1.0 OVERVIEW

Science popularization initiatives are one of the most effective methods of engaging parents, students, teachers, and the public in STEM. The Caribbean STEM Olympiads (CSO) is one such annual initiative. The CSO is one of the projects of the CSF that aims to fulfill the commitment of enhancing the quality of secondary and tertiary science education in the Region while creating a technology-savvy workforce.

The CSF will be holding its third annual Caribbean STEM Olympiads on 13 – 19 January 2025. Several information sessions for the 2025 CSO will be held between 29 September and 08 December 2024 (see CSO 2025 Agenda below for details). At this time, the CSO is open only to citizens of CARICOM and CARICOM-Associate countries (not observer countries) who meet one of the age requirements. The CSO is also open to residents who have been living in a CARICOM or CARICOM-Associate country for the last 4 consecutive years.

The Caribbean STEM Olympiads were previously held in January of 2023 and January of 2024. A summary of the Olympiad events detailing the activities and the winning teams by country, event and age level can be found in the 2023 press release and the 2024 press release. The 2023 press release also contains links to short video highlights of the Olympiad events.

The events of the 2025 Caribbean STEM Olympiads are:

(a) CSF Math Olympiad

(b) CSF Computer Coding Olympiad (aimed at solving a challenge faced by Caribbean communities)

(c) CSF Robotics & Electronics Systems Olympiad (where projects must be hardware dominant).

Principals and teachers in CARICOM and CARICOM-Associate countries are encouraged to send teams of students to compete in the Olympiads. Teams from clubs and associations as well as independent competitors (not affiliated with a school/club/institution) are also encouraged to apply. Medal certificates and cash prizes will be awarded to the winning teams and individuals.

Objectives of the CSO

The primary objectives of the Caribbean STEM Olympiads are to:

• Assist with STEM education reform and science popularization in the Caribbean

• Raise community awareness of the importance of science and technology for job creation

• Provide informal learning opportunities in mathematics, coding, and robotics & electronics (especially for young women and at-risk youth)

• Ignite and nurture the STEM inventiveness in our youth

• Encourage students to pursue further studies in the STEM-related disciplines

• Give our medalists a competitive advantage on their university applications

• Attract more scientists, engineers, entrepreneurs, and world-renowned technology-academicians to the Region