project.

For more information or technical assistance , contact the YES program at 1 800-626-9795, extension 793 (9:00 am – 5:00 pm Eastern time) or by email at yes@collegeboard.org.

http://www.collegeboard.com/yes